10 Prebiotic Foods to Eat on Repeat for Better Gut Health

You’ve probably heard about the amazing benefits of probiotics for gut health—these are the healthy bacteria found naturally in certain foods and drinks that enrich the ecosystem of microbes in our intestinal walls. But probiotics aren’t the only important nutrient for promoting a healthy gut microbiome. When it comes to eating for better gut health, prebiotics are another key player as well. But what exactly are prebiotics, where can you find them, and what benefits do they serve in the body? Here’s everything to know.

What Are Prebiotics? Prebiotics are compounds that “feed healthy gut bacteria and help balance the gut microbiome,” explains Bianca Tamburello, RDN, registered dietitian of FRESH Communications.

Generally speaking, prebiotics are usually classified as a type of soluble fiber. But there are many different types of nutrients that serve as prebiotics in the body, many of which do include carbohydrates in the form of soluble fibers, including oligosaccharides like inulin, and polysaccharides, including resistant starch and beta glucans. But prebiotic effects can also be seen in many types of plant compounds including quercetin and curcumin as well as polyunsaturated fats like eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).

When these prebiotics reach the gut microbiome, the beneficial bacteria found there feed on and ferment these nutrients. What results from this process is a whole host of short-chain fatty acids like butyrate, propionate, and acetate.

How are Prebiotics Beneficial? The benefits of prebiotics primarily break down into the benefits that these short-chain fatty acids have on the body and the impact the gut microbiome has on our overall health.

Short-chain fatty acids have been found to have both anti-inflammatory and antitumor properties in the body, but especially in colon cells. Research also shows they may be effective against insulin resistance.

More generally, prebiotics help the gut microbiome thrive, and a healthy gut is tied to so many positive outcomes throughout the body. This group of trillions of microorganisms found in the large intestine helps to promote healthy digestion, metabolism, and may even work to rid toxins from the body. It also champions immune health by signaling immune cells to spring into action, which may very well be why it also plays a role in chronic disease expression, from metabolic and neurologic disorders to cardiovascular and respiratory illness. Finally, gut health is closely linked to brain health—via the gut-brain axis, suggesting that our mental health can actually be an expression of our biome health, and vice versa.

While there are no official recommendations for daily prebiotic intake, some experts advise somewhere between three and six grams per day in the form of soluble fiber. But given that we now know prebiotics can come in many more forms other than fiber, it can be tricky to keep track of.

Generally, if you’re eating enough fiber-rich foods every day, including a variety of fruits and veggies, whole grains, and legumes, you should be getting all the prebiotics your body needs. (The recommendation for daily fiber intake is 25 grams for adult women and 38 grams for men. But personally, I think aiming for over 30 grams per day is a great goal for everyone to aim for.)

Prebiotic Foods While most fiber-rich foods will offer some prebiotics thanks to their plant compounds and soluble fiber, below are some especially excellent prebiotic foods sources. If you get a few servings of some of these options everyday, you can rest assured that you’re meeting your prebiotic goals.

Alliums Members of the allium family are all well-known sources of prebiotics, but garlic, leeks, and onions are some of the best—thanks to their plant compounds and high content of oligosaccharides, including fructans and inulin. Honey This popular sweetener is not only perfect in a comforting cup of tea, but also helps boost your microbiome health. Due to both the kind of carbohydrates and plant compounds it contains, honey offers a one-two punch when it comes to prebiotic benefits. Flaxseed As an excellent source of EPA, DHA, and soluble fiber, flax really delivers on the prebiotic front. You’ll want to grind up your flaxseed first, because otherwise they’ll pass through the gastrointestinal (GI) tract in their whole form, causing you to miss out on all of their incredible health-boosting properties. Seaweed Whether it’s nori, wakame, kombu, or spirulina, all kinds of seaweeds are going to be fantastic prebiotics. Seaweed varieties contain not only a variety of polysaccharides, but polyunsaturated fats as well, including EPA and DHA. Oats Oats are one of the best sources of soluble fiber and a potent prebiotic. Whether you make oatmeal or use oats in baked goods, smoothies, or as breading for proteins, this gluten-free whole grain is as delicious as it is nutritious. Legumes All legumes, including beans, peas, and lentils, offer tons of prebiotic benefits—they’re rich in oligosaccharides, resistant start, and plant compounds. Plus, they’re packed with protein, helping to boost the satisfaction level of any meal or snack they star in, whether you’re plant-based or not. Barley Barley is a fantastic prebiotic whole grain thanks to its beta glucan content. While often assigned to beef and barley soup, this whole grain is perfect in salads and grain bowls as well. Berries It may not come as a shock that fiber-rich berries are also prebiotics, as they’re great sources of both soluble fiber and polyphenols (or prebiotic plant compounds). This also lends them to being effective anti-inflammatory agents throughout the body. Mushrooms Mushrooms are perhaps an unexpected ingredient for gut health, but beyond helping the body adapt to stress, these fantastic fungi are chock full of prebiotic polysaccharides including beta glucan, helping the biome to thrive. Cocoa Then there’s cocoa, which makes this list due to its abundance of polyphenols. When opting for foods high in cocoa, try to choose options lower in added sugar to reap the most benefit, like dark chocolate. The gut benefit of this popular ingredient makes that evening piece of chocolate that much sweeter.

Other High-Prebiotic Foods There are some other prebiotic food MVPs that earn an honorable mention, including chicory root, dandelion greens, cabbage, apples, watermelon, burdock, jicama, and cabbage. Some of Tamburello's favorites include, "whole wheat products, asparagus, bananas, and artichoke," she says.