Research Says Almonds Fail the Prebiotic Test: Prebiotin Dramatically More Effective.

While almonds are often touted as a prebiotic, this has never made much sense scientifically. Even almond-grower PR talks about the "prebiotic effect" of almonds rather than claiming they are true prebiotics.

Now, new research reveals almonds fail to measure up as a prebiotic. 

The research was performed at the Institute of Food Research, Norwich UK, and published January 11, 2010 in the FEMS Microbiology Letter. It found several interesting things: 

• It is almond SKINS, not the nuts themselves that have any "prebiotic" effect.
• That prebiotic effect is limited to a slight increase in certain types of beneficial bacteria. On the bifidobacteria, increase was seen at only about 60% the rate created by Prebiotin's oligofructose-enriched inulin. On the other main group of beneficial bacteria - lactobacillus - NO increase was seen.
• There was ZERO increase in short-chain fatty acids - the real "engine" of prebiotic benefit 

So as a prebiotic almonds (and remember, we mean almond SKINS, not the nuts) show us: 

1. NO increase in lactobacillus
2. NO increase in short-chain fatty acids
3. Only 60% impact on bifidobacter versus Fructo-oligosaccharides (Prebiotin)

You'll have to draw your own conclusions, but consider this:

If you were choosing between two doctors, would you sign on with "Doctor Almond" whose medical-school exam scores were 0%, 0% and 60%; or with "Doctor Prebiotic" who scored 100%, 100%, 100%...?