Washington DC [USA], Jul 24 (ANI): Prebiotics are some types of fiber found in plants that support the growth of beneficial bacteria in the gut, according to mounting evidence. Eating prebiotics has been linked to better gut health, and researchers recently calculated the prebiotic content of thousands of different foods using previously published literature to identify foods with the highest prebiotic content. The study found that dandelion greens, Jerusalem artichokes, garlic, leeks and onions had the highest prebiotic content of any food. Prebiotic foods are high in fiber, which many Americans don't get enough of. Fiber supports intestinal microorganisms. "Eating foods that contain prebiotics has been shown in previous research to be beneficial for health," said Cassandra Boyd, a master's student at San Jose State University, who conducted the research with Assistant Professor John Gieng, PhD. "Eating in a way that promotes microbiome health while eating more fiber can be more accessible and accessible than you might think." Boyd presented the findings at NUTRITION 2023, the annual flagship meeting of the American Society for Nutrition held July 22-25 in Boston. Prebiotics, which can be taken as food for the microbiome, are different from probiotics, which contain live microorganisms. Both can benefit the health of the microbiome, but they work in different ways. Research has linked high prebiotic consumption to better blood sugar regulation, better absorption of minerals like calcium, and improved digestive and immune function. Although most dietary guidelines do not specify the recommended daily amount of prebiotics, the International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics-a non-profit scientific group that established the current definition of prebiotics-recommends eating 5 grams per day. Researchers used previously published scientific findings for the study to analyze the prebiotic content of 8,690 foods in the Food and Nutrients Database for Dietary Studies, a resource used by many scientists to study nutrition and health. About 37% of the foods in the database contain prebiotics. Dandelion leaves, Jerusalem artichoke, garlic, leeks, and onions have the highest amounts, ranging from 100 to 240 milligrams of prebiotics per gram of food (mg/g). Other probiotic-rich foods include onion rings, onion cream, cowpeas, asparagus, and Kellogg's All-Bran cereal, each containing around 50-60 mg/g. "Results from our preliminary literature review suggest that onions and related foods contain more types of prebiotics, leading to higher prebiotic concentrations," Boyd said. “Many varieties of onions and similar foods appear in various dishes both as spices and as main ingredients. Americans tend to eat these foods, so it would be a good idea for people to increase their intake of prebiotics. (ANI)