Back to the future: Prebiotics already en vogue 40.000 years ago
Prebiotics seem to be a relatively modern phenomenon. However, they were abundantly present in our ancestors’ diets. According to Jeff Leach, director and founder of the Paleobiotics Laboratory in New Orleans (US), prebiotics were an important part of the human diet as early as 40,000 years ago, and probably even 2.5 million years ago. This high fibre diet would have had an impact on the colonic microflora, favouring beneficial species and consequently health.
In contrast, our modern-day diet very much lacks the necessary fibres. Our food supply is dominated by highly processed grains, added sugars and fats. Hence today’s increase of colo-rectal cancer, auto-immune conditions, obesity and metabolic syndrome.
Obviously, we cannot return to our ancestors’ way of life. But prebiotics such as inulin and oligofructose provide an interesting and healthy alternative. They are a proven method of introducing more fibres in our daily food intake, helping to stimulate our natural defences, improving digestive health and enhancing bone health.
Supplementing current and new food products with inulin and oligofructose is a modern way of obtaining a diet that is closer to our ancestoral roots. Or, as Jeff Leach puts it: ‘It’s time to close the pathogenic door and reclaim our health.’
June 11, 2008
