India, Feb. 27 -- Local prebiotic diets can prove to be a blessing, especially for children and pregnant women, said Ramadas Balamurugan from AIIMS Bhubaneswar on February 27, 2026, during a session of the Anil Agarwal Dialogue 2026 held in Nimli, Rajasthan.

Balamurugan, who studies disorders related to dysbiosis (imbalance of gut bacteria leading to health complications), spoke via video conferencing on the last day of the 3-day event.

Diets that include prebiotics (non-digestible food components that promote the growth of beneficial gut bacteria) and fermented foods (foods processed through controlled microbial growth that enhance beneficial bacteria) can balance gut bacteria in ways that help address nutritional deficiencies, accordi...