Types of Prebiotics
The major source of prebiotics is dietary fibre. They occur naturally in fruits and vegetables, but you can also take them in the form of nutritional supplements for maximum health benefits.
The soluble dietary fibre inulin, for example, is found in garlic, asparagus, onion, Jerusalem artichokes, and leeks. However, you’d have to eat a huge amount of these natural prebiotics — preferably raw — to gain any benefit from them.
To gain the full benefits of prebiotics you would need to consume one of the food groups, shown below, daily:
While all prebiotics are fibres, not all fibres are prebiotics. The common forms of dietary fibre present in the majority of plant based foods and grains are less selectively fermented by the bacteria in the gut and lack some of the health benefits demonstrated by prebiotics. However, they are still of benefit to our health and their consumption is to be encouraged as they help maintain regular toilet habits as well as promoting the health of the gut itself.