Now Scientifically Proven: Top 5 Foods With Prebiotics You Should Eat As Eating More of These Foods Could Benefit Your Gut Microbiome
Emerging research suggests that foods with prebiotics, a type of fiber frequently present in plants that activate helpful bacteria in your digestive system, could contribute to the health of your gut microbiome. A recent investigation conducted a comprehensive review of numerous foods to determine their prebiotic fiber levels based on available scholarly resources.
Top Five Prebiotic Dense Foods
The research found that foods like dandelion greens, Jerusalem artichokes, garlic, leeks, and onions are particularly rich in prebiotics.
These prebiotic foods not only boost gut bacteria but are also high in fiber, a nutrient often lacking in typical American diets.
“Eating prebiotic-dense foods has been indicated by previous research to benefit health,” remarked Cassandra Boyd, a postgraduate student at San José State University who undertook the study along with Assistant Professor John Gieng, PhD. “Eating in a way to promote microbiome wellness while eating more fiber may be more attainable and accessible than you think.”
Prebiotics, which can be considered nourishment for your microbiome, differ from probiotics, which are living microorganisms. Both have potential health benefits for your microbiome, but they operate in different ways.
Previous research has found several benefits of prebiotics including improved blood sugar control, enhanced absorption of minerals like calcium, and indications of better digestion and immunity. Even though most current dietary guidelines don’t specifically mention a daily prebiotic intake recommendation, the International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics, a scientific non-profit that has defined what constitutes prebiotics, suggests an intake of 5 grams each day.
The team of researchers analyzed the prebiotic content of 8,690 foods listed in the Food and Nutrient Database for Dietary Studies, which is often used by scientists for nutrition and health studies, using existing academic research.
They found that around 37% of the foods listed in the database contained prebiotics. Dandelion greens, Jerusalem artichoke, garlic, leeks, and onions had the highest quantities, with about 100-240 milligrams of prebiotics per gram of food. Other foods rich in prebiotics included onion rings, creamed onions, cowpeas, asparagus, and Kellogg’s All-Bran cereal, which all contain around 50-60 milligrams per gram.
“The findings from our preliminary literature review suggest that onions and related foods contain multiple forms of prebiotics, leading to a larger total prebiotic content,” Boyd noted. “Multiple forms of onions and related foods appear in a variety of dishes as both flavoring and main ingredients. These foods are commonly consumed by Americans and thus would be a feasible target for people to increase their prebiotic consumption.”
Based on the results, Boyd stated that an individual would need to consume about half of a small 4-ounce onion to get 5 grams of prebiotics.
Items containing wheat ranked lower, while foods with minimal or no prebiotic content included dairy products, eggs, oils, and meats.
The team hopes that their research will serve as a foundation for other scientists to study the health benefits of prebiotics and to shape future dietary recommendations. They also highlighted the need for more research to understand how cooking affects prebiotic content and to better evaluate foods with multiple ingredients.
Boyd is set to present the results at NUTRITION 2023, the premier annual gathering of the American Society for Nutrition, which will take place from July 22-25 in Boston.
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