Is there a difference between prebiotics and probiotics?
And, if so, do you need to take both regularly?
Many people are familiar with probiotics, especially if you read this blog since I talk about them often, but it’s prebiotics that don’t get as much attention. This is actually a big mistake since they’re just as important to gut health.
That’s why I’m diving into the differences between prebiotics vs probiotics in this short guide to help you quickly decipher between the two.
Before I get to that though, I’ll briefly explain why it pays to focus on your gut health first:
Why Your Gut Health is So Important
I’ve talked about the importance of gut health in a previous guide so I won’t spend too much time going over it here.
Put simply, 75% of your immune system lives in your gut (crazy, right?!), over 100 million neurons that send signals about your safety are also found there, whether or not you absorb nutrients properly is based on your gut health, and your gut health can help facilitate your metabolism.
With an out-of-whack gut, you’ll likely see uncomfortable side effects such as:
- Bloating
- Gas
- Constipation
- Heartburn
- Diarrhea
- Fatigue
- Low energy
- Eczema, skin rashes, hives
That’s why it pays to focus on your gut health so that you can avoid these unwanted symptoms.
Improving your gut health can also improve your overall health so it’s worth putting some effort in here.
That leads us to the next point: how do you do that?
Enter:
Prebiotics vs Probiotics: Here’s What You Need to Know
If you’re a regular reader of my site (thank you!), then you’ve heard me talk a few times about probiotics.
Again, I won’t go into too much detail here but I will offer a brief recap so we’re all on the same page.
What are Probiotics?
Probiotics are microorganisms (this can be bacteria, yeasts, etc.) that help to maintain your gut’s healthy bacteria balance.
They do this by ensuring that the bad, pathogenic bacteria doesn’t take over your gut, which can lead to unwanted illnesses and those crappy symptoms I just talked about.
They also help to restore a healthy bacteria balance if it does go out-of-whack so that you can get back to optimal health.
Some other roles of probiotics include lowering the intestinal pH balance if it gets too high, preventing bad bacteria from colonizing and taking over, and altering the immune response to ward off harmful pathogens. That’s why probiotics are so essential for keeping your immunity strong and helpful for digestive health.
Top Sources of Probiotics
You can take probiotic supplements or load up on these probiotic-rich fermented foods:
- Unflavored kefir or yogurt
- Sauerkraut (I personally eat this practically every day)
- Miso
- Pickles
- Kimchi
- Kombucha
But before you run off to grab yourself some probiotics, it’s important to know that this is only one side of the equation.
You don’t just need probiotics to maintain a healthy gut and immune system, you also need prebiotics too.
What are Prebiotics?
Prebiotics are nutrients that specifically feed your good gut bacteria so that they can thrive.
You can think of prebiotics as food or fuel for your gut microflora.
Because prebiotics are resistant to your stomach’s pH and they’re indigestible, they’re not absorbed by your gastrointestinal tract and, instead, they pass through undigested so that they can reach your gut bacteria.
There, they provide essential nutrients to help your digestive system perform at its best.
So while probiotics keep your gut bacteria in balance, prebiotics are busy keeping the good bacteria fed.
Top Sources of Prebiotics
You can find prebiotics in a number of different food sources, including:
- Apples
- Asparagus
- Bananas
- Beans
- Garlic
- Jerusalem artichokes
- Leeks
- Onions
- Tomatoes
- Peas
So as long as you’re regularly consuming these foods in a decent quantity, you’ll be feeding your bacteria with a healthy dose of prebiotics.
The next question becomes:
Do you need both prebiotics and probiotics in your diet?
Absolutely!
They each serve a specific purpose, as I mentioned earlier.
Prebiotics feed your good bacteria so that they can stay plentiful and thrive, which helps them fight off unwanted pathogens and bad bacteria.
Probiotics, on the other hand, ensure that the balance of bacteria in your gut is optimal.
When bad bacteria take over, it can lead to those unwanted symptoms I discussed earlier so probiotics work hard to keep the perfect balance in your gut.
To keep your gut happy and your gut health strong, make sure you’re consuming both pre and probiotics regularly.
You can do this by eating the foods I listed a moment ago and by supplementing with a probiotic regularly, both of which I do and highly recommend.
Final Thoughts on Prebiotics vs Probiotics
If you made it to this point in my guide, you now know the difference between prebiotics vs probiotics and you understand just how important each one is to your gut health.
Remember, your gut is a crucial component to staying healthy and performing at your best so it pays to put in the work to keep it happy and thriving.
Fortunately, that’s not hard to do.
Simply consuming prebiotics and probiotics regularly are easy and effective ways to improve your digestion, immune system, and overall health.
So be sure to add them to your list of must-have ingredients to eat each day and you’ll be in good shape!
Sending you better gut health vibes,
Devan
P.S. Have any questions on this topic? Shoot me an email at devan@behappynothangry.com or simply add a comment down below. I’d love to hear from you!