“What are prebiotics, and why is it important to know?” – By Dr. Harold Gunatillake Prebiotics are non-digestible parts of food labelled carbohydrates that act as fibre. Unchanged, they go to the colon, where microorganisms of the intestinal microbiota use them. They become food for “good.” intestinal bacteria and promote their growth, colonisation, and sustainability in the digestive tract. Dietary fibre is fermented by the human gut microbiota, producing beneficial microbial metabolites, such as short chain fatty acids. As our dietary fibre intake has plummeted over the past few centuries, the gut microbiota has suffered detrimental changes. This underscores the crucial role of prebiotics, which are unique plant fibres, in maintaining a healthy gut. Welcome to our deep dive into the world of prebiotics, the unsung heroes of gut health. Today, we’ll explore the essential facts about these powerful dietary fibres and their incredible benefits for our bodies. Consider this: nearly 40 per ...