Maintaining an optimal balance of bacteria in the gut can lower risk for chronic disease and may even affect weight control efforts. You can add directly to your population of good bacteria by eating foods like yogurt that are rich in living microbes called probiotics. Another way to enhance gut health is to eat foods that are rich in prebiotics. These are types of carbohydrate that stimulate growth of beneficial bacteria in the intestines. Cooked dried beans are among the best sources of prebiotics. Preparing beans with garlic and onions, which also provide plenty of these carbohydrates, is a good way to feed beneficial bacteria in your gut and lower your risk for chronic disease.