Goodgut Review: Pack Backup with These Prebiotic Tablets

Jamie Ditaranto is a traveler in a love triangle with writing and photography. Follow the drama on Twitter @jamieditaranto and Instagram @jamieditaranto.

Ditaranto joined SmarterTravel in 2015. She loves ecotourism, cities with history, and discovering local hangouts. Though she likes all the continents equally, she holds a special place in her heart for rainy little islands.

Her work has also appeared online at USA Today, Huffington Post, Business Insider, and other publications. You can check out her photography on her website.

The Handy Item I Always Pack: "My instant camera comes in handy for giving instant gifts to new friends."

Ultimate Bucket List Experience: "Befriending penguins in Antarctica."

Travel Motto: "You have to get the hard places out of the way first."

Aisle, Window, or Middle Seat: "On short flights, the window. For long flights, the aisle."

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Whether or not you’re an adventurous eater, travel can be tough on the stomach, and nothing dampens a dream destination more than digestive discomfort. Stomach problems on the road could be caused by a number of different things, from adjusting to the new diet of your destination to airplane food that just didn’t agree with you. You never know when it’s going to hit, so it’s always better to keep something packed in your toiletry kit, just in case.

On a recent trip I tried Goodgut, a prebiotic supplement designed to ease stomach issues by nourishing the good bacteria in your digestive system. Prebiotics are naturally found in fruit, but as a supplement, Goodgut targets specific bacteria based on your digestive needs. For this review I tried three different kinds of prebiotic supplements: Balance (alleviates digestive distress), Boost (strengthens your immune system), and Rescue (alleviates diarrhea, upset stomach, gas, and bloating).

I tried all three to see if they would ease any discomfort I got from the foods I was eating. Usually, travel means all kinds of stomach discomfort for me, particularly bloating, as long travel days usually involve some pretty poor food choices. The following is a summary of each kind of the three Goodgut products followed by ratings for the brand as a whole.

Goodgut Review:

Goodgut Boost: With so many germs on airplanes, it sometimes takes more than vitamin C to fight off a cold. I took this prebiotic over the course of a week, one in which I was particularly exposed to the vast array of airplane germs, and didn’t get sick.

Goodgut Rescue: For me, this product was the most useful. Travel is unpredictable, and you can’t always plan on what you’re going to eat or anticipate how it might affect your stomach. After experiencing bloating following a large carb-heavy meal, I started feeling relief within a few hours of taking the Rescue prebiotic.

Goodgut Balance: Of all the products, this is the one that had the least effect on how I felt. While taking it I did experience occasional bloating after eating a large meal.

Price and Where to Buy: Prices begin at $10 on Amazon.

How Goodgut Rates:

Usefulness: 8/10. It’s always good to pack a little something for digestive relief on a trip, and the Rescue tablets come in handy in case you start experiencing stomach issues.

Value: 7/10. At a little more than $1 per pill, these are more expensive than other prebiotic supplements you’ll find at the drug store. However, this product targets specific issues, which adds some value if you know what your stomach pitfalls usually are.

Portability: 7/10. Each Goodgut product is also available in travel-size boxes with seven pills each, which makes them super easy to pack and keep in your carry-on.

Cool Factor: 8/10. There’s nothing cool about spending your vacation running back and forth to the bathroom, so these supplements can only help.

Final Verdict:

Of the three prebiotics I tried out, Goodgut Rescue is the most worthwhile for travelers. While Boost and Balance worked fine, remembering to take them every day, especially with a constantly shifting travel schedule, was tough. However, it was easy enough to keep a pack of Rescue in my day bag, and I saw quick results whenever I did experience discomfort.

Editor’s Note: Reviews are based on usefulness, portability, durability, value, and “cool factor.” Some review products are sent to us free of charge and with no incentive to offer a favorable review. We offer our unbiased opinions, positive and negative, and will never accept compensation to review a product. If you have any questions or comments concerning our reviews, or would like to suggest a product for review, please email us at editor@smartertravel.com.

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Jamie Ditaranto is a writer and photographer who is always looking for her next adventure. Follow her on Twitter @jamieditaranto.

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