Bacteria living in our gastrointestinal tract play a vital role in maintaining our health by protecting our
bodies from bad bacteria and at the same time support our immune system and provide essential
vitamins. We want the good bacteria to populate our gut, so how do we keep them there?
Bacteria are obviously living organisms, and every living organism needs food or fuel. The
foods or fuels that these organisms need are called prebiotics. The definition of a prebiotic is –
“nondigestable food products that stimulate the growth of symbiotic bacterial species already present in
the colon1”.
The best example of a food (food component) that is not digested by the human gut is – FIBRE.
Fibre has many positive influences on our health, but one of the most important is to provide a source of fuel for the good bacteria in our gut. It has been found that INDIGESTIBLE SUGARS (fructooligosaccharides) also provide nutrition for the good bacteria. Good sources of fibre & indigestible
sugars that will benefit our good bacteria are, onions, asparagus, rye, honey, maple syrup, bananas and
most importantly OATS (to name a few).
Prebiotics are not only found in food but are also available as supplements that you can buy from
almost any pharmacy or shop these days. Good advice would be to try modify your diet before trying
supplements as small changes in the diet make a big difference!
If you are contemplating taking prebiotics as a supplement, it is a good idea to consult a health
professional before commencing.
Broccoli is the king of healthy vegetables. It provides an excellent source of betacarotene and vitamin C and the darker the florets the higher amount of antioxidents.
Start the year off on a healthy note for your children. Tots n Pots Term 1 bookings now open! Dont miss out, contact a branch near you!
