What foods are rich in prebiotics?

As mentioned above, prebiotics serve as nutrients that help good bacteria survive. Pediatricians may disagree with the idea of probiotic supplements for young children. However, natural prebiotic foods can be a potential way to improve your child’s microflora and boost immunity.

Once your baby is old enough to start a solid food diet, the following prebiotic-rich foods may be a good addition:

• Banana
• Apples (cooked)
• Asparagus (cooked)
• Peas
• Garlic
• Leeks
• Oats
• Cocoa

When buying prebiotics and probiotics for kids, what should you look for?

If you really want to make sure you’re getting the best prebiotic and probiotic supplements for your kids, there are a few things you need to consider.

CFU Amount

The most important thing you need to know is the CFU (colony forming units) or simply the number of probiotics. Since these types of bacteria are beneficial for certain health conditions, you can consult your pediatrician to determine the ideal type and amount of CFU for your child.

Types of Pre and Probiotic Supplements

Children’s supplements come in a wide variety of types, from gummy, liquid, chewable tablets to powder. Depending on the child, you need to choose the appropriate supplement for his age and preferences. If they don’t prefer chewable tablets, you can choose liquid and powder-based supplements for easy consumption. Older children, however, will find that chewing gum and chewable tablets work best for them.

Safety and Security

Whatever supplements you take, they must be approved by a regulatory body in your country for safety reasons. If in doubt, you can always speak to the medical professional.

Probiotics from Food

If you’re going the all-natural route when it comes to nurturing your little one’s body, we’ve got you covered. The following foods may contain built-in probiotics! Note the “active bacterial cultures/cells” on the package.

• Dairy products: yogurt, aged cheeses (example, cottage cheese), kefir, ice cream
• Fermented foods: kombucha, miso, tempeh
• Baby and toddler cereals and formula
• Granola bars
• Fruit and vegetable juices

Try to include a variety of these foods in your child’s diet as often as possible throughout the week to support their overall health and well-being. In addition to harboring tons of superbugs, these foods are also rich in several vitamins and minerals, like calcium and vitamin D.

Probiotics from Supplements

Typically, supplements are recommended when a child has a specific health condition such as colic or diarrhea and contains higher doses of probiotics. Probiotic supplements can be found in the form of ointments, capsules, drops, and gums.

Supplements are not as strictly regulated as medications, so we should do some homework before choosing the best one for our child’s needs.

Refrigerated vs. shelf-stable

Refrigerated items are often superior to shelf stable items, so always look for them. There are shelf stable products that are clinically effective, but they usually only contain 1 or 2 strains and in smaller quantities than those found in the refrigerated section.

Additional Information:

• Additional ingredients like gluten added sugars, and flavoring, especially if your child is sensitive to gluten.
• The price against the value.
• The brand’s reputation: look for any FDA warning letters, active lawsuits, and customer reviews.
• The shipping and return policy of the brand.

Conclusion

Your child’s microbiome is unique and will change throughout their life.

The foods he eats, his environment and even his medications can alter the ratio of “good” to “bad” bacteria in the gut.

Although probiotic foods are a great addition to a balanced diet, they may not meet all health claims.

I recommend discussing probiotic supplements with your child’s pediatrician first.