Prebiotic’s and Fat Loss??

Fiber Prebiotics and your health:

Probiotics and the importance of having healthy gut bacteria has been followed by an interest in prebiotics, which are foods for the bacteria in our gut. 

a-Galacto-oligosaccharides (a-GOS) is a non-viscous fiber and may exert health benefits by modulation of the gut flora, rather than by physically increasing the stomach distention.

A variety of health effects have been observed after the consumption of prebiotic fibers, including reductions in appetite, inflammation, blood lipids, glucose control, and IBS symptoms. 
GOS appear to exert their effects by favorably modulating the host’s gut bacteria, leading to an increase in beneficial types such as bifidobacteria.

CONCLUSIONS

– 14 days of supplementation with a-GOS prebiotic fiber in participants who were overweight led to reduced appetite ratings, lowered subsequent food intake after a standardized meal, favorable changes in fecal bifidobacteria, and reduced markers of inflammation.

– The type of a-GOS had little effect but higher doses exerted greater appetite-lowering effects than lower doses

– The use of prebiotics (specifically a-GOS) as a tool for weight loss and treating metabolic diseases warrants further research

– GOS are found in legumes like soybeans and lentils. BUT it would be hard to get 12-18 grams of a-GOS a day just from food sources

– Eating a healthy diet that has a variety of fruits and vegetables will help you ingest a number of different prebiotic fibers that can contribute to the growth of beneficial gut bacteria

References:
– Examine ERD issue 13
– http://jn.nutrition.org/content/early/2015/07/15/jn.114.204909.full.pdf+html