Fructooligosaccharide (FOS)
Fructooligosaccharides (FOS) are made of short fructose chain from plants. Also seen as prebiotics, they are foods for the healthy bacteria (probiotic) in our gut that will help improve our intestinal health as a result.
It is important to maintain good levels of FOS due to their ability to promote the growth of probiotics in our gut. Studies have shown that FOS is able to suppress the growth of toxic bacteria responsible for food poisoning. Moreover being a good source of fibre, FOS helps alleviate constipation.
FOS serves as a suitable low-calorie sweeter alternative for diabetics as it does not increase blood sugar level. However, we often do not consume sufficient FOS from natural food sources in our daily lives thus pairing with dietary supplements would be ideal. Common food sources of FOS include garlic, onion, leeks, asparagus, artichokes and blue agave.