Probiotics & Prebiotics

I presented to my local chapter of Holistic Moms Network a while back about probiotics and fermenting. I brought homemade samples and we ate and drank our way through the meeting...so fun! I brought kombucha in various flavors (raspberry, blueberry, cranberry, cherry, ginger), yogurt, and brine-pickled sauerkraut, kim chi, and a mix of jalapeno, cauliflower, carrots, and garlic.

Did you know that prebiotics are the things in your food that feed probiotics which in turn keep your immune system strong by supporting a healthy gut (80% of your immune system is your intestines)? Wikipedia says:

Prebiotics are non-digestible food ingredients that stimulate the growth or activity of bacteria in the digestive system which are beneficial to the health of the body.^[1] They are considered a functional food.

Typically, prebiotics are carbohydrates (such as oligosaccharides), but the definition does not preclude non-carbohydrates. The most prevalent forms of prebiotics are nutritionally classed as soluble fiber. To some extent, many forms of dietary fiber exhibit some level of prebiotic effect.

6/3/09 Note: I wrote this partial post about a month ago and never got around to finishing or publishing it. Stay tuned for a new post about the veggie ferments (brined "pickles") I've got brewing right now on the counter. :-)