Top Prebiotic Foods You Should Be Eating
You’ve heard of probiotics, but prebiotics might be even better. Prebiotics are foods that survive through your digestive tract until your colon where your gut microbes can break them down. Prebiotics are primarily from polyphenols and fiber. They are your gut microbes’ favorite foods because they allow them to replicate and enrich the quality of your microbiome. Today we are going to share Dr. Ken Brown’s, gastroenterologist, list of the top prebiotic foods you should be eating.
The 3 Best Prebiotic Foods
Prebiotics always come from plant-based foods. So they come with a wide range of beneficial nutrients. Prebiotics feed the good bacteria that live in your microbiome. When the bacteria ferment the prebiotic, they release byproducts that help support your health.
In addition to the metabolic byproducts, prebiotics allow gut bacteria to diversify and multiply. So when you eat foods that are high in prebiotics, you have a richer microdiversity within your gut. This helps prevent and fight many diseases and keep your immune system healthy. So let’s look at Dr. Ken Brown’s top 3 prebiotic foods.
1. Dark Chocolate
Dark chocolate, specifically those that contain 85%+ cacao, is a fantastic food to have in your diet. Not only is it delicious, but it provides you with so many health benefits.
Dark chocolate is high in the flavonoid polyphenols. Studies show that the constituents in dark chocolate altered the gut bacteria by increasing Lactobacilli and Bifidobacteria while decreasing Clostridia. These alterations were found to improve triglyceride levels and are beneficial for those with IBS.
2. Blueberries
Berries across the board are great to have in your diet. They all contain many essential nutrients. Blueberries are especially good for you because of their high prebiotic and polyphenolic content.
Blueberries contain the most types of anthocyanins of all berries. They also have some of the strongest antioxidant capabilities of all berries which enhances their ability to help the body fight off disease.
The prebiotic effects of blueberries help to nourish the gut microbiome by promoting the growth of healthy bacteria while inhibiting the growth of pathogenic species. They also contain high quantities of insoluble fiber which helps to promote digestion.
3. Chia Seeds
Chia seeds are small but mighty when it comes to improving your health. Chia seeds have prebiotics, fiber, and omega-3 fatty acids (including DHA — which is important for brain health).
Chia seeds are a gentle source of fiber, making them a safer fibrous option for people who struggle to digest fiber. They help to reduce inflammation, promote microdiversity within the gut microbiome, and improve bowel movements — especially when constipation is an issue.
Other Top Prebiotic Foods You Should Be Eating
Now, just because these are considered the top 3 prebiotic food sources, doesn’t mean that there aren’t other great sources out there. Maybe you aren’t a fan of chocolate or blueberries, and maybe the texture of chia seeds puts you off.
Not to worry, there are a bunch of other prebiotic-filled foods you can incorporate into your diet for better microdiversity.
Prebiotic Vegetables
If you’re looking to get more prebiotics from vegetables, this is a good list to start with. They all contain high levels of prebiotics and are great sources of fiber as well.
**If you are on a limiting diet like the low-FODMAP make sure that you don’t derail your plan with your doctor just to get the prebiotic effects of these foods.**
Vegetables with the highest prebiotic content include:
- Mushrooms
- Jerusalem Artichokes
- Chicory
- Garlic
- Leek
- Onions
- Spring Onion
- Asparagus
- Beetroot
- Fennel
- Green Peas
- Snow Peas
- Cabbage
- Dandelion Greens
- Burdock
- Eggplant
- Endive
- Jicama
- Konjac
- Radicchio
- Yacon
Some of these veggies may be new to you, so you’ll get to diversify your meal plans by adding them to your routine!
Prebiotic Fruits
When it comes to polyphenols we usually think of fruits first. As you can see from the lists, vegetables are typically higher in prebiotics. However, there are some fruits that can boost your prebiotic intake, too.
Fruits with the highest prebiotic content include:
- Nectarines
- White Peaches
- Persimmons
- Watermelon
- Grapefruit
- Pomegranate
- Dried Fruit (like dates or figs)
- Apples
- Bananas
Prebiotic Legumes
Legumes don’t get enough attention. They’re little, non-expensive, and are great sources of nutrition. The following legumes are also great sources of prebiotics!
Legumes with the highest prebiotic content include:
- Chickpeas
- Lentils
- Red Kidney Beans
Prebiotic Whole Grains and Other Products
Whole grains are often in their own group. Since we normally intake them as bread or oats, we don’t think of them as plant-based foods. But, they are! So you get a lot of fiber from them. Some of them even have high prebiotic content, too!
Whole grains that contain the highest prebiotic content include:
- Barley
- Rye
- Wheat (pasta, bread, etc)
- Oats
- Wheat Bran
- Couscous
- Cocoa
- Flaxseed
Prebiotic-Rich Recipes
There are a lot of great food item suggestions on this list. But most of them you aren’t going to eat raw. So we wanted to help you out by giving you some suggestions of recipes that you can use to make sure you are incorporating prebiotic-rich foods into your diet.
Start with one or two new recipes in your mix and eventually, you’ll be getting many more prebiotics into you and your family’s bodies. Prebiotic-rich foods have been found to help fight diseases while boosting immunity.
They really are a necessary part of a well-rounded, healthy diet.
High Polyphenol Chocolate Garcia Clusters
Doctor Approved Juicing and Smoothie Recipes
Spinach and Artichoke Portabello Caps
Italian Meatball Eggplant Dumplings in Marinara Sauce
Atrantil is another great source of prebiotics. It was created using 3 highly powerful, polyphenol-filled ingredients. While it has polyphenolic benefits for your body, Atrantil also contains essential prebiotics that help to feed your gut microbes. So if you are on a limited diet, and are trying to get your gut health under control, Atrantil is a great option to talk with your doctor about.
Grab your bottle of Atrantil here.