Prebiotics are one of the fundamental building blocks to achieve and maintain a healthy gut. An imbalanced gut impacts far more throughout the body than you think. The gut-brain connection is a major piece of that puzzle. So lets introduce the gut-brain connection and 30 prebiotic foods that you can easily incorporate into your diet to get your gut performing optimally.
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The gut-brain connection
The gut-brain connection goes far deeper what you might think. It’s not a one-way road. Instead, its a two way street. For example:
- Someone who experiences migraine is more likely to have digestive disturbances. Equally, if you have digestive issues, you are more likely to experience migraine.
- Further, there have been a number of studies in recent years that are focussing on the connection between leaky gut, or the variety of gut microbia, with autism and ADHD.
- Leaky gut also has connections with anxiety and depression.
So with that said, It’s not the migraine, autism, ADHD, anxiety or depression that necessarily causes gut issues. It’s a two way street, the gut impacts the brain and the brain impacts the gut.
The relationship between prebiotics and gut health
Through the food we put in our mouths and other lifestyle factors, we control the health and diversity of the microorganisms that live in our gut.
This means that the food we eat is the main energy source for the growth of microorganisms. Much of that food our bodies can digest, however, our bodies cannot digest dietary fibre. Prebiotics are a form of dietary fibre. This means that when we consume foods high in dietary fibre, the fibre travels through the stomach undigested, until it reaches the large intestines where the microorganisms live. Microorganisms feast on this fibre.
The role of prebiotics is to promote the growth of good bacteria. Prebiotics are the food for the probiotic microorganisms that live in our gut.
The idea then is to keep the good microorganisms happy and thriving, increase the diversity which is beneficial for our overall health, and hopefully keep the bad bacteria under control.
30 easy to incorporate prebiotic sources
There is a time and a place for supplements but I’m all for doing things naturally where possible, so there is a couple of things we can do to increase prebiotics in our system. Have a look, there are probably a few you haven’t heard of.
Keep in mind that most of these are best eaten raw or minimally heated, from our prebiotic benefit standpoint.
1. Garlic
Yes… raw garlic if you can, but cooked is still good. Garlic is a special one, it’s actually been shown to increase microorganism diversity in the gut.
2. Onions
Onions are also a great prebiotic. I keep onions in the fridge as this has been the only effective way I’ve found to avoid the tears when cutting them.
3. Kale
Kale is a prebiotic and has powerful anti-inflammatory properties. Inflammation is the root of disease and that’s why anti inflammatory foods are such a big deal.
Fresh is best but here are some other fantastic ways to get kale in:
- Amazing Grass Organic Kale Powder
- Extraordinary Foods Kale Chips with Dill and Onion (also a great probiotic & comes in other flavours too)
4. Cruciferous vegetables
Cruciferous vegetables like broccoli , cabbage and cauliflower contain chemical compounds that are great for maintaining gut flora.
Be careful eating cruciferous raw though. I personally can’t eat these raw as I’m sensitive to salicylates, so I mostly consume them steamed. If you feel unwell after consuming raw cruciferous, you might be the same.
5. Asparagus
Asparagus boasts prebiotic benefits and also has some impressive inflammation fighting properties too.
6. Leeks
Come from the same family as onions and garlic so there benefits to gut health are similar. I don’t think I’ve ever eaten raw leek before though. Let me know if you have a good way to incorporate them.
7. Seaweed
Seaweed is a type of algae. Not only is seaweed a great prebiotic, it also increases the production of short chain fatty acids, which nurtures the cells that line our gut. Think nori sheets, Dulse flakes, wakame, etc.
Super easy ways to incorporate seaweed are sprinkling flakes on most savoury meals, flavoured salt, seaweed snacks and sushi. These are my favourites:
- Power Super Foods Organic Wakame Flakes
- Honest to Goodness Organic Roasted Seaweed Snack
- Power Super Foods Organic Nori Flakes
- Tasman Sea Salt | Wakame Seaweed Sea Salt Flakes | Pure Flavour
- Power Super Foods Organic Dulse Flake
- Kura Certified Organic Sushi Nori Sheets
8. Algae
Another natural source is algae. I think of them more as supplements. These are spirulina, chlorella, or a blend of the two. Avoid them if you have a blood disorder or are on blood thinners, always opt for organic sources and start with a very small dose if you choose to include it in your diet. That said, coming back specifically to gut health, spirulina usually wins over chlorella because it’s easier on our digestive systems. However, the chlorella I’ve linked below has broken cell walls for easier digestion.
- Rainforest Foods Organic Combined Chlorella and Spirulina Tablets
- Organic Chlorella Powder | broken cell wall to make it easier on your gut
- Premium USDA Organic Spirulina Powder – Highest Quality of Blue Green Algae from California & Hawaii
9. Avocado
Promotes healthy digestive function, increases diversity in the gut and is a perfect prebiotic if you are on a keto diet.
Keep extra chopped avo in the freezer so you can throw them into a smoothie – easy!
10. Almonds
Almonds are the perfect snack, but keep the skins on because that’s where much of the prebiotic fibre is. Buy snack packs like those linked below if you tend to overeat these types of foods.
- Honest to Goodness Almond Butter
- Honest to Goodness Almonds Raw Insecticide Free
- Earth’s Bounty Salted and Roasted Dry Almonds | snack pack
11. Flaxseeds
Flaxseeds help support the growth of the good bacteria and heal leaky gut.
When it comes to flax (also called linseeds), these are best consumed ground for optimal benefits. You can blend small amounts in a coffee grinder or small blender. Once ground, keep it in an airtight container in the fridge. If needed though, you can certainly buy it pre-ground.
- Chef’s Choice Organic Golden Flaxseed, Multicolour
- Anthony’s Organic Flaxseed Meal, Ground Ultra Fine Powder
12. Konjac Root
Konjac root – you may have heard of shirataki noodles or miracle noodles. That’s the easiest way to consume konjac. Yes, it is a processed food and yes you don’t want to overconsume because it’s basically all fibre, but they are a decent choice to boost prebiotic intake.
My go-to is Slendier, which have a range of alternative rice and pasta options.
- Rice: Slendier Konjac Rice
- Fettuccine: Konjac Fettuccine Pasta
- Pasta: Spaghetti Konjac Pasta
- Angel hair: Slendier Angel Hair Noodles
- Noodles: Slendier Konjac Noodles
- Lasagne: Zero Slim & Healthy Lasagne
13. Bananas
Bananas – are a great prebiotic too and they help to normalise bowel function.
We talked about the gut brain connection in the part 1 so it’s interesting to point out that bananas can trigger migraines in some people, as can avocados.
14. Apples
Apples are good at increasing the amounts of a couple microorganisms in particular (clostridiales and bacteroides), which help to strengthen the intestinal barrier and promote metabolism.
15. Cacoa and cacao
I’m not talking about chocolate bars and sugar laden powders. They are not good for your gut. I’m talking about the more pure raw cacoa, cacoa powder or as close to that state as you can get it.
One of the most interesting things about cacoa is the flavonoids found in them. These can help to improve the intestinal lining and therefore is fantastic if you have a leaky gut.
Some easy ways to get a healthy dose of cacao or cocoa:
- Power Super Foods Organic Raw Cacao Nibs
- Healthy Hemp Hot Chocolate with Real Cocoa
- Power Super Foods Organic Cacao Powder
- Power Superfoods Organic Raw Cacao Beans
16. Coconut
Coconut, especially the meat, is a delicious prebiotic.
If you can get your hands on fresh coconut thats amazing. If not, frozen coconut chunks or the below, are good options.
17. Hemp seeds
Hemp seeds is another one that helps reduce intestinal permeability and thereby help fix a leaky gut. Also they are hugely versatile.
Hemp Foods Australia Organic Hemp Seeds
18. Apple Cider Vinegar
Incorporating unfiltered apple cider vinegar is all about creating an acidic environment. It’s difficult for bacteria to grow in this state. I’m sure everyone has heard of the ACV, lemon and warm water concoction. Most people encourage having it on an empty stomach first thing in the morning. That’s not for me. Luckily though, you can also consume it say, before bed and still reap a ton of gut healing benefits.
Always get the unfiltered kind for better health results. It should contain ‘mother’, which is the brown stringy bit at the bottom.
An alternative is to take these ACV gummies with the mother.
19. Cayenne pepper
Studies over the past few years are starting to suggest that some spices may have prebiotic like effects. More research is needed but there is certainly plenty of other well known benefits to warrant including them in your diet regardless.
Cayenne pepper promotes good digestion and is packed with anti inflammatory properties.
20. Cinnamon
Always opt for ceylon cinnamon, its a little more pricey but there is good reason for it. Its packed with antioxidants and is much lower in coumarin which can be dangerous in larger quantities.
21. Black pepper
Black pepper is linked to an increase in good gut bacteria. it also promotes good digestion and can boost nutrient absorption.
22. Ginger
Ginger is said to increase the growth of beneficial bacteria in the gut. it also helps move food through our digestive system and can help ease an upset stomach.
23. Oregano
While oregano is a good prebiotic, it also helps to inhibit bad bacteria.
Not quite a prebiotic, but it cant be left unsaid that oregano oil can be useful in killing parasite that cause all sorts of issues in our gut.
24. Rosemary
Rosemary is a lesser known prebiotic. Further, it can alter the composition of the bacteria in our gut, reduce inflammation and support good digestion.
25. Turmeric
Turmeric is the true spice hero for so many reasons! It is great for its gut healing properties, aids in maintaining the gut barrier, and promotes good digestion.
26. Liquorice Root Tea
Liquorice root tea, has some surprising prebiotic benefits too.
I was a huge sceptic of this one because I despise liquorice, but it really doesn’t taste anything those it. Interestingly licorice root helps protect your stomach lining and is effective at combatting gut related side effects of emotional stress.
27. Prebiotic black tea
Black tea contains polyphenols, which encourages the growth of good bacteria.
28. Green Tea
Green tea is another great prebiotic that encourages good bacteria while banishing the bad.
29. Chicory Root Tea
This one can be consumed as a tea, coffee replacement or often times as inulin fibre. Inulin is the fibre in chicory root that provides the prebiotic benefits.
30. Dandelion Root Tea
Dandelion root is similar in the sense it can be consumed as a tea or a coffee alternative. It provides great digestive support, helps to diversify our gut and therefore supportive to overall health.
I like these dandelion and chicory root blends:
- Kintra Foods Roasted Dandelion Blend Chai Tea
- Bonvit Roasted Dandelion and Chicory Tea
- Kintra Foods Roasted Dandelion Blend Tea
Elimination diets for prebiotic food sources
The above mentioned 30 foods are easy to incorporate and are generally recognised as good for gut health. In saying that, we are all unique therefore our bodies can react in different ways to the food we consume. If you eat something and it triggers something for you, maybe it’s worth eliminating it for now. You can try introducing it again in a couple of months.
Prebiotic supplementation
Prebiotic supplements are well studied and their benefits are strongly supported by science. However, as you can see from the what we’ve talked about, you can quite easily adjust your diet instead. If you do choose to supplement though, here are a few good ones that are super easy to incorporate.
- Amazonia Raw Prebiotic Greens
- BodyMe Organic Vegan Reds Powder | Super Reds Blend | With Blueberry Cranberry Raspberry Rosehip Acai Beetroot Prebiotic Inulin Carob Chaga Mushroom Reishi Mushroom
- OLLY Probiotic + Prebiotic Gummy
Three things to avoid (your gut will thank you)
You may have noticed something missing from this list…
1. Gluten
Why? Because it’s difficult to digest, yes, for everyone, not just those with Celiacs. It creates holes in your gut lining, therefore it encourages leaky gut. If you already have it, gluten can make it worse because it makes the gaps bigger.
2. Non-gluten grains & legumes
Something else that’s missing are all non-gluten containing grains and legumes. These are not as hard to digest as gluten, however if you are here, chances are you are concerned about your gut health. It’s best to avoid these, at least temporarily until you get back on track. I’m talking about things like rice, oats, beans and lentils, but also corn, peas and peanuts.
3. Refined sugar
Sugar is another one. It disrupts the balance in your gut and actually causes changes in the functional composition and metabolic activities of those microorganisms. This can result in all sorts of other health issues that you might not know started from the gut.
Finding balance in your prebiotic consumption
You should also consider the balance of the prebiotic benefits of fibre rich foods, compared to the inflammatory response too much fibre can have.
For example, for me if I eat chia pudding I do not feel good! It’s a fibre overload. So I choose notto consume chia pudding.
Next steps…
Next up we are talking about probiotics. Click here to read.
