Recently published work by the Institute of Food Research (IFR) has identified potential prebiotic properties of almonds that could help improve digestive health by increasing levels of beneficial gut bacteria. Our digestive system maintains large populations of bacteria that live in the colon. Prebiotics are nondi-gestible parts of foods that these bacteria can use to fuel their growth and activity. The good bacteria form part of our body's defense against harmful bacteria and play a role in the development of the body's immune system. The prebiotics work by stimulating the growth of these friendly bacteria. However, in order to get to where they are needed, prebiotics must be able to move through the upper part of the intestine without being digested or absorbed by the body. Funded by the Almond Board of California, IFR scientists first used a physical and biochemical simulator (called the Model Gut) of the gastro-intestinal tract to subject almonds to the same conditions experienced in the stomach and small intestine.
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