Probiotics vs. Prebiotics: Understanding The Difference

Understanding the difference between prebiotics and probiotics can help you maintain healthy gut flora, live a healthy lifestyle, and stop worrying about food. Eating a well-balanced diet with the right type of bacteria provides numerous health benefits. Let’s see the main differences between probiotics vs. prebiotics and how to incorporate both into your everyday meals. It only takes small changes to make a huge difference in your life.

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Probiotics

Probiotics are food, vitamins, or supplements that contain helpful bacteria that aid in a person’s gut health. By maintaining the “good” bacteria within the gut microbiome, they help “feed” the microflora that balances the organisms within our bodies. In short, this type of supplement keeps the microorganisms within our gut at healthy levels so we can digest food properly.

Probiotics aren’t just supplements: they’re a naturally occurring part of food that you often find in yogurt, greens, onions, soy, and whole grains. They can also be included in other foods to help people with dietary requirements, such as those who have trouble digesting specific foods.

Other probiotic foods that are healthy to integrate into your everyday diet include sauerkraut, kombucha tea, kefir, pickles, and kimchi. Adding sauerkraut to your dinner, sipping on kombucha tea throughout the day, or having kefir yogurt for breakfast are great and easy ways to add probiotics to your meals.

Prebiotics

Prebiotics are the probiotics’ “food” that allows them to work effectively within your body. Prebiotics are either taken in supplements or often found in whole food form in fruits, whole grains, and vegetables. Other common prebiotic foods that you can incorporate into a healthy diet include legumes, beans, peas, berries, asparagus, garlic, onions, oats, and leeks.

A daily breakfast with yogurt and oats contains plenty of prebiotics for your gut health. Follow that up with a veggie-heavy lunch of asparagus, greens, onions, and lean protein for a filling, protein-filled, and prebiotic-friendly meal. For a balanced dinner, have leafy greens and fish, lean meat, or whole-grain pasta.

Benefits of Prebiotics and Probiotics

The perks of having a healthy gut microbiome and taking prebiotics and probiotics is that you will stay healthier for longer. Studies have shown that gut health and the presence of gut bacteria can help immunity, weight management, depression, anxiety, and cancer prevention. If you are not sure which type of supplement to take for your overall well being, consuming both is a safe way to balance your gut. Prebiotics can be found in all-natural foods, like fruits and vegetables, while adding probiotics can help with healthy digestion.

Should You Take Supplements For Gut Health?

Is a whole-food diet enough to get the right amount of prebiotics and probiotics? In short, it depends on your current state of health. You might need to take some supplements to get the right balance that can help your gut function properly. Often found in powder or pill form, probiotic supplements contain good bacteria and yeast to help aid digestion. For those who have trouble with food intolerances or issues with their gut microbiome, taking certain types of supplements is greatly beneficial to their health.

Do your research before choosing or taking these types of supplements. Not all contain the same levels of bacteria or the proper ingredients, so it’s best to read the labels on them first. Furthermore, you may find that probiotic supplements are too strong for you to digest properly. Since probiotic supplements do not come with prebiotic additions that make them easy for the stomach to digest, they can sometimes hinder the pill’s effectiveness on your body.

Eating a balanced diet with legumes, lean meats, fruits, vegetables, and healthy fats is the best way to make sure your gut microbiome is functioning properly. Consult with your healthcare professional to see if you are consuming the right amounts of macro- and micronutrients.

Disclaimer: This article is simply intended to provide information. It is not intended to replace the advice from a physician. Please speak with your doctor if you have any questions or concerns.

This article was written by Emma Starr