Gut Health - What are Prebiotics, Probiotics and Postbiotics?

Prebiotics: Fuel for Your Friendly Gut Bacteria

Prebiotics are like food for the good bacteria living in your gut, helping them grow and thrive. These bacteria, like Lactobacillus, Akkermansia, and Bifidobacterium, play a big role in keeping you healthy. Think of prebiotics as the fuel that keeps this beneficial ecosystem going strong!

Why Are Prebiotics So Important?

Eating a variety of prebiotics helps create a diverse and thriving community of bacteria in your gut, which is fantastic for your overall health. Studies show that the more different types of bacteria you have, the better it is for your gut—and for your whole body! On the flip side, having fewer types of bacteria is linked to conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, digestive issues, and even mental health challenges.

Every type of bacteria has its own special job. So, the more variety you have, the more health benefits you can enjoy. By eating more prebiotics, you're helping with digestion, boosting your immune system, and even protecting yourself from infections.

Where Can You Find Prebiotics?

You can easily add more prebiotics to your diet by eating foods like:

• Pulses and legumes

• Whole grains (like rye, millet, wheat, and oats)

• Cooked and cooled potatoes

• Onions, leeks, and garlic

• Bananas, chicory, and asparagus

• Pistachios, cashews, and Jerusalem artichokes

You'll also find them in colorful fruits and veggies, thanks to plant pigments called polyphenols. Some examples include:

• Berries (like cranberries and blueberries)

• Red grapes

• Green and oolong tea

• Coffee, cacao, and pomegranate

If you need a little extra boost, prebiotics are also available as supplements. They're especially helpful if you're looking to address things like constipation or a low immune system. Some common prebiotic supplements include:

• Partially hydrolyzed guar gum (PHGG)

• Galactooligosaccharides (GOS)

• Fructooligosaccharides (FOS)

• Inulin

• Acacia fiber

For example, PHGG can help keep your bowel movements regular, while GOS may help with digestion, reduce anxiety, and even improve sleep quality.

Probiotics: Live Helpers for Your Gut

Probiotics are live bacteria and yeast that are great for your health, especially your digestive system. You can get them through certain foods or in supplement form, and they’re like little team players that support the good bacteria already in your body.

How Do Probiotics Help You?

Probiotics are like tiny superheroes working behind the scenes in your body. They help create a healthy balance in your gut and make it stronger against infections by crowding out harmful bacteria. Probiotics also support your immune system, improve your mood, and can even help manage blood sugar levels.

Where Can You Find Probiotics?

You can find probiotics in delicious fermented foods like:

• Yogurt, kefir, and aged cheeses

• Kombucha

• Sauerkraut and kimchi

• Miso and sourdough bread

• Tempeh

Probiotic supplements are another option, and they come in all shapes and sizes. When choosing a supplement, look for specific strains that target the areas you want to improve. For example, Lactobacillus plantarum Rosell-1012 is great for gut health.

Different probiotic strains have different superpowers, helping with everything from constipation and gut inflammation to boosting your mood and immunity.

Postbiotics: The Gifts Probiotics Leave Behind

Postbiotics are the helpful by-products left behind by probiotics, including things like short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and even dead bacteria. Don’t let the name fool you—these postbiotics continue to give your health a boost!

What Do Postbiotics Do for You?

Postbiotics are known for their incredible benefits, especially SCFAs. For example, the tangy flavor of sourdough bread comes from acids made by the bacteria during fermentation. These acids not only make the bread taste delicious, but they also help keep bad bacteria at bay.

In your gut, postbiotics like butyric acid help strengthen the gut lining and can even improve your mood. Lactic acid, produced in the vagina, helps protect against infections like thrush.

How to Get More Postbiotics

To increase postbiotics in your body, it’s all about feeding your gut! Eating prebiotic-rich foods helps your gut bacteria produce these beneficial by-products. You can also get postbiotics by enjoying fermented foods that are packed with probiotics.

Supplements like PHGG can also help encourage the growth of bacteria that produce health-promoting SCFAs, like butyrate, in your gut.

By supporting your gut with prebiotics, probiotics, and postbiotics, you’re helping your whole body stay happy and healthy!

If you want to learn more, lets get in touch.

Love,

Elle