pre·bi·ot·ic | \ ˌprē-bī-ˈä-tik 
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\Definition of prebiotic
(Entry 1 of 2)
1 : of, relating to, or being chemical or environmental precursors of the origin of life
… it is possible that either the prebiotic molecules necessary for the evolution of life or the raw materials from which these molecules formed were brought to Earth by comet-like objects.— Marcia Neugebauer also : existing or occurring before the origin of life … RNA is a chemically fragile molecule, unlikely to survive the harsh prebiotic conditions. — Michael Egholm et al.
2 : of, relating to, or being a prebiotic … next-generation probiotic microbes administered along with the appropriate prebiotic nutrients to nourish them.— Michael Pollan
prebiotic
nounDefinition of prebiotic (Entry 2 of 2)
: a substance and especially a carbohydrate (such as inulin) that is nearly or wholly indigestible and that when consumed (as in food) promotes the growth of beneficial bacteria in the digestive tract
Prebiotics are naturally found in certain fruits, vegetables, and herbs, including artichoke, asparagus, bananas, chicory, garlic, and onions.— Andrew Weil — compare probiotic
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Examples of prebiotic in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective While available with select retailers across the U.S., online sales for prebiotic soda Poppi most definitely popped in the past few months.
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Rachel King, Fortune, "The soda market is popping with new contenders. Will they stay or fizzle out?," 5 June 2020 Put on these gloves for 10 minutes, and your hands will be coated in shea butter and prebiotic oat.
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Alicia Kortendick, cleveland, "How to repair your dry skin from hand-washing and hand sanitizers," 19 Mar. 2020 According to some animal studies, sea moss can have a prebiotic effect during digestion.
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Adele Jackson-gibson, Good Housekeeping, "Is Sea Moss Healthy? Here's How to Eat It for Maximum Benefits," 17 Jan. 2020 Potatoes also contain resistant starch — a type of prebiotic fiber that supports a healthy gut environment by providing the fuel for beneficial gut bacteria.
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NBC News, "5 seemingly unhealthy foods that are actually good for you," 26 Nov. 2019 Differential effects could be assigned to pre- or probiotic modulation of the gut microbial metabolism, some features being exacerbated upon symbiotic (probiotic + prebiotic) administration.
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Enea Rezzonico, Scientific American, "Nestlé's research on nutrition and the human gut microbiome," 17 Feb. 2015 Asparagus provides prebiotic fiber, helping support digestion and promote immune function.
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The Good Housekeeping Test Kitchen, Good Housekeeping, "Keto-Friendly Sautéed Asparagus with Walnuts," 14 Nov. 2019 Four billion years ago, the prebiotic Earth was a messy place, a chaotic mélange of diverse starting materials.
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Quanta Magazine, "Origin-of-Life Study Points to Chemical Chimeras, Not RNA," 16 Sep. 2019 For instance, prebiotic galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS) reduced lipogenesis and triglyceride concentrations, while the probiotic L. rhamnosus NCC4007 strain induced decreased plasma lipoprotein levels16.
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Enea Rezzonico, Scientific American, "Nestlé's research on nutrition and the human gut microbiome," 17 Feb. 2015 Recent Examples on the Web: Noun The company was also the first to introduce FOS (Fructooligosaccharides) a prebiotic to help support digestion and the first to discover an optimal ratio of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids to help promote the skin and coat of dogs.
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Brian Lynn, Field & Stream, "Consistency & Performance: Feeding the Canine Athlete," 21 Sep. 2020 Beyond the gastrointestinal benefits, prebiotics may also help boost the immune system.
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Susan Selasky, Detroit Free Press, "Banana Fritters: Quick and easy snack to boost immune system," 5 Apr. 2020 At this point, there is evidence that three prebiotics can provide health benefits: inulin, also referred to as long-chain inulin; fructooligosaccharide (FOS), a short-chain inulin that’s also called oligofructose, and galactooligosaccharide (GOS).
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Christy Brissette, Washington Post, "What is inulin, and why is it showing up in so many food products?," 12 June 2019 While compelling evidence on the benefits of additives like prebiotics and probiotics is lacking, one exception is milk fat globule membrane (MFGM), a protein present in breastmilk that contains several important biologically active factors.
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Susan Reslewic Keatley, New York Times, "Formula Feeding: How Much and How Often to Feed Your Baby," 18 Apr. 2020 Research shows that a higher intake of dietary fiber and prebiotics supports healthier immune function, including protection against viruses.
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Cynthia Sass, Mph, Health.com, "6 Eating Habits and Foods that Weaken Your Immune System," 6 Apr. 2020 Finally, Sassos says some health experts may consider apple cider vinegar as a prebiotic, since apple cider contains high amounts of pectin, which is a type of starch that occurs naturally in the cell walls of fruits and vegetables.
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Zee Krstic, Good Housekeeping, "Can the Apple Cider Vinegar Diet Help You Lose Weight? Our Nutritionist Weighs In," 30 Mar. 2020 Probiotics and prebiotics help boost the health of the microbiome, which in turn supports our immune system, explained Majumdar.
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Lisa Drayer, CNN, "How to strengthen your immunity to coronavirus. Part 1: Diet," 25 Mar. 2020 Sources of prebiotics include whole grains, bananas, onions, garlic, leeks, asparagus, artichokes and beans.
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Lisa Drayer, CNN, "How to strengthen your immunity to coronavirus. Part 1: Diet," 25 Mar. 2020
See MoreThese example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'prebiotic.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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Time Traveler for prebiotic
The first known use of prebiotic was in 1954
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