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We all know by now that we should be eating probiotics to improve our digestion and overall gut health.  Many of us are eating yogurt, sauerkraut and kefir, and drinking Kombucha at times.  We may even be taking probiotics as a supplement on a daily basis.

Consuming probiotics is a good health habit to have, but there is also a lesser-known habit that benefits the probiotic activity we are trying to encourage in our gut: eating PREBIOTICS.  Prebiotics are a category of dietary fiber that we eat that mainly passes through the small intestine and is then utilized in the large intestine to improve our gut health and feed the probiotic “good” bacteria.  

It is important to note, that while there are many supplement options out there for pre- and probiotics, our body best utilizes these compounds from the foods that we eat.  This makes it essential to make some menu changes to our daily routine and include these foods.  Belly up to these foods!

The best and most practical prebiotic foods are:

• Onions – raw or cooked, these are a great and tasty addition to everything we eat
• Garlic – while raw is best and can be used in hummus or veggie salads, lightly cooking it in our recipes will also give benefits: add it at the end  of a recipe instead of sautéing first, as this will keep it more raw. 
• Asparagus – we don’t often think of eating this raw, but it is a great addition to the veggie tray, and packs the best prebiotic punch, but lightly sautéed works, too
• Jicama – best eaten raw, jicama sticks are readily available in the grocery store
• Leeks – in the onion family, but with a milder, sweeter flavor, great on salads
• Dandelion greens – chop some up in your next salad
• Under-ripe bananas – the greener the better for prebiotic properties and more resistant starch

The best and most practical Probiotic foods are:

• Yogurt – watch the sugar, try to eat the plain variety
• Kefir – also watch the sugar, plain is better
• Sauerkraut – the fermentation creates all that good probiotic bacteria we need
• Kombucha – ditto on the fermentation benefits, and readily available bottled in several flavors
• Apple cider vinegar – before you make a sour face, how about using it in a delicious salad dressing with healthy olive oil.

Planning to add these foods into our meals and snacks provides the factors that keep our digestion working at it’s best.

Honey Dijon dressing

1 clove garlic, minced
1 T Dijon mustard
¼ cup raw apple cider vinegar
2 T fresh lemon juice
1-2 T raw honey
½ cup extra virgin olive
Sea salt and pepper to taste

Herb Vinaigrette dressing

1 clove garlic, minced
¼ cup raw apple cider vinegar
2 T fresh lemon juice
½ cup extra virgin olive
½ tsp basil, parsley and/or oregano
Sea salt and pepper to taste

For either recipe: Place everything in a wide mouth Ball mason jar and shake (these leak-proof lids are best).
Let stand for several hours before serving for flavors to blend