Spoiler alert: You may choosing the wrong prebiotic fiber for your unique gut.

Your digestive tract is full of microbes.

They outnumber us 10 to 1.

And your gut microbiome is unique to you.

Nobody has a microbiome exactly like yours.

Each of your microbes has the capacity to ferment (digest) different types of fiber.

You’ve probably heard of FODMAPs. FODMAPs are prebiotic fibers that impact on the microbiome the most. Think of FODMAPs as “fast food for the gut.”

Zooming back out for a moment, prebiotic fibers come in all sorts of shapes and sizes.

The size is actually quite important.

Inulin, for example, is quite large. It can only be fermented by a few species of gut bugs.

In contrast, many microorganisms are able to degrade fructooligosaccharides (FOS).

For this reason, only those with the specific inulin-digesting bacteria tolerate inulin.

In contrast, those without inulin-digestive bacteria tend to get symptoms of inulin intolerance such as gas and bloating.

To learn more, check out the study.

Additionally, inulin is just one of many types of prebiotic fibers.

Turns out, what you don’t know might be hurting you.

Want help finding the prebiotic that is best for you?

Schedule a free consultation with integrative dietitian nutritionist and gut health expert Adair Anderson, MS, RDN, LDN.