Do you know what are the health benefits of prebiotics? Prebiotics are soluble fibers that can be found in many of our daily foods. Unlike probiotics (the “good bacteria”), prebiotics are non-living matters. They are some sort of foods that are rich in fiber.
Unlike ordinary foods that are easily digestible the moment we eat them, prebiotics do not breakdown when moving through the intestinal tracts. As they cannot be digested, their original shape maintained in the intestine allows “good” healthy bacteria such as lactobacillus acidophilus and bifidobacterium infantis to thrive. The bacteria use them as their breeding ground thereby increasing the population of these healthy bacteria in the intestine.
As with the growth of these healthy bacteria, they thrive in the digestive tract creating an effect that is known as the prebiotic effect. This is one of the most important health benefits of prebiotics.
With sufficient population of these healthy bacteria coupled with the excellent environment for them to thrive, there is no doubt that they can improve the health of the host (our bodies) significantly as they kill off the “bad” bacteria, as well as harmful yeasts. As a result it in turn maintain our good well-being and great health.
Health Benefits Of Prebiotics
So how does prebiotics really work? Prebiotics can work together with probiotics in creating a synergy to promote great health. As probiotics are simply living “good” bacteria that can be sourced from various foods which we consume everyday, a handful of them are able to make their way into our intestines.
A great source of probiotics are through the consumption of probiotic yogurt. Their primary role in our intestine is to eliminate whatever dangerous substances and other unwanted micro-organisms that enter our body while at the same time also stun the growth of harmful yeasts.
By eliminating the “bad” bacteria and yeasts, their populations are decreased significantly. In addition to control the size of these harmful bacteria, probiotics also make the intestine environment acidic which is unsuitable for the growth of yeasts such as candida.
These acidic environment are considered hostile for the growth of yeast and thereby their populations will gradually diminish. However, as with all the advantages and benefits that can be reaped by us, they are only possible when there is a place where these good bacteria can thrive.
This is how the health benefits of prebiotics are fitted into the whole picture. As have already been mentioned, prebiotics are indigestible foods that we consume and therefore is a great place for probiotics to live in the intestine. The prebiotics and probiotics will work hand in hand and ultimately creating a synergy that not only enhance our health, but also our overall well-being.
This synergy, called synbiotics is one of the major functional food stuff that is in the making. Although some of them are already available in the marketplace, full-scale manufacturing, productions and retails can be expected soon.
Source Of Prebiotics
So what are the foods that contain prebiotics? Prebiotics that are in its simplest form are basically carbohydrates in general. They are typically classified under the term “soluble fiber” and is available in daily food stuffs that range from cereals to fresh vegetables and fruits such as bananas which is in fact, also one of the best energy boosting foods.
While you can obtain the health benefits of prebiotics through consuming various foods, it is also important to note that there are actually two types of prebiotics in existence; the short-chain and long-chain prebiotics. Their differences lie in the amount of time for them to ferment. They play a role in nourishing the probiotics during the frementation period.
The amount of time it takes for short-chain prebiotics to become fermented is shorter when compared to the long-chain and because it becomes fermented earlier, about the time it enters the large intestine, therefore it is great for nourishing the beginning upper large intestine section.
Long-chain prebiotics on the other hand takes a longer time to become fermented and as such, they can widely benefit the lower ending sections of the large intestine. In fact, there are also fibers that contain both types of prebiotics. These are regarded as full-spectrum prebiotics.
Nevertheless, some of the primary sources of prebiotics are onions, banana, soys, asparagus, berries, wheat bran and garlics. Read also about the health benefits of garlic here. In addition, prebiotics can also be found in our everyday foods such as cereals, yogurts, drinks and even some biscuits.
The Important Role Of Prebiotics
As a matter of fact, one of the most important health benefits of prebiotics has been the essential role that it played in keeping us all healthy. There are also studies which have revealed that prebiotics also holds the potential of helping to stop the development of colon cancer especially during the early stages.
Nonetheless, with prebiotics being so crucial to our health, and to fully reap the full health benefits of prebiotics, it is best to incorporate them into your daily meal, it may be one the best options available to living and eating healthily.
Also check out the great benefits of greek yogurts here.
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