Lose weight. Quit smoking. Drink less. Sleep more.

Everyone’s resolution is different, but more often than not, the New Year is focused on improving health.

But as consumers become conscious about shedding extra pounds and decreasing their stress levels year-round, some are getting creative with their health-inspired aspirations.

Health-minded shoppers are increasingly conscious about what’s going on inside their bellies – their gut health.

And while probiotics – supplements designed to increase good gut bacteria – have been popular in health food circles for years, they’re meeting the mainstream in a big way.

Nearly three million more Americans used probiotics or prebiotics in 2012 than in 2007, according to the National Institutes of Health. And according to Mintel, interest in improving overall digestive health with these treatments continues to grow beyond 2016.

They’re looking for bacteria that might be difficult to pronounce – Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, and Streptococcus, to name a few – but are easy to consume.

The probiotic benefits of fermented foods like yogurt and sauerkraut are well documented, but there are plenty of new and interesting ways to get a daily dose of bacteria in 2017.

There are as nearly as many cells in the human body as there are bacteria.
39 trillion BACTeRIAL cells : 30 trillion HUMAN cells
Source: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory

37%
Number of consumers who experience digestive discomfort and are interested in taking a probiotic.
Source: Mintel Food and Drink, Mintel Report Digestive Health