Prebiotics are becoming as popular as probiotics are for digestive health, but many people are still working to learn the difference between the two.

It’s no secret that probiotics and the bacteria living in your gut are beneficial to your health. Prebiotics are the foods, or more specifically, the fibers, that support and allow probiotics to flourish, i.e., they feed the good bacteria.

Fiber has always had a solid reputation for boosting digestion, but the prebiotic acacia tree gum has even further-reaching benefits that can boost your overall health.

The Value of Prebiotics

The trillions of bacteria living in your gut contribute to gut health, efficient digestion, and nutrient absorption, immune system support, heart health, and brain health. Our good bacteria perform these beneficial functions, but they too have certain needs.

Not only do they need a safe place to live, which means taking care of yourself, but they also need food. Specifically, they require prebiotic fibers.

The indigestibility of fiber has caused many people to avoid it, but this is not good for your health or the health of your gut bacteria. Fiber promotes healthy bowel movements, which also protects the health of your gut.

Without fiber, the gut microbiome cannot support you in the manner that nature intended. These microorganisms live inside you for a reason—When you take care of them, they will take care of you.

The role of prebiotics is similar to that of fertilizer. Just like a garden flourishes with the best fertilizers, your gut bacteria will flourish with the best prebiotics.

For the most part, plant-based foods, such as fruits and vegetables, are full of prebiotics. As long as you follow a balanced diet, you will provide your microbiome with regular and beneficial meals.

One prebiotic known as acacia fiber, however, just maybe the ultimate prebiotic for your friendly microbes.

Introducing the Best in Prebiotic Fiber

Acacia fiber or acacia gum is made from the sap of the Acacia Senegal tree. This small shrub is native to Africa and is full of soluble fiber, which your gut bacteria love. As part of your daily diet, acacia fiber will boost gut bacterial health, which will boost your overall health.

Beneficial Bacteria Only

The human body plays host to trillions of bacteria, some good and some bad. There are a number of harmful strains living in and on you, but balance is essential to your health.

So long as the helpful ones maintain control, harmful bacteria and yeasts cannot grow and take over. Feeding your friendly bacteria prebiotics like acacia fiber will ensure this happens.

Modern lifestyle choices, like poor diets, bad habits, and lack of exercise, cause depletion for the good bacteria.

When this happens, harmful strains can become overgrown, which triggers both inflammation and digestive issues while also increasing your risk for infections. Acacia fiber serves as a hearty meal for your good bacteria and allows them to maintain strength and numbers, so you can maintain good health.

Stronger Gut Barrier

Leaky gut is not a confirmed medical condition, but it does cause very real symptoms.

An unbalanced gut means that an overgrowth of harmful strains can cause damage to the gut wall, allowing some particles to potentially leak through into the bloodstream. This overstimulates the immune system as it attempts to target all these wandering particles.

Acacia fiber supports the health and strength of the gut barrier by encouraging the growth of bacteria that produce short-chain fatty acids. These fatty acids nourish your intestinal wall, promote healing, and support the optimal function of the tight junction gaps, so they only allow nutrients to pass.

Achieve the Weight You Want

An unhealthy gut can contribute to weight gain by way of triggering excess inflammation, which promotes fat storage. By feeding your gut bacteria acacia fiber, you can ensure that all digestive processes are running efficiently.

This ensures that food is broken down properly, and nutrients are absorbed. You get all that you need from what you eat and can avoid foods with empty calories that only add to your weight.

| Related: Leaky Gut Syndrome 101: Symptoms, Causes, and Treatment |

Acacia fiber also acts like other fibers by providing a feeling of fullness. This means you feel full for longer and avoid overeating. This fiber draws water into your intestine and forms a gel, which creates the “full” feeling.

In addition to this, acacia fiber supports the absorption of glucose into the bloodstream, helping prevent glucose spikes and crashes that contribute to weight gain.

Soothe a Sensitive Stomach

Fiber supplements can cause bloating and gas in certain people and so are avoided, but this means that your gut bacteria do not get the fiber they need.

Acacia fiber ferments much slower than other fibers, so there is no continual release of gas. Instead, it ferments further along your colon than other fibers, so there is less gas traveling through the intestine, which means reduced bloating and discomfort.

For those who are prone to bloating, acacia fiber is the best option for getting fiber without the gas. This is even true at higher doses.

To get the most benefit from your prebiotic acacia fiber, you need to have a healthy and flourishing probiotic population first. Supplementing with probiotics is a great way to achieve this as well as eating more probiotic foods, like yogurt and other fermented foods.

Add acacia fiber supplements to your meals to feed the good bacteria in your gut for an improved level of health. This means exercising regularly, reducing stress, eating a balanced diet, reducing or cutting out alcohol and smoking, and only take antibiotics when needed.

The Bottom Line

Your gut does more than digest food. The bacterial community living inside your gut impacts systems all over your body, so their health impacts your health.

An unbalanced gut can lead to frequent health conditions but a strong and balanced gut microbiome will protect you and boost your health. Just as you need food to perform at your best, so does your gut bacteria. Feed them prebiotics, specifically, acacia fiber and their strength will become yours too.

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