Prebiotics: Food for a Healthy Gut

 Most likely, you’re familiar with probiotics and how they support gut health. But have you heard of prebiotics?  Prebiotic supplements have only recently emerged to share the spotlight with the “pros”, but not only are they a completely different type of ingredient, “prebiotics” describe something that’s been part of the human diet since the beginning of time. 

Both probiotics and prebiotics support your gut microbiome – all the helpful microorganisms that naturally reside in your digestive tract and help you and help break down your food. Ironically, these digestive helpers need our help to give them the food that fuels their best work. And the healthiest diet for us just so happens to be healthiest for our microbiome, too.

In case prebiotics are new to you, or the pre’s and pro’s have you confused, we’re taking a microscope to the topic of prebiotics. What are the benefits of prebiotics? What are the best sources, and how much do I need every day? 

What are Prebiotics?

The gut contains trillions of bacteria. In a healthy person, this is primarily “good” bacteria, also known as probiotics. There may also be some “bad” or unfavorable bacteria, but in an otherwise healthy person, bad bacteria are far outnumbered by the good.

But just like us humans, probiotics need food to stay alive and well. That’s where prebiotics come in. Prebiotics are a form of dietary fiber that feed the good bacteria in your gut. Plant-based foods (think veggies, fruits, beans, whole grains, etc.) give us all sorts of nutrients, but a top reason they’re so good for us is their fiber content. Fiber – also known as a prebiotic - is your microbiome’s favorite food. So even though we can’t technically digest fiber, one reason it’s a wellness winner is that it keeps your microbiome thriving, which in turn keeps you healthy. 

Benefits of Prebiotics

By feeding the good bacteria in your gut, prebiotics help promote the optimal composition of the gut microbiome. In fact, the health and function of the microbiome is at the center of whole body health, from the immune system, to metabolic balance and healthy weight maintenance, to cardiovascular and brain health. Even your mood is linked to the health of your gut. As prebiotics nourish the health of probiotic organisms in your gut, they produce substances that help protect and fuel healthy cells and organs throughout the body.  

The popularity of probiotic and prebiotic supplements has skyrocketed with the growth of microbiome research, but we likely haven’t even scratched the surface of how far-reaching the influence of gut health extends throughout the body. Scientists are actively studying these connections and how we might impact our overall health through the composition of the microbiome. 

Sources of Prebiotics

A fiber-ful diet is your primary source of gut-loving prebiotics. Familiar fiber-rich foods like oats, leafy greens, sweet potatoes, and beans are easily accessible ways to give your gut what it loves. There are also many unique sources of prebiotics and other gut-friendly ingredients that you can add or even find in convenient supplement-form: 

• Green tea: Green tea doesn’t provide fiber, but it does contain polyphenols with prebiotic properties. In fact, green tea polyphenols have been found to exert prebiotic effects on the gut microbiota. Try our Organic Matcha Power® for a polyphenol-packed boost for your gut! 
• Cacao and dark chocolate: Pure cacao and minimally processed dark chocolate is packed with flavanols that promote a healthy balance of gut bacteria.  Choose cocoa powder and chocolate with high cacao content and low (or no) sugar for the best benefits. 
• Asparagus: Asparagus is high in the prebiotic fiber that feeds friendly gut bacteria and promotes immune health.
• Ginger: Ginger contains compounds that have been found to nourish the gut microbiome and promote intestinal health. Our SuperPure® Ginger Extract is made from freshly harvested, organic ginger that’s carefully extracted with just water and CO2 to maximize the potency of its gut health goodness. 
• Apples: No matter the variety, apples are filled with prebiotic benefits from soluble fiber that’s top on the menu for your gut bacteria.
• Garlic: Garlic is a prebiotic food that does double-duty by discouraging the growth of harmful microorganisms and supporting healthy digestion. 
• Onions: Often underappreciated as just a recipe-starter, onions are rich in prebiotics, antioxidants, and flavonoids that help your gut flora thrive.
• Oats: Whole grain oats are one of the richest sources of soluble beta-glucans, a unique type of dietary fiber that nourishes the health and function of our immune cells. 
• Inulin: Inulin is a type of prebiotic fiber found in chicory and dandelion roots. These roots can be found in herbal teas and in many “added fiber” foods. Jerusalem artichokes, aka “sunchokes” are also a tasty source of inulin that can sometimes be found in fall markets. 
• Seaweeds and microalgae: New research is finding that certain seaweeds and microalgae like our SuperPure® Fucoidan and SuperPure® Beta 1,3-Glucan Extract can have prebiotic benefits for gut bacteria, one of the reasons why they’re excellent for immune support. 
• Acacia: Acacia gum comes from the sap of an African tree, and is one of nature’s prebiotic gifts. The soluble fiber in acacia helps healthy gut bacteria to produce short-chain fatty acids that carry a host of whole-body benefits. Fun fact! We use acacia gum in all of our tablet products as a natural binder, and just happens to give you a prebiotic bonus too.
• Barley Grass: Like leafy green vegetables, grasses are filled with fiber. Fresh, young barley grass is a pure prebiotic source and contains vitamins, minerals, and chlorophyll that foster a healthy gut. Not only does barley grass provide healthy bulk to our multivitamins and vitamin complex tablets, our Organic Barley Grass juice powder concentrates its bioactive bounty. 

   

Feed Your Gut

Now that we know more about the critical role of the microbiome in our bodies, supporting gut health should be top of mind for anyone seeking to be and stay well. Both probiotics and prebiotics are excellent ways to nourish your gut, with benefits that reach from head to toe.