The Difference between Probiotics and Prebiotics and Why We Need Them

We have all heard much about probiotics and may use them regularly to help with gut issues and for overall health.  They are available everywhere and are a hot topic in health and wellness news.  You may not be as familiar with prebiotics, which are also beneficial for health and your gut, but in different ways.  Let’s go over a few basics about what they are, how they are different and how they work so you can decide if they could be beneficial for your health. 

Where do probiotics and prebiotics benefit the body?  

Probiotics and prebiotics act mainly in the colon, which is one of the most important parts of the gastrointestinal tract when talking about the microbiome and where healthy, beneficial bacteria live and regulate health in certain ways. .  

Why should we care about our microbiome?

Because it helps regulate the immune system, facilitates mobility (the proper mobility - not too fast or too slow - is critical for gut health) in the gastrointestinal tract, helps to improve or maintain nutritional status, it is involved in the metabolism (and ultimate removal) of foreign, harmful substances and regulates weight, mood and blood glucose levels. 

What are probiotics? 

Probiotics are supplements that contain freeze-dried or live bacteria or yeast that are intended to improve the gut microbiome - or could be contained in foods like yogurt, kefir or fermented foods like kimchi.  They are usually used to address health conditions by way of improving gut function.

What are prebiotics?

Prebiotics are non-digestible foods that selectively stimulate the growth of certain beneficial bacteria in the colon and can improve your overall health by improving the composition of the gut microbiome.  Specifically, inulin, also called fructooligosaccharides (FOS) is a powerful prebiotic and it is contained in onions, leeks, garlic, asparagus, tubers, dandelion roots and Jerusalem artichokes (referred to sometimes as sunchokes). Prebiotics are also contained in galactooligosaccharides (GOS) which are legumes, broccoli, cauliflower, sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds.  

What are resistant starches?

In addition to prebiotic foods, there are foods that contain resistant starches, which are also non-digestible in the colon and are used as an energy source to feed the bacteria in the gut.  These include legumes, unripe bananas, cooked and cooled potatoes (when cooled the resistant starch in potatoes increases), sweet potatoes, oats, and cashews.

As you can see, if you choose to eat a whole-foods, anti-inflammatory diet, you will easily be able to consume prebiotics foods and resistant starches to feed your good gut bacteria. Nevertheless, probiotics seem to be more top of mind when it comes to gut health in the health and wellness arena. In my next blog post, I will fill you in on why we may be overly relying on probiotics for gut health.  If I can help you incorporate more foods into your diet to benefit your gut health, please reach out to me!