Managing your Microbiome

SAD CAN HAVE A TIGHT GRIP ON US 

These last three points are quite salient. The Standard American Diet (SAD) is loaded with things bad bacteria thrive on including refined carbohydrates, sugar and alcohol. Just one more reason the SAD lives up to its acronym. Beyond the addictive nature of these antinutrients in human physiology, having microbes sending us signals expressing their need to be fed makes kicking these things from our diet even more difficult. Understanding the “why” and “how” of our desire for empty calories can help us make a positive change. In order to replace bad bacteria with good, you need to starve-out these bad bugs.

WHAT ARE PREBIOTICS?

What the good bacteria need us to eat so they proliferate is certain types of indigestible (allowing it to get to the colon) fiber and complex carbohydrate chains. These are called prebiotics. The fiber types include inulin-derived fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS), galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS), and pectin. The indigestible complex carb chains are known as resistant starches and exist naturally in some foods and can be created by specific preparation of other foods. Including a moderate amount of a variety of prebiotic sources daily in your diet will keep your microbiome working on all cylinders for you.

NOT PROBIOTICS

The words look similar, but they are not the same thing. Probiotics are foods or supplements which actually have live cultures of bacteria we need in our gut flora. The biggest problem with consuming probiotics is getting enough live cells past the hydrochloric acid in the stomach into the intestines where they need to be. Fermented food sources (like kefir, yogurt, sauerkraut, and kombucha) likely result in very little change in gut flora populations. Supplement sources may be slightly better if they have a protective coating enabling their transport through the stomach. Still, if we are trying to support trillions of cells in our microbiota, it may be a mere drop in the proverbial bucket. If you decide to supplement a probiotic to support your microbiome, here are some guidelines. Make sure it has at least 10 billion cells per dose with at least 10 strains of bacteria including bifidobacterium and lactobacillus acidophilus (or sub-strains of these). Make sure it  is refrigerated to keep the cells alive longer. Make sure it has a coating to help get more of the live cells past the acidic stomach. These guidelines are taken from the book, Grain Brain, by neurologist, David Perlmutter, M.D.

REGULAR BUT MODERATE PREBIOTIC INTAKE

It is notable that cooking breaks down the indigestible fiber of many prebiotic sources. So for the biggest prebiotic impact, they are best eaten raw. For this reason, it is important to moderate your intake to avoid gastrointestinal distress and gassiness. Also know this discomfort will pass after a few days of regular consumption. 

Another reason to moderate your intake of some of these sources is to minimize glycemic load. If you are experiencing benefits of a lower carbohydrate diet, too much of some of these may have an impact on your success.

MY TOP 10 PREBIOTIC SOURCES

There are many other prebiotic sources available in our food. These are just my top ten based on a number of reasons related to my own diet and preferences. Chicory root, for example, is loaded with the prebiotic, inulin, and on a number of similar lists to this online. I really like chicory root based coffee substitute drinks which have loads of other antioxidant compounds. I just don’t see myself settling in to gnaw on the raw root just for the prebiotic benefits…maybe someday. Anyway, here are my top 10 and why in no particular order (except number 10). :).

1. Asparagus – You can get 3 g of inulin prebiotic from 100g of raw asparagus. It is loaded with other phytochemicals and micronutrients and I just find it easy to munch on. I just don’t go all the way to the end of the stalk. It is specifically linked to prevention of certain cancers (1).
2. Artichoke – Again easy-to-munch-on these which are high in fiber more than ¾ of which is inulin.  We have found they are immunoprotective and prevent metabolic disease (2, 3). They are also high in the compound cynarin which aids in bile production. So, they are a great complimentary vegetable for fat digestion if you’re on a ketogenic diet.
3. Green Bananas – These have some inulin, but more so are an excellent source of resistant starch when still green. As they ripen, the resistant starch transforms to simple sugar (fructose), so I like to throw them green into my green smoothie recipe for some different flavour and the prebiotic benefits.
4. Raw Potato Starch – Another candidate for a smoothie addition (remember – no cooking), I love this one for its simplicity. Potato starch is cheap, easy, and over 70% resistant starch. I have had a few clients use it before bed (dissolved in water) and it’s helped with insomnia. I suspect (only guessing) it may be specifically feeding the restorative bacteria in their microbiome. Start small (just one tablespoon to avoid GI issues) and gradually build over 4 weeks to 3 tablespoons.
5. Potato Salad – Cooking and fully chilling (over several hours) certain starchy foods makes them great resistant starch sources. Potatoes are among the best for this. So if you have a great potato salad recipe, enjoy a half a cup or so with any meal.
6. Sushi Rice – Fully chilled white rice is another source of resistant starch. So, I will add a couple of pieces of my favourite nigiri sushi to an otherwise low-carb Japanese meal as a guilt-free treat and resistant starch.
7. Dandelion Greens – An awesome addition to any salad, these are fiber-rich with a large portion coming from inulin. Also available in most backyards, this green is known for other health benefits including antioxidant, anti-cancer, and cholesterol-lowering effects (4, 5, 6)
8. Onions – If you know me, you know I have some kind of onion, chive, shallot, or leek in most of what I cook. I LOVE the sweet/savory taste of these sulfur vegetables. I eat them more seldomly raw, but find them an awesome addition to a salad, lettuce-wrapped burger, or meat dish. Red onion in particular is easy to eat raw. It is high in inulin and FOS for prebiotics. It also has immune boosting properties.
9. Apples – “An apple a day…” 🙂 This fruit in-season is unbeatable as a tasty source of the prebiotic, pectin (more than half of its high fiber content) and abundant polyphenol antioxidants. Pectin itself results in increased butyrate in the intestines which strengthens them and results in a healthy reduction of pH. Pectin combined with the polyphenols yields benefits ranging from improved fat metabolism to reduced cancer risk (7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
10. Cocoa – You’re Welcome! The best for last. While you cannot cook it (so NO to baked goods or chocolate bars for this purpose), you can still use it in delicious raw chocolatey recipes. My favourite is whipping a teaspoon of a high-grade cocoa powder into an organic coconut cream blended with a single majula date – delectable chocolate mouse.

So get out there and take care of the microbes which take care of you!