PREBIOTICS - EAT PLENTY OF THEM ..

FAO / WHO defines prebiotics as a non viable food component that deliver health benefits through modulating gut microbial flora. This group includes a range of different carbohydrates that can be used as a fuel for bacterial fermentation inside the gut. Human breast milk also contains prebiotics. However, foods rich in inulin (a non digestible oligosaccharide) and galacto oligosaccharides are proven to be specially beneficial in improving growth of bifidobacteria.

Ideal prebiotics are;

1. resistant to stomach acid, bile salts and enzymes.
2. not absorbed by upper GI tract.
3. could be easily fermented by good intestinal microflora.

Health benefits provided by prebiotic food include;

1. enhance mineral uptake and bio availability.

2. promote satiety.

3. prevent obesity.

4. reduce prevalence and duration of diarrhea.

5. prevent colon cancer.

6. relieve inflammatory symptoms of inflammatory bowel disease.

7. lower cardiovascular risk.

8. boost immunity.

They provide these health effects by following mechanisms:

1. by increasing lactic acid production in bacteria.

2. by increasing short chain fatty acids (butyrate, acetate, lactate) as microbial fuels.

3. by activating immune cell carbohydrate receptors.

The foods rich in prebiotic include;

1. Bananas.

2. Apples.

3. Jerusalam artichoke.

4. Oats - unrefined.

5. Rye - unrefined.

6. Barley - unrefined.

7. Wheat - unrefined.

8. Leeks.

9. Garlic.

10. Onions.

11. Asparagus.

12. Cooked potatoes.

13. Legumes.

14. Berries.

15. Jikama.

(main source- Pandey, K. R., Naik, S. R., & Vakil, B. V. (2015). Probiotics, prebiotics and synbiotics- a review. Journal of Food Science and Technology, 52(12), 7577–7587. http://doi.org/10.1007/s13197-015-1921-1)