Prebiotic foods are a great way to promote good gut health. They work by feeding and strengthening existing bacteria in the tummy, which can help boost your immune system and keep your digestive system happy.

What are prebiotics?

Most prebiotic benefits can be found in foods rich in fibre, such as fruit, vegetables, seeds and nuts.

What are the benefits of prebiotics?

As well as helping your gut stay healthy, an Australian survey found that a diet rich in prebiotics also keeps you fuller for longer, can reduce the symptoms of IBS, helps boost immunity, helps to protect you from gut infections and increases your uptake of minerals like calcium and magnesium.

How many prebiotic foods do you need to eat?

The good news is that most balanced diets are packed with prebiotics to keep the microbiota in our tummies happy. Reaching your five-a-day (or more!) and eating nuts, seeds and whole grains daily is the best way to ensure a diet rich in prebiotics.

Raw foods generally have more benefits than cooked, so add some raw fruit and veg to your handbag for snacking.

There are a lot of different options to try, but these are some of the best prebiotic foods:

  1. Garlic
  2. Raw or cooked onions
  3. Carrots
  4. Banana (read more about the health benefits of bananas!)
  5. Flax seeds
  6. Chia seeds
  7. Chicory root
  8. Jerusalem artichoke
  9. Asparagus
  10. Tomatoes
  11. Leeks
  12. Radishes
  13. Quinoa
  14. Dandelion greends
  15. Apple cider vinegar
  16. Raw honey
  17. Barley
  18. Oats
  19. Apples
  20. Cocoa
  21. Wheat bran
  22. Seaweed
  23. Psyllium husks
  24. Nectarines
  25. Berries
  26. Watermelon
  27. grapefruit
  28. Persimmon
  29. Dried fruit
  30. Spring onion
  31. Green peas
  32. Savoy cabbage
  33. Shallots
  34. Sweetcorn
  35. Potato
  36. Burdock root
  37. Snow peas
  38. Chicory
  39. Lentils
  40. Baked beans
  41. Chickpeas
  42. Soy beans
  43. Read kidney beans
  44. Couscous
  45. Rye bread
  46. Rye crackers
  47. Wheat bread
  48. Pasta
  49. Gnocchi
  50. Whole hemp seeds
  51. Pistachios
  52. Cashews
  53. Kefir (also a probiotic)
  54. Rice

Now discover probiotic foods!