Tubers and roots as a source of prebiotic fibers

Tubers and roots have been used in human nutrition since ancient times once they are resistant to pests and easy to grow even in soils poor in nutrients. The most consumed include cassava, potatoes, taro, and yam. In many regions, they are the main source of energy, which has led to industrial-scale cultivation of some such as yacon, burdock, Jerusalem and artichoke, known as sources of fructooligosaccharides, due to the increased demand for prebiotic fibers and the need for lower energy foods. This chapter will present a general approach to tubers and roots and their important role in human nutrition. At the end of the chapter, those recognized as prebiotics and the processing methods for extracting fibers will be discussed.