Prebiotics are carbohydrates that the body is unable to digest. The beneficial bacteria in the colon ferment these carbohydrates to produce short-chain fatty acids. Therefore, a prebiotic is an essential food source for the beneficial bacteria in your gut. When you feed these good bacteria the right foods regularly, they can flourish and maintain a healthy balance in your digestive system [1].
The strains of beneficial bacterial in your gut are Bifidobacteria and Lactobacilli species. When these beneficial strains have a plentiful amount of food to thrive, there is less room for the potentially harmful bacteria, parasites, and yeasts to overpopulate the gut. At normal levels, these so called ‘harmful’ microbes such as Candida albicans, Streptococcus and Klebsiella are a normal part of the gut flora. However, health issues can arise when these potentially harmful strains are able to thrive to skew the delicate balance of the gut. An imbalance of gut flora can lead to harmful health outcomes and according to a study from the Journal of Biomedical Science, dysbiosis of the gut microbiota is closely related to the occurrence of many important chronic inflammation-related diseases [2]. Therefore, dysbiosis in the gut can lead to digestive, hormonal, skin, immune, and even mental health issues [2].
To maintain a healthy gut, is vital to regularly consume prebiotic foods that feed the beneficial bacteria in your digestive system and maintain a healthy balance of gut flora. When your gut is functioning optimally, it is less reactive to certain foods, the immune system functions well, you can sleep better, and your mood may even improve.
BEST SOURCES OF PREBIOTICS
- Inulin
- Underripe banana
- Onion
- Garlic
- Oats
- Artichokes
- Asparagus
- Chicory
REFERENCES
[1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6041804/
[2] https://jbiomedsci.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12929-018-0493-6
