Mixed
Prebiotics are defined as substrates selectively utilized by host microorganisms to confer a health benefit, distinguishing them from non-selective dietary fibers and non-microbial agents.
Not all gut-friendly foods are prebiotics. To be a prebiotic, a substance must be selectively eaten by beneficial bacteria to produce a specific health benefit. Common examples like inulin and FOS fit this, but general fibers like cellulose do not necessarily qualify.
the current ISAPP consensus panel now proposes the following definition of a prebiotic: a substrate that is selectively utilized by host microorganisms conferring a health benefit
Why this rating
This is an expert consensus statement from a panel of global authorities, representing the highest level of agreement in the field.
Source
Expert consensus document: The International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics (ISAPP) consensus statement on the definition and scope of prebiotics
Glenn R. Gibson et al. · Nature Reviews Gastroenterology & Hepatology · 2017
DOI 10.1038/nrgastro.2017.75
More from this paper
- Health benefits from prebiotics are mediated by the selective growth of specific microbial taxa and their metabolic products (e.g., SCFAs), rather than the substrate itself acting directly on host cells.Strong
- Prebiotics can confer health benefits at extraintestinal sites (e.g., skin, vagina, brain) through indirect mechanisms mediated by gut microbiota changes.Good
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