Eat MORE Microbiome Fuel (TOP 10 Sources)

By Dr. Scott Olson, ND Posted August 27, 2023

The microorganisms (mostly bacteria) that call your gut home are collectively called the microbiome.

If you’re a regular Living Well Daily reader, you ALREADY know they’re a BIG deal.

After all, they support your overall health and well-being from head to toe. And that includes your digestive, immune, heart, and brain health.

Most people reach for probiotics to support a healthy microbiome. These folks are on the right track, because probiotics ARE critical to replenish your good gut bacteria.

But if they miss this other VITAL step, those efforts are bound to fail.

Because you can take all the healthy bacteria you want, and they’ll still quickly die off if you don’t do THIS too.

Like any living thing, probiotics need to eat to survive and thrive. And that’s where PREbiotics come in.

Prebiotics are probiotic chow. They serve as food for the microbiome.

Prebiotics are primarily fibers, including fructooligosaccharides and oligosaccharides like inulin and polysaccharides.

But don’t worry, you won’t need to remember any of those complicated names. In just a minute I’m going to share with you EXACTLY what foods to eat more of to feed your hungry gut bugs.

You see, many of us don’t get nearly enough prebiotics in our diet. And if this is you, it’s not your fault.

After all, most doctors never bother to explain what prebiotics are, let alone tell you WHAT to eat to get enough of them.

And to be honest, it’s not entirely their fault either. Because it hasn’t always been clear what the TOP prebiotic sources were. That information was spread out in countless sources that could take years to unravel.

But lucky for all of us, we don’t have to. Because researchers from the International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics have done the work for us.

They combed through all the scientific literature on prebiotics, examining the data on more than 8,600 foods to find the EXACT ones that contain the MOST prebiotics.

Experts say you need at least five grams of prebiotics daily to maintain a healthy microbiome.

Following is the team’s TOP 10 list of foods with the HIGHEST prebiotic content:

1. dandelion greens (155-243 mg/g)
2. Jerusalem artichokes (210 mg/g)
3. garlic (191-193 mg/g)
4. leeks (123-128 mg/g)
5. onions (79-106 mg/g)
6. onion rings (58 mg/g)
7. creamed onions (51 mg/g)
8. cowpeas (50 mg/g)
9. asparagus (50 mg/g)
10. Kellogg’s All-Bran Cereal (50 mg/g)

Now I’ll admit there’s some serious crossover on this list. Onions, creamed onions, and onion rings are all essentially the same thing.  And we can even add leeks to that list since they’re in the allium family too.

But the point is obvious… onions are a fantastic source of vital prebiotics. As are some other delicious foods.

And, of course, if you fall short, prebiotics (as well as probiotics) are available as supplements.

P.S. The BIG prune benefit you NEED to know!

Source:

“Determination of the Prebiotic Content of Foods in the 2015-2016 Food and Nutrient Database for Dietary Studies (FNDDS),” Nutrition 2023, Boston, MA, Saturday, July 22, 2023

Written By Dr. Scott Olson, ND

Nearly 25 years ago, failed mainstream medical treatments left Dr. Olson in constant pain – and his health in ruins. And that’s when he did something REVOLUTIONARY. He began his career in medicine – and dedicated his life to uncovering the true, underlying causes of disease.
Through his innovative medical practices in Tennessee and Colorado, Dr. Olson has helped cure countless seniors from across America of arthritis… heart disease… diabetes… and even cancer. All without risky prescription drugs or painful surgeries.

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