Physiques By Vinay

Prebiotic Food:

Prebiotic foods are dietary fibers that feed the good bacteria in our body, especially the ones present in our gut.  Our bodies are home to 100 trillion bacteria, many of which reside in our gut.

It can be confusing to witness the adjective “good” being used with the acronym bacteria. But, there are indeed a massive amount of microscopic bacteria in our gut, that prove to be harmless or more accurately “helpful” in maintaining individual health. Here is how good bacteria promotes health:

• It helps with healthy digestion.
• It keeps our bad bacteria in check, by reproducing so often that the other bacteria (bad) don’t have any space to grow in.
• It has a role in the metabolism of heavy drugs.
• It also has a role in weight regulation.
• It also promotes the formation of good cholesterol or HDL, which is beneficial for heart health.
• It has a role in controlling blood sugar levels, hence preventing diabetes.
• It has a role in improving brain health.

Here are some of the best prebiotic food items to add to your food intake:

1. Garlic
2. Onion
3. Leeks
4. Asparagus
5. Bananas
6. Barley
7. Oats
8. Apples
9. Cocoa
10. Flaxseeds
11. Pulses
12. Spinach
13. Blueberries
14. Legumes
15. Watermelon
16. Almonds
17. Pistachio
18. Honey

Probiotic Food:

While prebiotic food comprises of the nutritional content used by good bacteria to grow, probiotic includes living good bacteria- that could be consumed via various food items. It is critical to notice that both prebiotic and probiotic foods have a significant role in enhancing the gut flora & disclosing new chapters of health benefits.

Some of the prominent benefits of consuming probiotic food items include:

• Keeping the count of bad bacteria in check.
• Treating & preventing diarrhea.
• Treating some mental health conditions.
• Reducing the severity of allergies.
• Boosting immune system responses.
• Losing belly fat and body weight.

Here are some of the probiotic food items, you can add to your daily food regimen:

1. Yogurt
2. Kefir
3. Pickles
4. Traditional buttermilk
5. Gouda cheese
6. Mozzarella cheese
7. Cheddar cheese
8. Cottage cheese 
9. Sourdough bread
10. Green olives
11. Kimchi

Though probiotic food options are very limited, many vegetables or fruits could be fermented & consumed as a rich probiotic source.