All About Prebiotics
Date:
06 Dec 2024
Our gut relies on both prebiotics and probiotics to stay healthy. While most people are familiar with probiotics, prebiotics also play a crucial role in supporting the good bacteria in our gut.
In this article, we’ll look at what prebiotics are and how they support our gut bacteria!
What Are Prebiotics?
Prebiotics are quite different from probiotics. While probiotics introduce more beneficial bacteria to our gut, prebiotics serve as fuel for these healthy bacteria. Essentially, prebiotics are types of carbohydrates that your body can’t digest. Instead, they pass to the lower digestive tract, where they are consumed by beneficial gut microbes. This process produces short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), which help support the gut lining and encourage healthy bacteria to grow and multiply 1 .
On the other hand, probiotics are live yeasts and good bacteria that inhabit the body and benefit the digestive system.
Sources of Prebiotics
Prebiotics are naturally present in a variety of foods, including onions, garlic, oats, nuts, cabbage, leeks, and barley. Other prebiotic sources include dietary fibre found in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, pulses, legumes, nuts, and seeds 2 .
Technically, all food feeds our gut microbes. However, for optimal gut health, it’s best to consume a variety of plant-based whole foods. This allows for a diverse and thriving gut microbiome. In other words, aim to “eat the rainbow” for the best results!
Benefits of Prebiotics
Prebiotics provide numerous benefits, such as improved digestion and metabolism, regulated bowel movements, enhanced bone density, reduced inflammation, regulated blood sugar, appetite suppression, and even reduced risk of disease 1 .
Much of these benefits are due to the fibre and antioxidant content in prebiotics. When we consume foods rich in prebiotics, our beneficial gut bacteria increase, which positively affects nearly every aspect of our physical health.
When Should We Take Prebiotics?
Prebiotics can be enjoyed at any time of day, but consuming them after probiotics can maximise their benefits 2 . This sequence allows gut bacteria to multiply more effectively.
For instance, you could take probiotics first thing in the morning and then consume prebiotics throughout your meals during the day.
Conclusion
To sum up, prebiotics play an essential role in maintaining our gut health, as well as our overall physical and mental well-being. We should aim to consume them as regularly as possible.
Another interesting benefit of prebiotics is their impact on mental health. Recent studies suggest that a healthy gut can positively influence our mood and mental clarity, possibly due to the gut-brain connection. So, when we’re nourishing our gut microbes, we may also be supporting a healthier mind.
The good news is that most prebiotics are found in delicious, nutrient-dense whole foods, and there’s a wide variety to choose from. By eating a diverse, colourful diet, we can keep our gut microbes well-nourished.
Related articles:
8 Proven Health Benefits of Prebiotics
20 Prebiotic Foods for Gut Health
