You must have heard a million times that we are what we eat. This is because unhealthy food behaviour and poor food choices can make us susceptible to a variety of illnesses. On the other hand, ensuring a healthy and nutritious daily diet can strengthen our immune system and keep our body fit and in good shape. Moreover, healthy foods are also beneficial for our digestive health and aid in keeping various stomach ailments at bay. One such type of healthy food is prebiotics.
What are prebiotics?
Prebiotics are a type of plant-based dietary fibre that feed the friendly bacteria in our gut and help in their growth. They are a type of carbohydrates that remain undigested in our stomach and move to the lower digestive tract where they feed the gut bacteria. These healthy gut bacteria then produce nutrients like short-chain fatty acids (butyrate, acetate, and propionate) for the colon cells and ensure healthy digestive system functioning. These fatty acids are also absorbed in the blood stream which can eventually improve our metabolic health as well.
How are prebiotics different from probiotics?
Many times, people tend to confuse prebiotics with probiotics. While both are beneficial for our gut, they work in very different ways. Prebiotics are plant fibres that serve as food for the gut bacteria and assist in their growth. On the other hand, probiotics are live yeast and good bacteria that live inside our body and promote good digestion.
Moreover, they help in keeping various digestive disorders like constipation at bay. For instance, prebiotics are consistently helpful in ensuring bowel regularity and improving stool consistency. However, a research claims that a combination of prebiotics and probiotics, known as Synbiotics, is one of the most effective ways of relieving constipation symptoms.
Best prebiotics foods you should eat
Prebiotics are typically found in various easily available food items like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Some of them include:
- Apples
- Berries
- Asparagus
- Garlic
- Flaxseeds
- Legumes
- Oats
- Wheat
- Bananas
- Barley
Apart from being rich prebiotic sources, these foods also contain a notable amount of digestive fibre. Thus, they are highly beneficial in relieving constipation and its associated problems. In addition, you can also consider taking help of the best laxatives for constipation in India like KABZEND by Mankind. It is an ayurvedic formula that is infused with the goodness of various herbs like Senna, Nisot, Ajwain, etc. and is an ideal natural solution for all your Kabz-related worries.
