Probiotics and Prebiotics

Most people are somewhat familiar with probiotics. They are the "good" bacteria that live in our intestines, helping with digestion, maintaining a nice balance, and keeping down inflammation.  They are found in foods such as yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut and miso. They are also available in supplement form.

But what are Prebiotics? Prebiotics are food for the probiotics. They are fibers which are digested and eaten by the probiotics. Prebiotics keep our probiotic community healthy and happy. Prebiotics are found in fruits, vegetables and whole grains. These foods contain fibers such as inulin, mucilage and olioogsaccharides. We can not digest these fibers; they are insoluble fibers. But the probiotic colony can digest them and do thrive on them.

The best sources of these prebiotic fibers are found in foods such as apples, bananas, asparagus, garlic, onion, chicory root, flaxseed, seaweed, dandelion greens and leeks. They are also found in whole wheat, barley and oats. However I do not eat these since they also contain gluten. Prebiotics are also now available in supplement form.

Another prebiotic source that many people are familiar with is psyllium seed. This is the main ingredient in Metamucil. This fiber is great for constipation because it gets things moving. But it also supports and feeds the good bacteria. So in the Long run it can help balance things in the colon.

Prebiotics are also found in breast milk! Specifically, oligosaccharide. This prebiotic is now added to some baby formulas. This is nature's way of starting us off with a healthy gut.

It is also well studied, that a healthy gut environment supports a healthy immune system, lowers cholesterol and balances out blood sugar. So the take away here is to make sure to get enough of both probiotics and Prebiotics.