Your gut bacteria use prebiotics as fuel. These high-fibre foods are carbohydrates that bypass digestion to make it down to the colon, where gut bacteria break them down into short-chain fatty acids, which they use for energy. They support gut health and aid urinary, oral and skin health, cognition, and the immune and cardiovascular systems. Â
Those at risk of consuming low levels of prebiotic foods are:
·      People eating low quantities of vegetables
·      Gluten-free diets
·      Diets low in variety
·      FODMAP diets
·      Fussy eaters
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The use of prebiotics has shown varied results in treating some diseases but may help or prevent the following:
·      Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
·      Crohn’s Disease
·      Colorectal cancer
·      Necrotising enterocolitis in infants
·      Pathogenic bacteria in the gut
·      Memory and cognitive function
·      Mood imbalances
·      Learning disorders
·      Atopic dermatitis
·      High blood lipids
Prebiotics include fructooligosaccharides (FOS), inulin, pectin, galactooligosaccharides (GOS) and resistant starch. These are present in small amounts in a variety of foods. The best way to get these foods in is to consume a varied diet of plants and vegetables.
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Healthy prebiotic foods include:
·      Leek
·      Asparagus
·      Bananas
·      Garlic
·      Kiwi fruit
·      Legumes
·      Barley
·      Oats
·      Apples
·      Burdock root
·      Flaxseeds
·      Avocados
·      Seaweed
·      Jerusalem artichoke
·      Chicory root
·      Dandelion greens
·      Potatoes
·      Cacao
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These foods will fuel your microbiome and can create positive changes. Prebiotics can selectively influence gut bacteria. One Japanese study found that eating barley can increase levels of healthy Bifidobacteria in your gut. One method that prebiotics can use to modify the gut is via a decrease in the pH, which can promote healthy bacteria.
The prebiotic partially hydrolysed guar gum (PHGG) aids IBS, particularly the constipation-predominant type or methane-predominant small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO). PHGG can soften the stool, increase stool frequency, reduce cramping, bloating and flatulence and normalise bowel function, improving quality of life.
Prebiotics can cause gut irritation in some individuals, such as those who have IBS or are sensitive to FODMAP foods. Common irritation symptoms are flatulence, bloating, diarrhoea and cramping. Therefore, it is always best to consult a practitioner when taking supplements.Â
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Davani-Davari D., Negahdaripour M., Karimzadeh I, et al. Prebiotics: Definition, Types, Sources, Mechanisms, and Clinical Applications. Foods. 2019 Mar 9;8(3):92. doi: 10.3390/foods8030092.
Matsuoka, T., Hosomi, K., Park, J. et al. Relationships between barley consumption and gut microbiome characteristics in a healthy Japanese population: a cross-sectional study. BMC Nutr 8, 23 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40795-022-00500-3
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