Know the Difference between Probiotics and Prebiotics?

The last several years have brought probiotics and prebiotics into the spotlight. However it can be confusing as to what the difference is between the two and the role they play in our bodies. Experts say both are important to our health; probiotics are beneficial bacteria, while prebiotics are food for these bacteria.

In other words, “Probiotics are live bacteria found in certain foods or supplements and can provide numerous health benefits. Prebiotics are substances from types of carbs (mostly fiber) that humans can’t digest. The beneficial bacteria in your gut eat this fiber.”

The Harvard Medical School explains our large intestine has 100 trillion good bacteria essential to our health called microbiome. These good microbes help maintain healthy bowel function. Each person has their own unique microbiome from birth and we add to the good microbes by the food we consume. Although a diet high in sugar and fats can negatively affect gut health by encouraging the growth of bad bacteria, allowing them to grow faster and colonize more easily, without as many helpful bacteria to prevent it from happening. 

Research shows certain foods like yogurt and kefirs with live, active cultures are beneficial to adding to our microbiome. Unpasteurized, fermented foods like kombucha, miso, sauerkraut and sour pickles contain healthy microbes but most packaged fermented foods are pasteurized, which destroys the microbes. The best way to get around that is to look up recipes to ferment foods at home.

Experts say while there are many probiotic supplements on the market, it is not easy to find exactly what you need. Most probiotic supplements contain just a few bacterial strains, compared to the approximately 3,000 or so stains naturally found in the gut. Also some bacteria are better suited to treat certain conditions but a general guideline is to purchase one with both Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium. 

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Source: healthline.com/nutrition/probiotics-and-prebiotics