Top 10 foods rich in prebiotics

Key takeaways:

• The International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics recommends 5 g of prebiotics daily.
• Onions have high levels of prebiotics and may be a feasible target for increasing prebiotic intake.

BOSTON — After examining information on more than 8,600 foods, researchers said they identified the top 10 with the highest amounts of prebiotic content that can help promote a healthy gut microbiome.

Prebiotics are types of fiber that are frequently found in plants, according to a press release.

“Eating prebiotic-dense foods has been indicated by previous research to benefit health,” Cassandra Boyd, a master’s student at San José State University, said in the release. “Eating in a way to promote microbiome wellness while eating more fiber may be more attainable and accessible than you think.”

Most dietary guidelines do not include recommendations on daily prebiotic intake, the release said. However, the International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics estimates that at least 5 g are needed per day to achieve a health benefit, according to Boyd and John Gieng, PhD, an assistant professor of nutritional sciences at San José State University.

There are currently no databases that contain the prebiotic content of foods, Boyd and Gieng reported. Therefore, the researchers used existing literature to determine the levels of prebiotics among foods in the 2015-2016 Food and Nutrient Database for Dietary Studies.

Of the 8,690 foods that were analyzed, 36.7% contained prebiotics, Boyd and Gieng reported at NUTRITION.

The 10 foods with the highest amounts of prebiotic content were:

1. dandelion greens (155-243 mg/g);
2. Jerusalem artichokes (210 mg/g);
3. garlic (191-193 mg/g);
4. leeks (123-128 mg/g);
5. onions (79-106 mg/g);
6. onion rings (58 mg/g);
7. creamed onions (51 mg/g);
8. cowpeas (50 mg/g);
9. asparagus (50 mg/g); and
10. Kellogg's All-Bran cereal (50 mg/g).

“The findings from our preliminary literature review suggest that onions and related foods contain multiple forms of prebiotics, leading to a larger total prebiotic content,” Boyd said in the release. “Multiple forms of onions and related foods appear in a variety of dishes as both flavoring and main ingredients. These foods are commonly consumed by Americans and thus would be a feasible target for people to increase their prebiotic consumption.”

However, Boyd and Gieng noted that more research is needed to determine how cooking impacts the prebiotic content of foods.

References:

Boyd C, Gieng J. Determination of the prebiotic content of foods in the 2015-2016 Food and Nutrient Database for Dietary Studies (FNDDS). Presented at: NUTRITION; July 22-25, 2023; Boston.

Scientists name top five foods rich in prebiotics. https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/995550. Published July 22, 2023. Accessed July 22, 2023.