Prebiotic
Jul 6, 2023
Did you know that prebiotic foods may be good for digestion?
Prebiotics may play an important role in the cultivation and sustainability of healthy gut bacteria. As a source of food and proper nourishment to the good bacteria inside of you, prebiotics may help with keeping healthy bacteria alive and ready to multiply.
A prebiotic-rich diet is easy to follow when you have a helpful prebiotic foods list handy. If you’d like ideas on some prebiotic foods to grab on your next grocery run, let’s dig into this roundup of foods that contain an abundant amount of prebiotics.
As the old saying goes, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.” That especially reigns true in this case. Most people are already aware of the health benefits of eating apples, like the fact that it’s an excellent source of fiber–but apples being a prebiotic-rich food may come as a shock to some. The fiber content of an apple is mostly made up of pectin,a prebiotic.
Pectin may contribute to the creation of more healthy and balanced bacteria. Containing a wealth of prebiotic benefits, pectin supports the growth of butyrate, which is a short-chain fatty acid that nourishes your good bacteria while stunting the growth of any bad and harmful bacteria.
The good thing about apples is that you can find them at nearly every grocery store. If you prefer to take prebiotics by way of supplementary consumption, however, there are supplements with pectin in them.
Onions are super gut-friendly. Our guts love bifidobacteria, which is a probiotic strain that counts as “one of the good guys” in the world of bacteria. Adding onions to every dinner recipe will not only make for a flavorful meal, but it may also provide a good amount of bifidobacteria.
Onions have a high concentration of fructo-oligosaccharides, called “fructans,” which help bifidobacteria grow in large numbers. When consumed, onions basically stimulate the growth of good bacteria.
Like onions, garlic can also provide a means of growth for bifidobacteria. Its ability to cultivate healthy bacteria growth and provide protection against gastrointestinal diseases are due in part to its concentration of fructo-oligosaccharides. Garlic fiber is also packed with a good amount of prebiotic inulin, which further contributes to the improved health of your gut. The combination of the two are a true match made in herbal heaven.
P.S. Probulin’s Daily Care Probiotic is also rich in prebiotic inulin. If you’re looking to consume prebiotics via supplementary intake, the Daily Care Probiotic provides a generous supply of prebiotic fiber to sustain the live probiotics living in your body.
If you’ve been eating bananas since your early years, you’ve probably experienced the benefits of a prebiotic-rich diet from a young age. The prebiotic inulin contained in bananas plays a role in the growth of healthy gut bacteria. Bananas are the perfect breakfast item (or snack) when you’re in a hurry. It’s a convenient grab-and-go item for busy days at work, and a delicious topping that goes great with cereal, yogurt, and oatmeal.
While it may sound surprising, asparagus is actually an excellent source of prebiotics. It pretty much favors the good bacteria in your body in a nutshell, and any friend to your good bacteria is a friend to your gut. It’s a superfood worth adding to your diet when your body needs a sufficient boost in prebiotics. If you really want to reap the benefits of eating asparagus, consume it raw.
A great majority of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacteria growth is made even more possible with prebiotic-rich foods. Dandelion greens, being one of the main sources of prebiotics in food, have an abundance of fiber and minerals that can strongly support your intestinal health by way of dietary or supplementary consumption. The high level of nutrients in dandelion greens serve as a faithful aid for better gut health.
We had to save the best for last. There’s more to cocoa than being the cure for a sweet tooth. As you know, inflammation is a common symptom of multiple immunity-related diseases. Well surprisingly, dark chocolate is also a prebiotic-rich food, and has been found to effectively reduce symptoms of inflammation in the body. Who would have thought that cocoa could be so beneficial to our health in this way? Chocolate lovers–you’re probably on cloud nine right about now.
If this list isn’t enough you may want to consider other foods like berries (Blueberries and Raspberries) as well as figs, beets and Kale.
