The foods we eat are a lot like seeds, which need to be planted into healthy soils (our digestive systems) in order to grow and bear fruit. We also have gut microflora and various other intestinal elements that act as “water” and “sunlight” to support a bounteous “yield.” In this case the successful digestive conversion of the foods we eat into the substances our bodies need to generate muscle tissue, cellular matrices, energy, and the various other building blocks of life.
But what about the fertilizer? It’s something that’s rarely talked about when dealing with the issue of digestive health. Most of the focus centers around probiotics − the “soil” in our digestive tracts that works in tandem with enzymes, bile, hydrochloric acid, and other digestive “juices” to process the foods we eat.
As it turns out, probiotics require their own food or “fertilizer” in order to function properly, and many people aren’t getting enough of it to support a healthy microbiome. In other words, their “soils” are deficient or altogether dead, resulting in inadequate uptake and assimilation of nutrients.
Without Prebiotics, Probiotics Can’t Do Their Job
You’re probably already familiar with probiotics because they’ve gotten a lot of media attention in recent years for their role in improving digestive health. But their most important co-factor is rarely mentioned − and when it is, it’s often poorly defined. I’m talking about prebiotics, a class of plant fiber that’s non-digestible in humans, but that serves as the critical food source for the probiotic bacteria that occupy your colon and bowel.
Probiotics, as you may already know, are the living bacteria that colonize our intestinal tracts and perform a number of important functions related to digestion and immune protection. They’re a natural feature of the gut and body, and prebiotics are their food source. Probiotics consume and ferment this food source in order to increase mineral absorption, promote the production of short-chain fatty acids, protect the intestinal lining, balance hormones, and facilitate the proper elimination of waste.
Unlike probiotics, which are extremely sensitive to heat and stomach acid, prebiotics are virtually indestructible in the human body. As much as 90% of ingested prebiotic fiber is eliminated from the small intestine fully intact. This might sound like a bad thing, but it’s actually critically important because it’s the only way that the entirety of the probiotic ecosystem (which lives all throughout the roughly 28-feet of large and small intestines), is able to receive adequate nourishment.
In other words, our bodies need both prebiotics and probiotics in order for the gastrointestinal tract to function as it should. You can take all the probiotics in the world, but if you aren’t also taking prebiotics, you’re not going to see the results you hope to achieve.
Using the garden analogy I discussed earlier, simply throwing more seeds (probiotics) at the soil (the gut) won’t produce healthier plants unless they’re properly planted and fertilized (prebiotics)… an absolutely vital symbiotic relationship.
The Prebiotics You Need and Where to Find Them
There are two primary prebiotics that your body needs: inulin and oligofructose. There are also two sides to your colon, one side that prefers inulin (the left) and the other that prefers oligofructose (the right). These two prebiotics have been shown to provide maximum nourishment for your internal ecosystem. They help to multiply beneficial bacteria and combat gut dysbiosis, a bacterial imbalance in the gut that can result in indigestion, bloating, and other gastrointestinal symptoms.
Inulin is technically a long-chain prebiotic fiber that’s digested more slowly, while oligofructose is a short-chain prebiotic that’s digested more quickly. Any true, full-spectrum prebiotic supplement will contain both forms of prebiotic fiber, as well as fructooligosaccharides (FOS), galactooligosaccharides (GOS), and various other oligoosaccharides, all of which provide symbiotic nourishment in every area of your gut.
It’s important to note here that prebiotics are a form of soluble fiber as opposed to insoluble fiber. Insoluble fiber is what most people refer to when they talk about “dietary fiber.” It’s basically an indigestible bulking substance that helps to “lubricate” the release of bound-up waste from the bowel.
Soluble fiber, on the other hand, is the prebiotic food that keeps probiotics nourished and happy − equally as important as insoluble fiber but in a different way.
Good Food Sources of Prebiotics
So which foods contain the highest levels of prebiotics? Most tuber (root) vegetables naturally high in inulin such as:
- Potatoes
- Yams
- Sweet Potatoes
- Cassava
as well as…
- Artichokes
- Asparagus
- Chicory root
- Bananas
- Dandelion root
- Garlic
- Agave
- Jicama
- Leeks
- Yacon
- Endives
- Dahlia
- Murnong
- Shallots
- Onions
Wheat dextrin, psyllium husk, acacia gum, and whole grain wheat (just make sure it’s organic and glyphosate-free, if possible), are likewise rich in prebiotic fiber. And since many of these same foods also contain oligofructose, it’s easy to obtain both prebiotic forms simply by incorporating more of these foods into your regular diet.
If you’re getting enough prebiotics, you should notice benefits in the form of less bloating, better digestion, and improved regularity; healthy weight loss; a general feeling of “lightness” complimented by more energy; and sustained blood sugar levels.
By properly nourishing your gut microbiota you are likely to experience fewer infections, enhanced immune function, and better nutrient absorption… helping you to feel better all-around. You can also get sustained relief from conditions like leaky gut syndrome and irritable bowel syndrome, both of which can result from gut dysbiosis stemming from inadequate prebiotic intake.
Incorporating more prebiotic-rich foods into your diet is a no-brainer, and anyone with gut issues should absolutely do so as part of a diet-based corrective protocol to help improve digestion and immune function.
Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in 2016. It has been updated and republished in 2024.
Article Summary
Probiotics are the living bacteria that colonize our intestinal tracts and perform important functions related to digestion and immune protection.
Probiotics consume and ferment prebiotics in order to:
- Increase mineral absorption
- Promote the production of short-chain fatty acids
- Protect the intestinal lining
- Balance hormones
- Facilitate the proper elimination of waste
Our bodies need both prebiotics and probiotics in order for the gastrointestinal tract to function as it should.
There are two primary prebiotics that your body needs: inulin and oligofructose.
Good sources of prebiotics include:
- Potatoes
- Yams
- Sweet Potatoes
- Cassava
I and my sons get these by eating plants right out of the soil. Getting soil bacteria from eating weed greens with the rain-pelted dirt still on them is what repopulated my gut flora and cured my Crohns/Colitis. We keep eating unwashed plants, some of them roots& all, because of the health benefits and the convenience. The easy ones to start with are dandelion, the clovers, turf plaintains, and the mints. Relating to this article, 97% of all the grass species’ seeds & seed husks are edible, and are present everywhere.
We don’t have good soil where we live. It’s toxic. I am learning how to garden inside the house using trays and pots. (Micro greening and some small lettuce varieties)
I will be using organic soil, organic worm castings and sea kelp liquid feet)
Do you think that this will give me the same benefit as you?
I just washed the soil off a tomato. Yes…soil bacteria would help. Thanks for your awesome reminder to leave it on! Happiness….
Wow this sounds very counterintuitive since soil contains the bad stuff too right? Btw wouldn’t the soil have fertilizers as well?
Good question!!
Probiotics is getting more and more of people’s attention and it is SIO CRUCIAL for our heath!! Its all about the GOOD bacteria kicking the BAD bacteria out of our colons where 98% of disease starts! Do the research and start doing all 3, Kefir, Cultured vegetables and Kombucha!! Thanks Ty for all you do!!!
But what if you have fructose malabsorption? Last year I was diagnosed with FM; This year breast cancer. What do I do if my body no longer tolerates them? I had previously been on a Weston A. Price diet- rich in probiotics and probiotics, then Paleo and low carb, then FODMAP. It has made finding a cancer healing diet very difficult and confusing. Can you offer any advice?
Fructose may hurt 18X more than other kinds of sugar. Breast cancer may at premenopause when progesterone which helps the immune system is less and the person becomes more estrogen dominant. John Lee books on hormones talk about his. No gluten/dairy/soy/sugar/GMO…taking vitamins/good oils/minerals/probiotics…LDN..detoxing may help the immune system/cancer/help more nutrients absorb in intestines/raise oxygen/help pH. Low carb should be no gluten (wheat/barley/rye/oats/corn/rice). Some eat Paleo style. I eat Asian style and use LDN/gluten enzymes. Best wishes.
Hello Pamela,
Here is a very valuable website explaining why cancer is being caused. If you have been an artificial sugar person, i.e. diet sodas, juices, all gums and the thousands of other processed foods with these additional ingredients, your body has been poisoned.
Additionally, lack of adequate oxygen in our cells is making it possible for compromised cells and organs to become food for bad bacteria and toxins to flourish.
Dr. Budwig was nominated 7 times for a Nobel Prize for her work in the 70’s curing thousands of cancer patients and other dis-eases using her protocol which is probably something everyone of us would benefit by following it. Chemo, radiation and surgery all have negative side effects and shorten lives. They supposedly have only a 2% cure rate but the cost to a family budget and to the patient’s body is overwhelming. Here’s the link about Dr. Budwig: https://www.resonancerepatterning.net/the-budwig-protocol/
I sadly have a problem that most prebiotic food cause severe bloating and discomphort 🙁
Inulin may grow yeast. Low sugar/starch may help. Eating green vegetables may help grow the probiotic also. Best wishes.
Thank you! I have a whole yard of that stuff.
Wheat/barley/rye…oats/corn/rice may hurt….has gluten even if organic and no pesticides/herbicides on it. Gluten may hurt intestines so less nutrients absorb. Gluten may cause cancer. Inulin may grown yeast if probiotic is not high enough. Green vegetables/starch/sugar etc may feed the probiotic bacteria. I currently have Lyme and see starch/sugar feed the Lyme. Taking a probiotic before a meal when stomach acid is low …then the food feeds it. Taking probiotic before bed may also help.
This is a good article, Ty! I eat one banana every morning for breakfast. I use garlic and onions in cooking. I eat potatoes occasionally. I eat artichokes for seven months in a year, but I do not know whether I am getting enough prebiotics.
Sounds like plenty of prebiotic and then probiotic needs to be taken close to these. I take a probiotic before a meal or before bed. Best wishes.
Gluten phoebes are real – but thi sis a new development. Our bodies need gluten, but many of the contemporary sources are GMO-ed. By the way, potatoes are also good for blood pressure. I recall a report that eating one white potato WITH THE SKIN on reduces blood pressure.
Hurray for Poland and Ireland, probably the 2 most potato loving counties anywhere!
Interesting. All I’m hearing from most nutritionists is how bad wheat is for you, yet I discover here that whole grain wheat is a prebiotic! I’m thinking the most digestible form might be organic sprouted wheat grain, which would be awesome to add back into my diet!
Yes, sprouted whole intact grain berries are the best way to get full nutrition and avoid the anti-nutrients like phytic acid. These should be fine for most people, just not those with Celiac. Full of fiber. Ancient wheat that hasn’t been bred so heavily is better for you too. Sprouting them turns them from grains into vegetables.
Thank you Ty I really needed that info I get a lot of bloating and I didn’t no I needed I pre and a pro biotic thank you.
If you cook red or purple potatoes, let them cool and put in the refrigerator, then make potato salad or just a potato dish that’s gotten cold, you will get less glycemic load and lots more resistant starch, so it’s a double win.
How is this affordable for people like myself with SSD income? All of the supplements that are so good to take are out of the price range of the average person…we shouldn’t even wonder why the majority of people will stay sick. Western meds dont do anything but make most diseases get worse, and those of us who would really like to get well and not take meds cant even come close to affording all that integrative health gurus recommend we take…its sad.
You are so right, Linda!
Holistic Health is becoming an unreachable tool as well!
I’ve seen supplements and herbs climb in price in the past 5 years since I’ve been diagnosed with breast cancer!
‘Holistic people’ seem to be just as greedy as the big Pharma mafia.
I have read that raw potatoes and green bananas are the best prebiotics. I dice raw potatoes and put them in a leafy salad. They soak up the vinegar taste and aren’t noticeable as raw.
Question: If I buy raw seaurkraut and use it in a cooked dish, have I destroyed its probiotic properties?
Heat kills the good bacteria. Most sauerkraut in the store may not be as potent also as the kind you make yourself or get maybe in a health food store.
It seems most articles on this website tells you wich foods are good for you but it doesn’t tell you how to prepare/cook them like for example eating food A gives you more nutrients if uncooked or eating food B raw is more harmful than good. The articles needs to tell us how the foods needs to be prepared/cooked and consumed so that it promotes more vitamins, nutrients, benefits etc…
I know generally eating veggies raw has more benefits but not all veggies can be eaten raw.
For example, on Prebiotics fertilizer of your gut list it shows Dahlia is one of them but how do you prepare it for the most benefits?
Glee217 you may be interested in reading the book entitled Nourishing Traditions. It tells how we should prepare our foods to get the most nutrients out of it. It contains a lot of recipes.
Where can I find this book? Who is the author?
Simply put, the prebiotics are fertilizers for the probiotics or the healthy gut bacteria.
I’ve never been sure when the best time to take a probiotic or a prebiotic supplement. My integrative medicine doctor says with meals, others say in the morning. I also take digestive enzymes. Should I be taking all of these together – after meals? Confused.
Hi Ty, as always outstanding information, thanks for what you are doing with the whole “TTAC”!! My question is this: I find that the standard dose of anything is usually double what I need to take,( I’m 125, 5’6) so in the instance of LiVintage Probiotic, I’m wondering if I only need to take one a day, (I’m hoping), my husband and I are on an extremely limited budget and with winter around the bend starts my husbands off-ason in construction, he is a grader of dirt. Thanks, a loyal and grateful supporter of all you do, Lori
Not if you garden organically. ( no toxics allowed)
She asked for a PREbiotic supplement, not a PRObiotic supplement.
Thank you very Much for your work ..i was just diagnosed with Large B-cel Lymphoma.i had 2 softball sized Tumors cut out of my Groin in less than a week..they grew right in front of the doctors from a pea size to softball size in a day.i am not going to do Chemo or radiation until i run out of Natural Ways..i am to healthy to have them destroy my body…Again Thank you Ty for opening my eyes and sharing this life saving Knowledge with us all…….Hugh
I’ve purchased Acidophilus Probiotics, ( Lactobacillus)can you E-mail me on how to take it, if I made the right choice, must I also have the prebiotics
From my clinical experience I found Slippery Elm powder to be the beast prebiotic and source of FOS.
Thanks for sharing, Kahl!
What are FOS
where do you by the enzymes and probiotics from that wayne was talking about in the video with Ty please
Hi Mary,
Thanks for inquiring! Here is the link to the enzymes and probiotics we highly recommend.
Cool! Mangoes also!
I agree! The review did not find high-quality evidence that probiotics can prevent illness, and the authors conclude that more trials are necessary.
Sounds wonderful…but where can these specialty items be purchased; would a natural food store have them?