For the longest time, we have all known how important it is to get more probiotics into our diets to keep the body working well. While probiotics are super important, in recent years, we have been hearing more and more about prebiotics.
If you aren't in the health industry, it may be confusing to keep up with all of these food groups. More importantly, it can be hard to decipher what all of these foods are meant to be doing for the body. At Jomeis Fine Foods, we believe that if you can't grasp what food is doing for you, you may subconsciously not get enough of it into your diet.
So, we're here to educate you and show you how easy it is to get more good food into your gut.
First and foremost, what are prebiotics?
There are a lot of bacteria in your gut. But before you're turned off the idea of eating, not all of this bacteria is bad. In fact, most of it works to clean out the gut and help boost your immune system. This bacteria makes sure none of your food goes to waste by converting it into energy or immune-boosting particles.
So, as well as feeding ourselves, we also need to feed these bacteria.
The simple answer to how we do so is with prebiotics.
When defining prebiotics then, we can identify them as 'Food or nutrients that benefit the growth and production of the body's organisms.'
What do prebiotics do?
To best understand what prebiotics are doing inside your body, it's good to have an understanding of probiotics. As mentioned above, the body consists of countless microorganisms; another name for these microorganisms; is probiotics.
Still following along?
These probiotics can be consumed through many foods, including yoghurt, tempeh and kombucha. To become a probiotic, the microorganisms in the food simply need to survive the acid in the digestion tract. They are then put to work inside your body, where they can then help ensure your body extracts all nutrients and healing properties from its food.
Though it might sound unsettling to hear about microorganisms living in your body, the more probiotics you have, the better.
Therefore, as a food source for probiotics, prebiotics work to keep these organisms alive and thriving. Consuming enough prebiotics can also work to reduce inflammation, relieve toxins from the body and give boosts to immune functions. They are especially important for those with autoimmune diseases or compromised immunities.
What are the other benefits of prebiotic foods?
Like all nutritional foods, the benefits don't stop there. Getting enough prebiotics in your body, and, therefore, having an abundance of probiotics can help the body in many other fantastic ways. These include:
- Regulating bowel movements
- Boosting brain function, including motivation, focus and attention
- Improving the mood through an improved gut health
- Producing beneficial appetite hormones. These can suppress the appetite after eating the help you feel fuller for longer.
- Can improve bone density by mineralising the bones
- Can decrease the volume of bad bacteria in the body, which are known to cause disease.
But how do I get more prebiotics into your diet?
Here's the great thing, chances are you are already getting a good volume of prebiotics in your diet at your regular meal times. We've compiled a list of foods below which are great sources of prebiotics. Now that you know which foods are doing great for you, you can incorporate even more of them into your diet.
Prebiotic-dense foods include:
- Resistant Starches including boiled potatoes, green bananas, barley, oats, rice, beans and legumes
- Inulin-rich foods, including asparagus, garlic, onion, leek, soybeans and wild yam
- Pectin-dense foods including carrots, apples, green beans, peaches, tomatoes and potatoes
If you're looking for an easier alternative to getting some prebiotics into your diet, you can also try out our Superfood Breakfast Bowl range. Each bowl has been specifically created to nourish your gut, and therefore, contains all the prebiotics you need to feel great.
