Most of all, research show that your health is linked to the bacteria in your gut. In fact, to list some of the benefits these gut bacteria help with include weight loss, immune functions, and digestive health. As a result, it is in your best interest to keep your gut biome healthy. And you can keep your gut biome healthy by eating snacks that help the growth of gut bacteria. For example, seven of the healthiest snacks that help the growth of gut bacteria are described here.
Yogurt
Yogurt is one of the most popular foods that provides beneficial bacteria such as Lactobacillus bulgaricus. In fact, Lactobacillus bulgaricus is a bacteria normally residing in your intestines where it prevents harmful bacteria from growing. In addition, Lactobacillus bulgaricus stimulates the growth of other beneficial bacteria. Moreover, yogurt also provides minerals such as phosphorous, potassium, magnesium, and of course calcium which helps maintain healthy bones. And the best yogurt for weight loss is plain, non-fat Greek yogurt.
Dark Chocolate
Research shows that beneficial bacteria, found near the end of the digestive tract, ferment the antioxidants and fiber found in cocoa. In fact, these bacteria create anti-inflammatory compounds that benefit the cardiovascular system as well as increasing insulin sensitivity – which reduces the blood’s insulin levels. In addition, a study in the International Journal of Food Microbiology reported that combining chocolate with probiotics protected the probiotic bacteria in the stomach. As a result, the probiotic bacteria made it to the small intestines.
Oatmeal
First of all, oats contain a type of soluble fiber referred to as beta-glucan. Indeed, beta glucans, are healthy sugars that are found in the cell walls of certain bacteria and in the bran of cereal grains such as oats. Furthermore, along with its other benefits, beta-glucan fiber increases growth of good bacteria in the digestive tract. Indeed, researchers found eating oats resulted in noticeably higher levels of Lactobacilli bacteria, lower levels of Enterobacteriaceae and other non-essential bacteria, in the guts.
Cold Potatoes
Most noteworthy, cold potatoes are potatoes that have been washed, cooked and then cooled. Moreover, cold potatoes are the best source of resistant starch. Indeed, resistant starch is an indigestible carbohydrate that ends up in the large intestines where it feeds gut bacteria, thereby encouraging their growth and allowing them to flourish.
Bananas
Next, green bananas are also a rich source of resistant starch. Moreover, resistant starch escapes digestion which causes it to end up in the large intestines. In the large intestines, the resistant starch feeds bacteria.
Garlic
Raw garlic is the best source of prebiotic fiber for gut bacteria. Furthermore, you can eat garlic raw or as cooked garlic. Indeed the prebiotic fiber passes through the stomach undigested and promotes the growth of gut bacteria.
However, garlic isn’t the only source of prebiotic fiber. Other foods with prebiotic fiber include asparagus, Jerusalem artichokes, onions, nuts, lentils, chickpeas, fruits, vegetables, and beans to name a few.
Honey
Most noteworthy, raw honey contains compounds called oligosaccharides which are not digested in the small intestines. As a result, the oligosaccharides make their way into the large intestines, as nourishment for the good bacteria. However, raw honey primarily increases the growth of only two strands of bacteria, namely bifidobacteria and lactobacilli. So you need to complement honey with other foods described previously.
