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Revealed: The five foods that are key to maintaining good gut health
Garlic, leeks, onions, dandelion greens and Jerusalem artichokes are the most prebiotic-rich foods available and could help boost gut health.
Prebiotics are a type of fibre that functions as a food source for probiotics – bacteria that help to maintain a healthy community of microbes in the gastrointestinal tract, which has been linked to the health of the immune system and even protection against some medical conditions.
To uncover the richest prebiotic food sources, Cassandra Boyd at San José State University, California, and her colleague John Gieng combed through 70 scientific papers on prebiotics in foods, nine of which contained a sufficient amount of data to be included in their analysis. From these, they analysed the prebiotic content of 8690 types of food.
The researchers found that the top five prebiotic-containing foods were, in descending order: dandelion greens, Jerusalem artichokes, garlic, leeks and onions, each of which contain between 100 and 240 milligrams of prebiotics per gram, as presented at Nutrition 2023 in Boston, Massachusetts, the annual meeting of the American Society for Nutrition.
The International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics, in California, recommends a daily prebiotic intake of around 5 grams a day. This could be achieved by eating just half a small onion, said Boyd in a statement.
注释：
dandelion: n
表示" 蒲公英"，means "any of several herbs of the genus Taraxacum having long tap roots and deeply notched leaves and bright yellow flowers followed by fluffy seed balls"，如：We regard dandelion as an emblem of hope. 我们把蒲公英看作希望的象征。
Jerusalem artichoke: n
表示"洋姜；鬼子姜;菊芋"，means "edible tuber of the Jerusalem artichoke"，如：The main components of Jerusalem artichoke powder, more dietary fiber and sugar. 其主要成分为菊芋粉、膳食纤维和多糖类。
Prebiotic: n
表示" 益生元"，如：No added sucrose. With added Prebiotic. 本产品不添加蔗糖。特别添加益生元。
gastrointestinal: adj
表示" 胃肠的"，means "of or relating to the stomach and intestines"，如：The infection route may have been the gastrointestinal tract. 感染源可能是来自肠胃道。
中文简要说明：
很多人花不少钱买「益生菌」维持肠道健康、提升免疫力。其实，大众从日常饮食入手就可调整肠道健康状况，好些富含膳食纤维的食物可谓肠道益菌生长的超级助攻手。美国科学家分析超过8000种食物，从中找出5种最有助于维持肠道益生菌生长的佼佼者，多吃蔬菜水果有利肠道菌相、帮助消化，更能提升整体健康。
《新科学家》（New Scientist）、《新闻周刊》等媒体报导，美国加州圣荷西州立大学（San Jose State University）研究团队查阅70份益菌生科研报告，从其中9份找出可供分析的足够数据。研究团队分析了8690种食物的益菌生含量，植物食材通常含有较多的益菌生，含量最高的5种食物依序为：蒲公英、菊芋（Jerusalem Artichoke）、大蒜、韭葱、洋葱，每克的益菌生含量介于100至240毫克。
益生菌（prebiotics，益生元）是一种膳食纤维，是微生物体的食物来源，益生菌（probiotics）则含有活的微生物。两者都能对肠道健康发挥积极作用。以往有研究指出，益菌生摄取量较高与促进血糖调节、增强矿物质吸收力、促进消化力与免疫功能之间有关。
总部位于加州的国际益生菌与益菌生科学协会（International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics）建议，每日益菌生摄取量为5公克。圣荷西州立大学研究人员说，成年人每天只要吃5公克的洋葱，益菌生摄取量就能达到门坎，可谓轻而易举。
芦笋、豇豆的益菌生含量也不遑多让。这8690种食物之中，37%不含益菌生；小麦、乳制品、蛋、油类、肉类的益菌生含量都少得可怜。
研究人员说，烹调方式对于这些食物的益菌生的特性影响如何，仍待厘清。此前已有研究表明，烹调会降低某些食物的益菌生含量，但即使含量降低，益菌生依然存在，在这种情况下，食物摄取量需要增加一些，以获得足以达成保健成效的益菌生含量。
这项研究成果已于美国营养学会（American Society for Nutrition）7月底于波士顿举行的年会发表。
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