Foods That Are Prebiotic - The Prebiotic Superfoods List

Unless you've been living as a hermit somewhere in the mountains, you know something about the PRObiotic craze that's been happening for several years. What scientific research has discovered though, is that just eating more probiotics isn't doing much at all to improve your health.

But since you're interested as I am, in PREbiotics and how powerful they are for your digestive health, then you'll want to know about the best foods that are prebiotics and why without them your probiotic supplements are basically just a waste of money.

The truth About Probiotic Supplements

Before we get into the prebiotic-rich foods, let's get the truth out about the probiotic craze of the last few years. Probiotics in their natural state are microbes that live in your gut and do not occur naturally in any foods, only those that have been fermented. They are the bacteria of the good and beneficial variety which co-exist with some bad and potentially dangerous bacteria, which you can be sure is non-probiotic.

It wasn't surprising that we all wanted more of it since having more good than bad is what's needed for optimal digestive health. What was learned though, is that probiotics can only grow and multiply when they are feed with prebiotics so piling on the probiotic supplements alone didn't do much.

Foods that are prebiotic - Superfoods list

Prebiotics foods aren't injected with some manufactured additive the way yogurt was with prebiotics. Foods contain them naturally and some foods more than others each with their own different nutrient-specific balance.

Prebiotics are found in foods that belong to the nutrient group called carbohydrates, fats and protein are the other two groups. Here is a group of foods that are rich in a specific prebiotic nutrient called dietary phenols. Phenols are important for their protective role against oxidative damage diseases such as coronary heart disease, stroke, and cancers. They are a natural antibiotic as well and are found in:

• beans


• lentils


• peas


• fruit (with skin)


• berries


• dark berry juices


• tea


• red wine


• dark beer


• dark chocolate


• coffee

One of the "superstar" foods in particular is the kiwifruit. Named in various books as one of earth's most nutrient-packed foods containing several vitamins, minerals, fiber, enzymes, and phenol compounds. The kiwi, along with some other fruits that have edible skin should only be eaten if the fruits are grown organically, otherwise you'd be consuming too many pesticides and your potential health benefits may be reversed.

More foods that are prebiotic-rich:

• raw onions


• raw honey


• artichokes


• oats


• barley


• asparagus


• eggplant


• garlic


• leeks


• soy beans


• peanuts

Foods to Avoid:

Anything that has been refined like sugar, white rice, white flour, sugar-coated refined breakfast cereals, white pasta. At least try to minimize your intake of as many of these as you can. Remember, just as good, healthy prebiotic foods help promote good microbes for better health, the unhealthy, processed junk foods help the bad microbes to grow... don't let them gain control or you'll get sick!