Before you go "pro"
I can honestly say I never thought I'd see the day when digestive health was one of the "hot topics" in the media -- especially the mainstream media. But everywhere you look these days, you see ads for products boasting healthy doses of probioitics. What you don't hear as much about are prebiotics. And the lack of attention to these valuable digestive aids is a real shame, considering they may do you just as much good as any of the probiotic products taking the market by storm -- and possibly more, considering the fact that most of these products are dairy-based. You see, probiotics are the actual friendly bacteria that reside in your intestinal tract, helping not only to keep your digestive system running smoothly, but also boosting your overall immunity. They're certainly a necessity for good health, so establishing adequate levels is a must -- and probiotic supplements can come in handy for that. But once you've got a healthy level of these friendly bacteria living in your gut, it's even more important to keep them there. And this is where prebiotics come in. Prebiotics are foods that feed these healthy bacteria and help them flourish as they pass through your intestinal tract. And keeping what you've already got healthy is as good as -- if not better than -- consuming daily doses of probiotic-enriched dairy products. One of the most recent foods to make its prebiotic debut is the simple, satisfying almond. Researchers from the Institute of Food Research discovered that almonds significantly increased levels of beneficial gut bacteria. They believe that the bacteria use the lipids (or fats) found in almonds as fuel. So while it's true that almonds are a relatively high-fat snack, keep in mind that it's "good" fat that will keep you satisfied longer -- and give your gut bacteria the energy they need to keep you healthy. Not to mention the fact that they taste great too. Now THAT'S a winning combination. | 
