Prebiotics vs probiotics: What’s the difference & why we need them

There’s more to probiotics and prebiotics than Yakult. Get to grips with your gut health, microbiome and ways to maintain it

Text: Kritika S

While prebiotics and probiotics are not the most sexy subject (indeed, they’re up there with root canal treatment and ingrowing hair removal), when it comes to our holistic health and wellbeing, they’re a big deal and creating a buzz right now. Put them together and you have a powerful duo that aim to boost gut health, microbiome and bead bad bacteria. Read on to discover what’s the difference between prebiotics and probiotics and why we need them.

Ready to get down and dirty? Despite sounding similar, prebiotics and probiotics both play different roles in your gut health. Probiotics are beneficial bacteria found in certain foods or supplements. Prebiotics are types of fibre that feed the friendly bacteria in your digestive system. As the bacteria — also known as gut flora or gut microbiome (yes, yuck) — performs many important functions in your body, it’s essential to keep it tip-top.

The microbiome in our gut has a huge impact on our health. Although most of us are oblivious to its presence, it’s a star player in our overall health and can even affect our mood and behaviour. The key to a healthy gut microbiome is to create balance amongst microbes like bacteria, viruses and fungi residing in our gut. There are two ways of doing this — one is giving your microbes food to help them grow like prebiotics; the other is adding living microbes directly into your system like probiotics.

Prebiotics vs probiotics 

Prebiotics are a food source for the friendly bacteria in your intestinal tract and can be found in fruits and vegetables, especially complex carbohydrates such as fibre and resistant starch. As they aren’t digestible, they end their journey in the colon to become nutritional food for the growth of bacteria and microbes there.

Probiotics are live microorganisms cultured in a lab to be used as a supplement. Like prebiotics, you can take probiotics in the form of food or supplements. Yoghurt is the most common. When we consume them, they stay in the gut and add to the already populated healthy microbes and good bacteria. 

Sources of prebiotics and probiotics 

Making a healthy diet choice is all you need to boost your prebiotic and probiotic intake. Here are our top choices:

Prebiotics

·      Fibre-rich foods — Fruits, vegetables and whole grains

·      Potatoes — Ideally a boiled and cooled potato, since starch is more resistant to digestion

·      Bananas — Green, less-ripe bananas are rich in resistant starch 

·      Jerusalem artichokes 

·      Chicory root

·      Garlic

·      Onions

·      Oats

Probiotics

·      Yoghurt 

·      Kombucha — a fermented tea

·      Tempeh — fermented soybeans

·      Sauerkraut — fermented cabbage

·      Kimchi

·      Miso

·      Sourdough bread

·      Pickles

Whatsupp?

The ideal ratio between the good and bad bacteria in your intestine should be 85:15 respectively. If the good bacteria dips less than 85 percent, you might experience indigestion, bloating, diarrhea, constipation or a change in appetite. Along with looking at your diet, you could also consider taking probiotic supplements which can help bring your gut closer to the 85:15 ratio. 

The dosage for probiotics ranges from brand to brand but a supplement should offer at least 1 billion CFUs per dose for adults (CFUs are the number of good micro-organisms in each serving). However, your physician or nutritionist can help with you this depending on your condition. 

There is currently no evidence that suggests taking prebiotics and probiotics together is harmful, but people suffering from serious illnesses should speak to a doctor before consumption. As helpful as they can be, they’re not the only answer to a healthier gut. Maintain a healthy lifestyle and see your probiotics as the icing on the cake.  

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding your health. 

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