Prebiotics are starting to grab some of the gut-health glory reserved for probiotics, the beneficial bacteria that yogurt made famous. Now prebiotics — the food for the good bacteria already living in our gut — are popping up everywhere, including prebiotic sodas like Poppi and OLIPOP.
Poppi has been in the news lately because of a class action lawsuit that says the drink doesn’t live up to its gut health claims. Fortified with agave inulin and apple cider vinegar, Poppi contains only 2 grams of prebiotic fiber per can — not a significant amount to provide benefits, studies suggest.
[Read: Top Fermented Foods for Gut Health.]
What Are Prebiotics?
Simply put, prebiotics are types of plant fiber that feed healthy bacteria in the gut. There is also a scientific definition of prebiotics: To meet the criteria, a prebiotic must selectively nourish the beneficial gut bacteria and not provide a general boost to all gut bacteria. A prebiotic must also be present at a significant level and provide a demonstrated health or performance benefit, according to the International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics (ISAPP).
It’s not always easy to determine the amount of prebiotics in products since nutrition labels list grams of total dietary fiber, but not all of the fiber in a food will be prebiotics.
Poppi touts the “gut-happy” benefits of its prebiotics, yet the amounts are not easily found on the company’s website or on the front of the can. The nutrition facts label shows that each can contains 2 grams of dietary fiber, which is presumably from the agave inulin.
By comparison, OLIPOP contains 9 grams of dietary fiber per can with added inulin from chicory root and Jerusalem artichoke as prebiotic sources.
[READ: Stomach Bloating: How to Relieve Your Tight, Round Belly.]
Types of Prebiotics
Inulin
Inulin is a dominant type of natural prebiotics; inulin powder is often added prebiotic foods and beverages The major food sources of inulin include:
— Agave
— Chicory root
— Jerusalem artichokes or sunchokes
It also occurs naturally in smaller amounts in:
— Onions
— Leeks
— Garlic
— Asparagus
— Jicama
Inulin is also commonly available as fiber supplements, including in capsules, gummies and powders. You can add inulin powder to smoothies, a bowl of oats or your morning coffee to easily boost your daily intake. If you go the supplement route, do the research, Hannah D. Holscher, an associate professor of nutrition at the University of Illinois recommends. Choose a high-quality supplement from a company that follows good manufacturing practices and does independent lab testing on its products to help maintain quality and purity.
Resistant starch
Other prebiotics include resistant starch, a type of carbohydrate that resists digestion but helps ferment in our gut to feed beneficial bacteria. Food sources for resistant starch include:
— Green bananas
— Green plantains
— Beans
— Peas and lentils
— Whole grains
— Cooked and cooled rice
— Pasta
— Potatoes
Beta-glucans
Beta-glucans are another type of prebiotic. Sources include:
— Oats
— Barley
— Algae and other marine plants
Other prebiotics
Other foods recognized as having prebiotic properties include:
— Almonds
— Chia seeds
— Flaxseeds
— Dandelion greens
Health Benefits of Prebiotics
The main benefit of prebiotics is to nourish the good bacteria in our gut, which helps provide a better balance in our microbiome. Studies with prebiotics have documented numerous potential health benefits. For instance, a high prebiotic intake is associated with reduced gut inflammation, relief from constipation and good digestive health overall. Certain prebiotic fibers may also help with feeling full, which can help with weight management. Plus, consuming prebiotics regularly and consistently may help fight off harmful bacteria in the gut and support immunity.
Other studies suggest some prebiotics may have a positive impact on blood cholesterol and triglycerides, improve calcium absorption and reduce blood sugar levels. Different types of prebiotics are linked to different benefits. A recent Gut Feelings trial found that a high-prebiotic dietary intervention may improve mood, anxiety, stress and sleep in adults with moderate psychological distress and a low prebiotic intake.
Feeding your microbes to promote mental well-being is a growing field known as psychobiotics. Recognizing the gut-brain connection, researchers suggest prebiotics may offer new ways to use the gut microbiome to enhance mental health.
“Prebiotics are finally having their moment,” says Kara Landau, “The Prebiotic Dietitian” and founder of Gut Feeling Consultancy. “Consumers now realize there is another piece to the gut health puzzle beyond probiotics.”
[READ: Fermented Foods: Myth vs. Fact.]
Probiotics vs. Prebiotics
While these two words are only different by one letter, probiotics and prebiotics play distinctly different roles in supporting gut health. Probiotics are the actual live microbes or beneficial bacteria. Prebiotics are the food for these beneficial bacteria.
To remember the difference between probiotics and prebiotics, take this advice from Holscher: “When I think about prebiotics, I remember the ‘e’ for the energy they provide for gut bacteria. And for probiotics, I think of the ‘o’ for organism in the gut microbiome.”
The other key difference between the two is that prebiotics aren’t alive, so as a food option, they’re more easily available for us to eat.
“Unlike probiotics that must be alive at consumption, prebiotics are food constituents that are stable and therefore more amenable to include as part of one’s diet,” says Robert Hutkins, a professor of food science and technology at the Food Innovation Center at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and one of the country’s leading experts on prebiotics.
Prebiotics and probiotics can be consumed at the same time — and increasingly new fortified foods and beverages contain both. When one product delivers both, it is called a synbiotic. The ISAPP recently published an updated definition for synbiotics, recognizing the growing interest in this category.
[READ: What Are Postbiotics?]
How to Use Prebiotics
Research shows there may be a health benefit from as little as 5 grams of some prebiotics per day. But instead of zeroing in on a certain number, you might aim to get a variety of different sources throughout the day.
“Many fiber-rich foods have prebiotic activity, so if you follow the Dietary Guidelines for fiber (25 grams per day for women and 38 grams for men), you will get plenty of prebiotics,” says Hutkins.
Yet, only 1 in 10 U.S. adults meet the daily fiber recommendations.
Jaclyn London, a New York City-based registered dietitian, podcaster and food industry consultant, recommends starting with naturally occurring prebiotics in whole foods. “While we all love convenience — myself enthusiastically included — we simply don’t have evidence that supports the idea that we’ll get the same benefits from consuming these compounds as additives in food products vs. consuming more of the wholesome versions of these foods as part of an overall nutrient-dense eating pattern,” she says.
Landau agrees. She suggests eating a variety of prebiotic types from various sources. When you rely on a prebiotic soda or other fortified products that contain one purified prebiotic, you risk not nourishing the hundreds of probiotic strains in your gut microbiome that need diverse prebiotics to be adequately fueled, she says.
Some of the prebiotic-fortified foods and supplements could help you increase your intake of prebiotics. However, you may find that drinking a prebiotic soda floods your body with a heavy dose of prebiotics too quickly (some contain 9 grams per serving), which could cause gas, bloating and diarrhea, says London. For example, if you’ve ever experienced gas and bloating after eating a high-fiber granola bar, yogurt or another food with added inulin or chicory root, you probably ate too much fiber too quickly. Start with small amounts and increase until your body is used to it.
Misleading Information on Prebiotics
With the growing recognition of the health benefits of prebiotics, it’s no surprise that companies are adding prebiotics to foods and beverages — from the popular prebiotic sodas and other drinks to protein bars, yogurts, bread, cookies and desserts.
Some of these products are making bold promises, calling prebiotics your “metabolic miracle” and “detox powerhouse.”
London is skeptical of some gut health marketing, especially how apple cider vinegar is being touted as a prebiotic. Apple cider vinegar, frequently referred to as ACV, is not a prebiotic, and it does contain the pectin found in apples, according to the Global Prebiotic Association.
Even so, some prebiotic sodas falsely promote the prebiotic benefits of ACV. This type of misinformation is one of the reasons why the Global Prebiotic Association and Nutrasource are introducing a Prebiotic Verified seal to help consumers distinguish the truly functional prebiotic products on the market from those that are simply marketing, says Landau.
“It is important to seek recommendations from trusted sources such as registered dietitians or brands that are backed by science to ensure what you are consuming will actually offer you the claimed benefits,” she says.
As an example, Landau says some baked products that use green banana or tigernut flour as a source of prebiotics may not actually contain prebiotics because these sources of resistant starch are not heat stable and the prebiotic benefits would be lost during baking. A product like this would not qualify for the Prebiotic Verified seal, which is intended to help identify products that have a true prebiotic function in their final format, she says.
How to Get Prebiotics in Your Diet
While prebiotic sodas may be a better alternative to sugary soft drinks, and certain prebiotic foods may be a nutritious snack, they shouldn’t be the main source of prebiotics in your diet.
The best approach is to eat a diverse diet of fruits and vegetables, beans, nuts, seeds, whole grains and fermented foods to help nourish your gut and support your overall health. Focus on meeting daily recommendations for these plant-based foods and those prebiotics will follow.
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What to Know About Prebiotics originally appeared on usnews.com
Update 07/23/24: This story was published at an earlier date and has been updated with new information.
