Differences Between Prebiotics and Probiotics 

Digestive health is a hot topic, and prebiotics and probiotics are at the centre of most of these discussions. However, even after hearing these terms countless times, you may wonder what prebiotics and probiotics are.

Both prebiotics and probiotics play a crucial role in maintaining a healthy gut. So, if you do not know what they are, it is time to learn.

In this article, you will get a thorough understanding of what these are and also learn about the differences between the two. Continue reading to discover the benefits of each of these and find out how you can get your daily fix of prebiotics and probiotics.

Prebiotics and Probiotics - The Differences

Before you can learn all about the benefits and natural sources of prebiotics and probiotics, let’s have a look at what each of these is.

Prebiotics are plant food fibres that are non-digestible. Prebiotics ferment into short-chain fatty acids, but humans do not have the enzymes required to digest and absorb these plant parts. So instead, prebiotics help feed the probiotics populations in your body.

The bacteria in your stomach break down prebiotics to get energy, which in turn helps spur reproduction and production of beneficial by-products. Common prebiotics includes fructans, galactooligosaccharides, oligofructose, and resistant starch.

Probiotics are living yeasts and bacteria found in your intestines, mouth, urinary tract, lungs, vagina, and even skin. Different types of probiotics can be found in your body, but they are generally good for your health. The most common types of probiotics are the saccharomyces boulardii yeast, bifidobacterium and lactobacillus bacterias.

Probiotics play an essential role in maintaining a healthy intestinal microbiome. These beneficial living organisms are naturally present in your digestive tracts, and they remove harmful yeasts and bacteria from the body to ensure optimal digestive system functions.

Why are Prebiotics and Probiotics Important for Our Gut?

Your gut is home to different types of microbes, and the right balance of all of them enables good gut health. However, as the modern diet often revolves around sugary and highly processed food, it promotes the growth of certain bacteria. This imbalance leads to irregularity, bloating, and other digestive discomforts.

To offset this and restore balance, you can eat a diet rich in prebiotic fibres. Doing so will encourage beneficial bacteria's growth directly into your gut. As you already know, prebiotics help probiotics strive. In addition, prebiotics can help slow sugar absorption and control blood sugar as well as blood cholesterol levels. Additional benefits include better calcium absorption and improved immunity and skin health.

A good supply of prebiotics will help probiotics flourish in your gut. You will be happy to know that the benefits of probiotics go far beyond their role in supporting your intestinal health and digestive function. Probiotics can improve your immune response and even help prevent serious diseases like cancer. What’s more, probiotics can have a positive effect on your mood too!

Natural Sources of Prebiotics and Probiotics

Now that you know how beneficial prebiotics and probiotics are for your overall health, you should start incorporating these into your diet. Thankfully, you can get most of your daily nutritional requirements from eating a well-balanced and varied diet. It is best to rely on natural sources to get high-quality prebiotics and probiotics.

The easiest way to get high-quality probiotics is from fermented food. To get beneficial probiotics, you can eat fermented vegetables like kimchi, pickles, sauerkraut, and olives. However, make sure you keep these refrigerated, as heat can destroy the probiotic microorganisms found in them.

Other sources of probiotics include fermented soy products like tempeh and miso, cultured non-dairy yoghurts, non-dairy kefir, and kombucha beverages.

Same as probiotics, you can get your daily prebiotic fix by consuming an assortment of high-fibre foods. Probiotic-rich foods often contain prebiotics. To get extra prebiotics, you can try adding high-fibre food, including whole grains, vegetables, and fruits, to your diet.

Eat plenty of bananas, garlic, onions, berries, beans, legumes, Jerusalem artichokes, and peas. Oats, asparagus, dandelion greens, apple skin, leeks, and chicory roots are also good sources of prebiotics. Prebiotics are also added to certain protein bars and cereals, so be sure to check the labels before choosing them. Babies also need prebiotics, which they can get from the sugar in breast milk.

Should You Take Prebiotics and Probiotics Supplements?

Clearly, you can get plenty of prebiotics and probiotics from eating natural food sources. So, if you eat a balanced yet diverse diet, you may not need to take any supplements. However, if you do not eat a lot of probiotics and prebiotic-rich food, you may have to rely on supplements.

Even though an adult is expected to eat around 30 grams of fibre daily, most people only eat a third of that. Therefore, you should consider taking natural probiotics supplements if you do not regularly consume the recommended amount of fibre and consciously include good sources of probiotics and prebiotics such as fermented vegetables. In addition to probiotics and prebiotics, you can consider filling in your fibre requirements by taking supplements for soluble and insoluble fibres.

You should especially consider taking these supplements if you are taking antibiotics. Antibiotics are notorious for having many side effects on your body, including removing the healthy flora for good bacteria in the stomach. So, if you are taking antibiotics, take probiotic and prebiotic supplements alongside to reverse any disruptions caused to your healthy gut mechanism.

Try to take the supplements at the same time every day. While prebiotics can be taken at any time of the day, it is best to take probiotics on an empty stomach.

Wondering which probiotics and prebiotics supplements you should try? Go through our selection of 11 Best Probiotics & Digestives in Singapore to choose the one best suits your requirement.

Conclusion

Probiotics are good bacteria in your gut that help keeps your body healthy. On the other hand, prebiotics are plant fibres that serve as food for probiotics and promote their growth. From digestive health to immune health to even mental health - these microorganisms offer many benefits.

You can get sufficient probiotics and prebiotics from eating a balanced meal rich in fruits and vegetables. If you are accustomed to eating meals rich in sugary and processed food, you should consider taking organic prebiotic and probiotic supplements. These supplements will help maintain the right balance of microbiomes in your gut.