Top 20 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 prebiotic foods, and what benefits do they serve in the body? We asked an expert for everything you need to know. 

What Are Prebiotics?

Prebiotics are compounds that “feed healthy gut bacteria and help balance the gut microbiome,” explains Bianca Tamburello, RDN. 

Generally speaking, prebiotics are usually classified as a type of soluble fiber. However, there are many different types of nutrients that serve as prebiotics in the body, many of which include carbohydrates in the form of soluble fibers, including oligosaccharides like inulin, and polysaccharides, including resistant starch and beta-glucans.

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 the short-chain fatty acids have on the body and the impact the gut microbiome has on our overall health.

Anti-Inflammatory

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.

Gut Health

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.

A healthy gut 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.

Recommended Daily Intake

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 aiming for over 30 grams per day is a great goal for everyone to aim for.)

Top Prebiotic Food Options

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

There are some other prebiotic food MVPs that earn an honorable mention, including chicory root, dandelion greens, cabbage, apples, watermelon, burdock, jicama, and whole wheat products, Tamburello says.