FOS = fructooligosaccharides
Fructo-oligosaccharides are made up of plant sugars linked in chains. They are taken from asparagus, Jerusalem artichokes, and soybeans, or produced in the laboratory. People use these sugars to make medicine.
Fructo-oligosaccharides are used for constipation, traveler's diarrhea, and high cholesterol levels.
Fructo-oligosaccharides are also used as prebiotics. Prebiotics act as food for “good” bacteria in the intestine. Don't confuse prebiotics with probiotics such as lactobacillus, bifidobacteria, and saccharomyces, which are live organisms that are good for health. People sometimes take probiotics by mouth to increase the number in their intestine.
In foods, fructo-oligosaccharides are used as a sweetener.
How does it work?
Fructo-oligosaccharides pass undigested into the colon where they increase bowel mass and promote growth of certain bacteria that are thought to be beneficial.
FOS are also fermented by numerous bacterial species in the intestine, including Klebsiella, E. coli
FOS is put into cheap probiotics as food source for beneficial bacteria.... this is OK... fact that it is food source for Klebs as well is not so good (for us that respond to diet).
So if you go probiotics use, avoid brands with FOS.
Tim
