To correct this, all signs point to fiber as the ticket to a
thriving community of gut bacteria. Although fiber is dubbed
a “nutrient of public health concern,” only about 5 percent of
American adults and children eat the recommended amount
of about 28 grams a day (though the exact target depends on
one’s sex and age). On average, we consume roughly half that
recommended amount.
Found in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, beans, and
seeds, the plant fibers we’re talking about are the key food
source for bacteria. Just like when you have a pet, you can’t
forget to feed it. And with 68 percent of Americans owning a
pet, I think that’s an idea we can pretty much all get on board
with. These types of fiber are called prebiotics. Because they
help microbes grow, prebiotics have been likened to fertilizers
for your gut. From berries to bananas, bulgur to broad beans,
fiber is fantastic. It helps create a strong immune system and
boosts metabolism.
So, eat foods with fiber while also aiming to ensure sufficient
sources of naturally occurring probiotics in your diet. Probiotics
are not food for bacteria but actual strains of bacteria—living
organisms—that you add to the current residents in your gut
when you eat foods that contain them. From yogurt to kefir,
kimchi to sauerkraut, and kombucha galore, probiotics are most
often found in foods that have been fermented. You might rec-
ognize the fine-print “live and active cultures” from a yogurt
54 how to be a Conscious Eater