Naked Science Forum

Life Sciences => Physiology & Medicine => Topic started by: Jimbee on 07/09/2023 13:16:50

Title: Prebiotics.
Post by: Jimbee on 07/09/2023 13:16:50
Prebiotics are foods that foster beneficial bacterial growth in the gut.

My question is, don't all foods do this anyways? And is there any benefit to buying prebiotic products? Or is it just a way for companies to make more money?
Title: Re: Prebiotics.
Post by: Origin on 07/09/2023 13:43:25
I believe the term is probiotics.  The idea is that you eat foods that have 'good' bacteria to replace the bacteria in your gut.  There are no definitive studies that show that probiotics actually help gut bacteria.
Title: Re: Prebiotics.
Post by: alancalverd on 07/09/2023 14:06:06
Nor indeed does it seem that lower gut bacteria have any function in human physiology. It seems that they just find it a convenient place to live, and do little harm.
Title: Re: Prebiotics.
Post by: Petrochemicals on 07/09/2023 14:09:47
Prebiotics are foods that foster beneficial bacterial growth in the gut.

My question is, don't all foods do this anyways? And is there any benefit to buying prebiotic products? Or is it just a way for companies to make more money?
Highly processed foods are not beneficial in the way that salad, vegetables or brown bread are. It is a way for people to sell you unprocessed food at processed prices.
Title: Re: Prebiotics.
Post by: vhfpmr on 07/09/2023 18:32:22
Highly processed foods are not beneficial in the way that salad, vegetables or brown bread are
Bread is classed as ultra-processed unless it's expensive artisan bread that's made without preservatives (and goes off quickly).

http://archive.wphna.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/WN-2016-7-1-3-28-38-Monteiro-Cannon-Levy-et-al-NOVA.pdf
https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/public-health-nutrition/article/ultraprocessed-foods-what-they-are-and-how-to-identify-them/E6D744D714B1FF09D5BCA3E74D53A185
https://www.bmj.com/content/bmj/378/bmj-2022-070688.full.pdf
Title: Re: Prebiotics.
Post by: Bored chemist on 07/09/2023 18:34:09
I believe the term is probiotics.
I believe that they refer to different things.
Title: Re: Prebiotics.
Post by: Petrochemicals on 07/09/2023 18:36:51
Highly processed foods are not beneficial in the way that salad, vegetables or brown bread are
Bread is classed as ultra-processed unless it's expensive artisan bread that's made without preservatives (and goes off quickly).

http://archive.wphna.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/WN-2016-7-1-3-28-38-Monteiro-Cannon-Levy-et-al-NOVA.pdf
https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/public-health-nutrition/article/ultraprocessed-foods-what-they-are-and-how-to-identify-them/E6D744D714B1FF09D5BCA3E74D53A185
https://www.bmj.com/content/bmj/378/bmj-2022-070688.full.pdf

Yep, wholemeal, whole-meal, husk, germ and all, far healthier.
Title: Re: Prebiotics.
Post by: alancalverd on 08/09/2023 17:29:41
Quote
Ultra-processed foods include carbonated soft drinks;
but presumably not whisky and soda, wine spritzer, naturally carbonated mineral water, or concentrated orange juice rediluted with home-carbonated tap water? I smell an organic rat.