Gaia Herbs launches postbiotics fermented from traditional superfoods

"To us, full spectrum means that nothing was removed or isolated except the fiber," Antonia Nguyen, director of product portfolio and strategic partnerships at Gaia Herbs, told NutraIngredients-USA. "Many other postbiotics focus on the inactive bacterial species or just metabolites of interest, but very few are offering both beneficial properties together. We explored ferments and postbiotics for two years and ended up with these four products that we are proud to put into the market to give consumers options in supporting their full gut health."

The launch is accompanied by consumer-facing education, including blogs and social media posts, to help shoppers delineate between prebiotics, probiotics and postbiotics and their specific roles in promoting gut and immune health. 

Educating the consumer​

Gaia Herbs highlights the growing understanding that the digestive tract is the foundation of overall well-being and breaks down the basic differences between the biotics that target the microbiome, particularly since postbiotics is a relatively new concept in the supplement aisle.

“Postbiotics are a fascinating aspect of gut health,” the company noted. “Unlike probiotics, which are live beneficial bacteria, or prebiotics, which are compounds that nourish these bacteria, postbiotics are the byproducts generated by the activity of probiotics during the fermentation process.”

It explained that just like pre- and probiotics, postbiotics work behind the scenes to support gut health but that taking postbiotics directly, instead of relying solely on prebiotics and probiotics, allows for more efficient absorption of health benefits.

Potential benefits highlighted include regulating immune health, maintaining a balanced microbiome, supporting a healthy inflammatory response, encouraging regularity, enhancing nutrient absorption and contributing to cardiovascular health. 

Gaia Herbs also cited early research indicating that prebiotic and probiotic benefits are mainly due to the product of postbiotics, as well as practical postbiotic advantages such as stability, longer shelf life, no need for refrigeration and consistent levels of beneficial compounds. 

Postbiotic fermented juice products​

The postbiotic line is presented as a convenient way to enjoy the benefits of fermented juices without unwanted side effects like gassiness and bloating associated with fiber-rich fermented foods.

“Each two-capsule serving found in our postbiotic supplements provides the equivalent amount of wild-type inactivated lactic acid bacteria and lactic acid from sauerkraut juice found in two tablespoons of traditionally fermented sauerkraut,” the company stated.

All products in the line support foundational gut health with three billion postbiotic cells per serving, but each harnesses a different fermented superfood:

• Sauerkraut: Organic green cabbage, sea salt, wild-type lactic acid bacteria from spontaneous fermentation to “support a healthy gut and the immune system”. 

• Kimchi: ​Organic napa cabbage, organic green cabbage, organic radish, organic carrots, organic onions, organic hot peppers, organic garlic, organic ginger, sea salt, wild-type lactic acid bacteria from spontaneous fermentation to “support a healthy gut with a traditional superfood”.

• Ginger-Turmeric: Organic green cabbage, organic carrots, organic onions, organic ginger, organic jalapenos, organic turmeric, organic cumin seed, sea salt, wild-type lactic acid bacteria from spontaneous fermentation to support “a healthy gut and healthy inflammatory response”.

• Ginger-Beet:​ Organic beets, organic green cabbage, organic onions, organic ginger, sea salt, wild-type lactic acid bacteria from spontaneous fermentation to support “a healthy gut and maintaining a healthy heart”.

"Consumer preference is the main differentiator in the four different postbiotic products," Nguyen explained. "Some consumers may wish to stick to ingredients they might know well, like turmeric, while others might prefer something more unique and new in the supplement world like kimchi."

According to Future Market Insights​, as consumer awareness of postbiotic supplements increases, the market is projected to grow at compound annual growth rate of 11.5% from $9.5 million in 2022 to $28.3 million by 2032.