We all know by now that we should be eating probiotics to improve our digestion and overall gut health. Many of us are eating yogurt, sauerkraut and kefir, and drinking Kombucha at times. We may even be taking probiotics as a supplement on a daily basis.
Consuming probiotics is a good health habit to have, but there is also a lesser-known habit that benefits the probiotic activity we are trying to encourage in our gut: eating PREBIOTICS. Prebiotics are a category of dietary fiber that we eat that mainly passes through the small intestine and is then utilized in the large intestine to improve our gut health and feed the probiotic “good” bacteria.
It is important to note, that while there are many supplement options out there for pre- and probiotics, our body best utilizes these compounds from the foods that we eat. This makes it essential to make some menu changes to our daily routine and include these foods. Belly up to these foods!
The best and most practical prebiotic foods are:
- Onions – raw or cooked, these are a great and tasty addition to everything we eat
- Garlic – while raw is best and can be used in hummus or veggie salads, lightly cooking it in our recipes will also give benefits: add it at the end of a recipe instead of sautéing first, as this will keep it more raw.
- Asparagus – we don’t often think of eating this raw, but it is a great addition to the veggie tray, and packs the best prebiotic punch
- Jicama – best eaten raw, jicama sticks are readily available in the grocery store
- Leeks – in the onion family, but with a milder, sweeter flavor, great on salads
- Dandelion greens – chop some up in your next salad
- Under-ripe bananas – the greener the better for prebiotic properties and more resistant starch.
