Benefits of Prebiotics

·         Increase good bacteria & reduce harmful bacteria in the gut.
Gut probiotics inhibits growth of harmful microbes.

·         Modulates & enhance immune system.
The enhanced immune system help maintains a disease-free state

Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) protect and strengthen mucosa lining. Without the SCFA (butyrates) for energy, colon cells will die.

·         May reduce intestinal infections

·         Reduced abnormal bacterial leakage through the gut wall when taken in        moderation.

·         Synthesize certain vitamins.

·         Increase mineral absorption, leading to stronger bones and increased bone density.

·         Reduce blood triglyceride level.

·         Better weight & appetite management.

·         Alleviate constipation with improved bowel regularity.

·         Reduced flatulence with lessened or no bad smell.

·         Certain SCFAs can prevent allergy.

·         Epidemiological evidence has shown that dietary fiber is beneficial in the clinical management of obesity, diabetes, cancer, and cardiovascular diseases.

·         Dietary fiber improves short chain fatty acid (SCFAs) production, and reduces glycemic response.

·         Moreover, although glucose may serve as the main metabolic fuel, SCFAs produced by colonic bacterial fermentation of dietary fiber furnish a significant portion of daily energy requirement.

·         Reduce risk of inflammatory diseases such as arthritis, IBS etc. due to anti-inflammatory property.

BOOST IMMUNITY

The gut and immune system form a complex integrated structure that has evolved to provide effective digestion and defence against ingested toxins and pathogens indirectly via a healthy population of symbiotic microbes. [Pathology and Neuroscience, University of Dundee, 2004]

In the gut, prebiotics boost immunity in two ways: through intrinsic properties of its compounds and by favoring growth of beneficial bacteria.

Fermentation by colonic bacteria on the food mass produces gases and short-chain fatty acids. It is these short-chain fatty acids—butyric, lactic, acetic (ethanoic), propionic, and valeric acids that lower the pH of the colon enabling inhibition of pathogens growth.

Microbiota (Bifidobacteria and Lactobacilli) provide a barrier by producing antimicrobial substances and/or stimulating mucosal immunity thus reducing chance of infection (Servin, 2004). 

Lactobacilli not only do not produce carcinogen, it inhibits several bacteria that produce carcinogenic enzymes.

A 2002 study found probiotics also secrete biosurfactants that inhibit infections of surgical implants in rats [Gan et al.]

Prebiotics modify the activities of bacteria that are involved in carcinogenesis through substituting their food source from protein metabolism to carbohydrate metabolism. So when you eat more prebiotic food than protein, you are shifting metabolism of Clostridia and Bacteroides towards more benign end products.

Studies indicated   FOS and Oligosaccharides confer the degree of fermentation selectivity towards Bifidobacteria but could not be utilized efficiently by pathogenic ones such as E-coli, Salmonella, and Helicobacter spp.

Certain types of prebiotics such as β-glucans and oligosaccharides stimulate the immune system by interacting with immune cells and through producing antimicrobial substances in the fermentation process leading to inhibition of pathogenic bacteria.

Researchers have shown that certain types of prebiotics (GOS) can prevent allergy and reduce infectious diseases as well as reduce antibiotic use in infants. Human breast milk naturally contain oligosaccharides and are believed to play an important role in the development of a healthy immune system in infants by increasing the body’s immune cells such as T helper cells, macrophages, and neutrophils.

FOS increases butyrate concentrations in the large intestine; in the liver it plays a role in lipid and glucose homeostasis.  It may destroy colonic cancer by stimulating them to commit suicide (apoptosis).

Researchers found that a class of bacteria called Firmicutes can control candida albicans, a yeast infection. Some people proposed it as a supplement for treating yeast infections.

LOWER DISEASE RISK

Scientists speculated Biomarkers that change with fiber intakes, in particular short chain fatty acids and probiotics may play a role in alleviating digestive and inflammatory conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), systemic anaphylaxis, arthritis,   rashes, allergic rhinitis and asthma). The lower pH reduces peptide degradation and the resultant formation of toxic compounds such as ammonia and amines which can contribute to aforesaid diseases.

Propionate is a microbial fermentation metabolite that lowers liver production of cholesterol by interfering with its synthesis. This resulted in lower risk for coronary heart disease and lower blood pressure. Water-soluble fibers (beta-glucan, psyllium, pectin) as well as resistant starch (gum Arabic, tara gum, locust bean gum/ carob bean gum) were highly effective for lowering serum LDL cholesterol concentrations, without affecting high density lipoprotein (HDL) concentrations.

Test results on the effect of fiber on diabetes were mixed. A comparison of five week controlled diet using oat beta-glucan (5 g) against barley beta-glucan (5 g or 10 g) showed the oat diet was effective in reduced postprandial glucose and insulin responses whereas the barley diet was not. Large-scale cohort studies indicated insoluble fiber was more effective in reducing risk of developing type II diabetes than soluble fiber.

NUTRITION

Bacteria synthesize B and K Vitamins, which are absorbed through the gut.

Researchers found probiotics Lowers pH in the large intestine, leading to better calcium and magnesium absorption in both animal and human studies.  The higher acidity draws out more minerals from food making them available to move from the gut into the bloodstream. This lead to more efficient absorption of calcium and increased bone density.

Interestingly, your body absorption of calcium only occurs when calcium intake is low or calcium requirement is high. This indicates the prebiotic, inulin, enables your body to absorb the amount of calcium it requires, not more than it needs.

WEIGHT LOSS & OBESITY

Howarth et al estimated that increasing fiber intake by 14 g per day was associated with a 10% decrease in energy intake and a 2 kg weight loss over about a 4-month period. This study was based on analysis of more than 50 other intervention studies. Fiber-rich food gives a sense of fullness (satiety), leading to less food being consumed. A nine week study using wheat dextrin conducted by the Chinese found that a significant decrease in caloric intake was seen from week 2 to the end of the 9 week study for those groups taking dextrin compared to controls.

Studies suggested microbiota in the gut may play a role in controlling obesity. Obese people have more firmicutes than bacteroidetes, while in lean people the bacteroidetes predominate. Tests with germ-free mice found that when these mice had “obese mice microbiota” transplanted into their gut, their total body fat significantly increase than colonization with a 'lean microbiota'. [Turnbaugh et al]

IMPROVE LAXATION

All fibers alleviate constipation. Insoluble fiber give bulk to stools, the water held by the fiber and increased bacterial mass from fermentation contributes to larger and softer stools thus increasing the ease of defecation.

What is in prebiotic?

Compounds in the non-digestible fiber of food provide the ‘fuel’ that stimulates the growth and/or activity of beneficial bacteria in the colon. The increased activity of these health-promoting bacteria results in a number of health-related benefits both directly by the bacteria themselves or indirectly by the organic acids they produce via fermentation.

Good bacteria use both resistant starch as well as non-starch polysaccharides compounds in prebiotic food such as cellulose, hemicellulose, inulin, galacto-oligosaccharide (GOS), fructooligosaccharides (FOS), xylooligosaccharides (XOS), polydextrose and   oligofructose. Arabinogalactan can be found in certain vegetables. Pectin, the soluble fiber in your apple also has prebiotic potential.

Researchers distinguish between long chain, short chain, and full spectrum prebiotics. Inulin is a long chain prebiotic fiber and is digested more slowly.  Long chain prebiotics contain 9 to 64 links per saccharide molecule, providing food for bacteria in the large intestine. Oligofructose can be digested more quickly. It is a short chain prebiotic, containing 2 to 8 links per saccharide molecule that is non-digestible only in the upper gut by humans. Full spectrum prebiotics is food that contains both long chain and short chain fiber.

Inulin is the most easily available commercially in the market. It has specific technological advantages, being soluble upon heating and bland in taste. It can be blended into a large number of different food products which retain their intrinsic flavor without alteration of texture and appearance. Inulin helps to provide body, good mouth-feel and appearance, thus it can be used as a fat replacer for the emerging sector of lower energy food products [Franck, 2002]. 

When we eat food with prebiotic compounds, this is what happens when the food travel from the mouth down the GI tract:

·         Mouth- Not broken down by enzymes, minimal bacterial breakdown

·         Stools- No prebiotic excretion

·         Stomach- Not broken down by stomach acids, no absorption

·         Small intestine- No enzymatic hydrolysis, no absorption

·         Colon- Probiotics such as Lactobacilli and Bifidobacteria ferments the prebiotic fibers for fuel, producing acids such as lactic acid, acetic acid, butyric acid etc., which inhibits or kill harmful microbes. The fermentation process does not produce toxicity, carcinogenicity or genotoxicity.

Next time you tuck into a fiber rich meal, you know that you are giving both yourself and your friendly tenants in the gut a healthy, good meal.

Prebiotic For Healthy Probiotic

We know that a healthy probiotic (good bacteria) population in our gut contributes to better digestion and absorption as well as reduced pathogens (disease-causing microbes) in the intestine. Prebiotic is food for probiotics that enable the microscopic organisms to thrive in our intestines.

Oat bran is a fiber-rich prebiotic. It lowers cholesterol, may reduce blood pressure and inflammation, which is great for heart health.  Fiber is a bulk food that helps one feel full, thus contributing to weight lost by eating less. It may also help regulate blood sugar levels, which can aid in the prevention of Type 2 diabetes. All these health benefits are not unique to oat bran. All prebiotic foods offer these health benefits and more. You don’t need to confine yourself to eating oat bran because there are tens of thousands of prebiotic plants worldwide for you to choose from!

Food Sources of Prebiotics

For a long time, I had noticed that when I eat a lot of fruits and leafy green vegetables (especially veggies), I am less troubled by poor digestion and it is easier to move my bowels.  However, not all fruits and leafy greens have this beneficial effect; only selected high-fiber ones are prebiotics. When I travel and do not get enough fiber in my diet, I get constipated. Therefore, normally I would pop probiotic capsules to help with my constipation since the microscopic organisms aid digestion. It was only recently that I came across the term ‘Prebiotics’. On further investigation and reading up research done on the subject, the reason why probiotics and high fiber diet work makes sense to me. If we want our gut to be colonized by beneficial microbes, we have to provide them with the right diet to enable them to flourish.

Here is a list of food to encourage good probiotic growth:

·         Acacia Gums (Gum Arabic), guar gum, raw potato starch, slippery elm, locust bean gum.

·         Bran is the nutritious, fiber-rich outer casing of grains. Common sources are from wheat, oats, maize, rye, rice and barley. You can also get it from whole meal or unpolished grains.

·         Onions, garlic, leeks.

·         Jicama tuber, turnip, wild yam, beetroot, burdock, dahlia tuber.

·         Raw chicory root, rhubarb root, common black nightshade.

·         Raw dandelion Greens, sowthistle leaves, cabbage tree.

·         Spinach, wild spinach, cabbage.

·         Raw asparagus, raw Jerusalem artichokes, yacón, soy bean.

·         Banana, apple and citrus pectin.

·         Flax seed

·         Chlorella, agar-agar, blue agave plant.

·         Radish, carrot, tomato.

·         Beta glucans can be found in most mushrooms, active hexose correlated compound (AHCC), and colostrum (in milk).

Humans have developed a symbiotic relationship with certain microbes over hundreds of thousands of years of co-existence. We provide microbes with nutrition through the food we ingest. The microscopic workforce in our gut in turn releases nutrition from food that our system could not digest properly or not at all. Eating food with prebiotics ensures the beneficial microbes outnumber the harmful, toxin-producing ones.

Why Cholesterol is Essential for Health (2)

Function of cholesterol

Cholesterol is an integral component of every cell in your body, providing structural integrity and strength to cell membranes. It is not used as an energy source by your body because it is not biodegradable. (Cells membrane allows for the passage of nutrients and wastes into and out of the cell. Interaction with the cell membrane allows for molecular communication signals to pass from outside to inside of the cell.)

Cholesterol is the precursor of many bodily substances such as bile acids, vitamin D and hormones. Additionally, it contributes to the development and working of the central nervous system, and it has major functions in signal transduction.

All cells in the body synthesize cholesterol; the sites that produce the highest amount are the liver, intestines, adrenal glands, and reproductive organs.

What organs used cholesterol for

The liver produces about 20–25% of total daily requirements, half of which it converted into bile acids for digestion.

This is followed by the intestines. Bile salts aid in the intestinal absorption of fat molecules as well as the fat-soluble vitamins, A, D, E, and K.

Cholesterol esters is a major constituent of the adrenal gland; providing the raw material for the synthesis of the steroidal hormones, cortisol (influences or regulates blood sugar, blood pressure, immune function, the body's anti-inflammatory processes and Central Nervous System [CNS] activation.), glucocorticoids (involved in immune and inflammatory processes), and aldosterone (the principal regulator of the salt and water balance of the body, thus influencing blood pressure).

Mineralocorticoids need cholesterol in its formation. This hormone regulates osmotic balance.

Reproduction

The reproductive organs need cholesterol for sperm development. This structural fat is also used in the formation of estrogens, testosterone, androgens and progesterone.

Embryonic development is affected by cholesterol through its covalent bonding to Hedgehog proteins, resulting in their activation. During embryonic development, Hedgehog proteins regulate cell proliferation and differentiation and where each type of cells should migrate to. Without cholesterol, the signaling activity is disrupted and cell differentiation may be impaired.

It is also involved in prenatal genital development.

The above show cholesterol plays a vital part in human embryogenesis and development.

Nerves

Nerves are like telephone lines that allow messages to be sent to different parts of the body for communication. Cholesterol is a precursor of neurosteroids (involved in neurotransmission and excitation).

The myelin sheath is very rich in cholesterol and form a protective layer around nerve neurons. This insulation provides conduction of impulses more efficiently. Myelination occurs most rapidly during prenatal development.

Others

Interaction of cholesterol with ceramides is essential for the barrier function of the skin.

Sunlight act on cholesterol on the skin for Vitamin D synthesis. A study found increased concentration of blood cholesterol during the winter months in participants. They speculated, “Lack of Sunlight could increase blood cholesterol by allowing squalling metabolism to progress to cholesterol synthesis rather than to vitamin D synthesis”.

Some research indicates cholesterol may act as an antioxidant. (Smith LL (1991).

Your brain comprises roughly a quarter of the total free cholesterol in the human body. That is why people with genetic defects that impair cholesterol formation or usage have impaired mental capacity.

Cholesterol is necessary for the ligand binding activity of the serotonin receptor. (Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that has an enormous influence over many brain functions).

It promotes and stabilizes membrane fluidity over a substantial range of physiological temperatures and sterol concentrations.

Cholesterol   is a sterol produced only by animals and can be found in dairy products, animal meat and egg yolk. This article is meant to dispel public fear of cholesterol. It is not meant to be an excuse to indulge in excessive quantities of food with saturated fats (lots of ice cream, whipped cream, rich cakes and coconut milk curries). You only need 20 percent of fats from your diet. Your body can provide the remainder 80 percent. Consume a mixture of saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats as each has its own distinctive role in the diet.  Refer to the food pyramid on amount of fats to include in your diet. Excessive amounts will upset the natural balance needed by your body. Minimize fries because high heat changes the structure of fat, rendering it toxic to the body.

Cholesterol loaded food is fine in moderation for those without metabolic diseases.