- A lot of patients ask me about probiotics
which are good bacteria for the gut.
And I get it after all, they've been the most talked
about thing and digestive health for the last decade.
But here's the thing,
prebiotics which are fibers that feed the good bacteria
maybe even more important for supporting our gut health
and bacterial balance.
Hi, I'm Dr. Joe Haines
and for the last 40 years, I've had the great pleasure
of helping my patients improve their health
through nutrition, exercise and lifestyle.
And in this video, I'll be joined by gut health specialists
and registered dieticians,
Bailey Franzen, and Richelle Godwin.
Together, we're going to look at why prebiotics
may just be the missing piece of the puzzle
for good gut health and we'll also look
at the smartest ways to get more
of them through good nutrition.
- I know just how complicated probiotics sound,
let alone this new term prebiotics.
But I have a nice visual to help us.
You see, before we can understand
the importance of prebiotics,
we need to take a moment to realize that when we eat food,
we're feeding more than just ourselves.
We're also feeding this complex ecosystem
of trillions of microorganisms like good bacteria
that lives inside our guts.
We often call this our microbiome.
- Now your microbiome is extremely important.
In fact, I like to think of it
as our body's own living caretaker.
And like any hospitable hosts,
we want to make sure that our good friends
in our microbiome are fed well
so that they are encouraged to grow
into a large and diverse population.
- That's because when they are present like this
they can help the just food better, support mood,
improve immune function, fend off bad bacteria
and of course help with bowel movements.
- In other words, more microbiome is involved
in almost every single biological process inside you.
And when it comes to digestive health,
your good bacteria can be your best friend.
But here's the thing your good bacteria
also known as probiotics have a slightly different appetite
than you and me instead of hungry
and after some nice barbecue for example,
they prefer to eat prebiotics.
- And here's the really cool thing about prebiotics.
Not only does this food fuel your good bacteria
to provide the previously mentioned benefits
but even more fascinating, it can promote a sense
of fullness in us by controlling our hunger hormones
and thereby making weight management easier.
- Although they sound like some sort of wonder ingredient,
prebiotics are simply carbohydrates
in the form of fiber that your body doesn't digest
but the bacteria in your gut are able to digest.
In other words, they are food for your bacterial friends.
- Unfortunately in the Western world particularly,
the strength in diversity of our gut bacteria
has quite possibly never been worse.
There are many potential reasons for this
and it differs from person to person.
For instance, for some it may be
due to excessive antibiotic use
while for others it might be due to increased consumption
of foods such as refined carbs and sugars
that promote the growth of bad bacteria instead of good.
- Whatever, the reasons we really need to wake up
to this issue and start supporting our microbiome again.
And arguably one of the smartest ways to do this
is by giving it more of the food it loves, prebiotics.
- So how can we get more prebiotics?
Well, as a registered dietician,
naturally I'm going to look at food first and foremost,
the foods most commonly described
as being high in prebiotics would be foods
such as garlic, onions, leeks, asparagus and bananas.
But as I specialize in gut health
I know these types of foods can be a catch 22.
- Unfortunately, it turns out that most foods high
in prebiotics are also high in FODMAPs.
Now you've probably heard the term FODMAPs before
but maybe you're not sure exactly what they are
or why they can be problematic for some people.
Well, FODMAPs simply put are formidable sugars
that some people can find hard to absorb in the gut
mainly the large intestines.
- FODMAPs can be particularly irritating
for those experiencing digestive issues
such as IVS and can be tested
during the elimination reintroduction diet.
And if people indeed find them hard to tolerate,
prebiotics with high FODMAPs can cause rapid
and excess fermentation as well as water retention
in the large intestine leading to gas, bloating
and even diarrhea.
- So the question becomes,
are there any prebiotic rich foods
which are low in FODMAPS and easier to digest for everyone?
Well, the answer is yes, but the list is quite limited.
My favorites for example are Kiwi fruit and green banana.
But realistically as a registered dietician,
I find it quite hard for clients
with sensitive guts to get enough prebiotics
from this selection.
And this is why I think a prebiotic supplement
can make sense.
- But the problem with prebiotic supplements
is that the vast majority of the ones on the market
suffer from the same problem as most prebiotic rich foods.
Yes, you guessed it.
Most of these also have large quantities
of ingredients that can lead to an upset digestive system.
- To help you spot
these potentially problematic supplements
and so you know what to avoid,
it would basically be any prebiotic supplement
that has more than one gram per serving of inulin,
chicory root, corn fiber, fructooligosaccharides
or that includes ingredients such as galactans or sorbitol.
And if you look at the labels of popular prebiotics
you'll soon realize almost all of them
having gradients that aren't suitable
for those with FODMAP sensitivities.
- With all of this in mind, our research team
at Essential Stacks decided to dive deep into the world
of prebiotics to find the best prebiotic fibers,
the type that could gently feed your gut bacteria
but without potentially causing gas, bloating
and general digestive distress due to FODMAP sensitivities.
And so it's our great pleasure to introduce
to you Friendly Prebiotics.
- Essential Stack's Friendly Prebiotics
it's a unique blend of two world-class prebiotics
being organic acacia fiber and organic water fiber
also known as Partially Hydrolyzed Guar Gum.
- Both fibers are low FODMAP, plant-based
and most importantly to us, have many supportive studies
behind them including studies showing how gently they work
for people with a sensitive gut,
something very rare in the prebiotics world.
- In an industry awash with synthetic ingredients,
toxins and pesticides,
I love the fact that friendly prebiotics exclusively
uses two food-based prebiotics and most pleasingly to me,
uses the organic version of both of them.
- One of the biggest lessons I've learned working
with my clients is that if a supplement doesn't taste good
or it's hard to mix, people will stop using it.
This is why I'm so happy that Friendly Prebiotics
comes as a very fine powder,
it stirs easily in water and has a neutral flavor.
- Importantly, Friendly Prebiotics
meets the highest purity standards
as it is not only independently third-party verified gluten,
dairy and soy free but it is also free of GMOs,
nuts, fish, shellfish, eggs, corn, starch, yeast
artificial colors and flavors.
- With a smarter and gentler formula,
we believe this is the best prebiotic fiber for gut health.
So try Friendly Prebiotics today
and get ready to feed your good gut bacteria
the food it loves.
(mellow music)