Shouldn’t You Add More Prebiotics to Your Diet?

Bacteria are often portrayed in a negative light because of their ability to cause disease; but, fortunately, there are a variety of “good” bacteria that serve the important function of helping to maintain a healthy digestive tract and immune system. These bacteria are the kind you want to have around to help to keep disease-causing bacteria from exerting their unpleasant effects. Because of the benefits of these bacteria, also known as probiotics, medical experts are recommending that people add more of these friendly bacteria to their diet in the form of foods such as yogurt or by using probiotic supplements.

Although this is one way to increase the quantity of good bacteria in the gut, another way is to add natural prebiotic foods to your diet. What exactly are prebiotics and why are they important?

While probiotics are the actual bacteria that help to maintain a healthy digestive tract, prebiotics are the foods that feed and nurture these bacteria so they can grow and thrive. When natural prebiotics are present in the digestive tract, good bacteria are able to multiply, exerting positive effects on digestive health and on immunity as a whole. These prebiotic foods are not digested by the human intestines which make them readily available as a food supply for the friendly bacteria that live in the gut. Natural prebiotic souces help to create a positive environment in the intestines for good bacteria to grow and keep the digestive tract healthy. According to studies, this also helps to boost overall immunity and may play a role in preventing and treating a variety of diseases including irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease, infectious diarrhea, and even certain types of cancer.

What are some natural prebiotic sources you can add to your diet to help feed those good bacteria? Two of the most important prebiotic sources are inulin and oligosaccharides. These are naturally occurring carbohydrates that the body can’t digest. When these indigestible carbohydrates reach the intestines, bacteria feed on them through a fermentation process which creates a hostile environment for the bad bacteria which cause disease. Natural prebiotic sources include certain vegetables such as greens, burdock, asparagus, leeks, artichokes, onions, jicama, and chicory root as well as unrefined grains such as barley, flax, oatmeal, and wheat. Soybeans are also a natural prebiotic source. Because of the positive effects of these prebiotic sources, manufacturers are now adding inulin and oligosaccharides to some foods such as cereals as an additional fiber source.

One drawback to adding natural prebiotics to your diet is you may initially experience a certain amount of bloating and gas until your intestines adjust. This generally subsides over time particularly if you gradually introduce prebiotics to your diet. To maintain optimal intestinal health, a combination of probiotics and natural prebiotics is best. Probiotics (the good bacteria) are found in yogurt, sauerkraut, miso, tempeh, and other fermented foods. You can also buy probiotic supplements at most health food stores. Always be sure to choose a reputable brand as quality can be an issue with this type of supplement. By combining healthy, natural prebiotic foods with probiotics you can maximize the health benefits these good bacteria have to offer. As always, talk to your doctor before taking probiotic supplements.