Probiotics, prebiotics, and fibers in nutritive and functional beverages

The functional food market is skyrocketing for its health benefits. The role of foods and beverages in disease prevention and treatment is getting recognition. Hence, the production and consumption of functional foods are gaining attention. They provide health benefits beyond basic nutritional factors. As a macrotrend, beverages are the most active functional food category because of the convenience to handle, ease of distribution, possibility to meet consumer demand, ease of storage, and shelf stability. Functional beverages are nonalcoholic drinks containing nontraditional ingredients and are currently getting highest levels of consumer acceptance for their functional cosmetic concept such as improved eye, skin, and hair conditions, replenish body fluids, and manage body weight. It serves as fortifying agent and excellent delivering means for nutrients and bioactive components including herbs, vitamins, minerals, amino acids, raw fruit or vegetable ingredients, omega-3 fatty acids, etc. Probiotic-, prebiotic-, and fiber-rich functional beverage are currently an emerging topic for research and industries. This chapter discusses the probiotic-, prebiotic-, and fiber-rich functional beverages and their importance in improving health conditions including gut environment. Perturbation of intestinal microbiota may lead to several chronic diseases including autoimmune diseases, cardiovascular diseases, colon cancer, gastric ulcers, functional bowel diseases, obesity, diabetes, inflammation, etc. The role of these functional beverages in gut microbiota management and restoration of gut microbiota could be a promising step in the prevention of several chronic diseases including obesity. Functional beverages may also modulate the bioavailability and bioaccessibility of certain micronutrients that also play a key role in maintaining health.