Washington, DC: Prebiotics, certain types of fiber commonly found in plants, promote the growth of beneficial bacteria in the gut, according to mounting evidence.Prebiotic intake has been linked to improved gut health, and researchers recently calculated the prebiotic content of thousands of different foods using previously published material to […]
Post Date – 23rd Monday 24th July 10:31am
Washington DC: There is growing evidence that prebiotics, certain types of fiber commonly found in plants, promote the growth of good bacteria in the gut.
Consumption of prebiotics has been linked to improved gut health, and researchers recently calculated the prebiotic content of thousands of different foods using previously published material to determine which foods had the highest prebiotic content.
The study found that dandelions, Jerusalem artichokes, garlic, leeks and onions had the highest levels of prebiotics of any food. Prebiotic-rich foods contain lots of fiber, and most Americans don’t get enough fiber. Fiber supports gut microbes.
Cassandra Boyd, a master’s student at San Jose State University who conducted the study with assistant professor John Gieng, Ph.D., said previous research has shown health benefits from consuming foods rich in prebiotics. Eating in a way that promotes a healthy microbiome while consuming more fiber may be more achievable than you think. Boyd presented the findings at NUTRITION 2023, the American Academy of Nutrition’s flagship annual meeting in Boston, July 22-25.
Prebiotics can be thought of as food for the microbiome, as opposed to probiotics, which contain live microorganisms. Both may benefit microbiome health, but they do so in different ways.
Studies have shown that higher intakes of prebiotics are associated with improved blood sugar regulation, better absorption of minerals like calcium, and improved markers of digestive and immune function.
The researchers used previously published scientific findings to analyze the prebiotic content of 8,690 foods included in the Dietary Research Food and Nutrition Database, a resource used by many scientists to research nutrition and health. About 37% of the foods in the database were found to contain prebiotics.
Dandelions, Jerusalem artichokes, garlic, leeks and onions are highest in content, with about 100-240 milligrams of prebiotics per gram of food (mg/g). Other probiotic-rich foods include onion rings, creamed onions, cowpeas, asparagus and Kellogg’s Whole Bran Cereal, each containing about 50-60 mg/g of probiotics.
“The results of our initial literature review suggest that onions and related foods contain multiple forms of prebiotics, resulting in a greater total amount of prebiotics,” Boyd said. Multiple forms of onions and related foods appear in a variety of dishes as condiments and main ingredients. These foods are commonly consumed by Americans and would therefore be viable targets for people to increase their prebiotic intake.
