The supposed benefits of probiotic bacteria in the gut are numerous; from decreasing the incidence of diarrhea, to replenishing the digestive system’s micro-biome after a heavy treatment of antibiotics to cure an illness. And though there isn’t a definitive consensus amongst medical practitioners that these benefits are scientifically proven, there is agreement on what foods to eat if you’re looking to increase the level of healthy bacteria in your gut (any fermented dairy products with live cultures present, usually yogurts, dairy drinks, and some cheeses).
However, once you’ve made it a point to increase the number of these bacteria in your digestive system, they need to be fed and cultivated. That’s where “prebiotics” come in. Prebiotics are carbohydrates that the human body cannot digest, but which act as a source of food for the bacteria in our gut. They can be found in a number of foods but never in the same food in which probiotics are found. Here are 8 to try:
Making these foods a part of your diet will please the helpful organisms throughout your digestive system, and if preliminary studies indicate correctly, those helpful bacteria will please you in return.