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Evidence · 4 min read
What are prebiotics?
A careful look at a word that appears on a lot of labels.
Editorial draft — awaiting review by a registered nutrition professional. This is general information, not medical advice.
The definition
Established evidence
An international scientific consensus defines a prebiotic as “a substrate that is selectively utilized by host microorganisms conferring a health benefit”.
Some types of fibre found in onions, leeks, garlic, pulses and oats meet parts of this definition, though not all fibre is prebiotic.
What we don't know yet
Emerging research
Research into how specific foods change the gut microbiome, and what that means for long-term health, is active and still developing. We avoid making specific health claims for individual ingredients.