Believe it or not, your gut is the command centre that calls the shot for your entire digestive system. As long as it contains the ‘good’ bacteria, your stomach will be in prime condition. The moment scales tip on the other end of the spectrum, you’ll feel the side effects across your body. It affects your mood, immunity, headaches, sudden pain, etc.
But, how do you feed your ‘gut’ with good bacteria? Plug in the super-duo - prebiotics and probiotics. To define them in simple terms, probiotics are the ‘good’ bacteria that your gut needs and prebiotics are the fodder for these ‘good’ bacteria.
In this article, we’ll dive into the benefits of prebiotics and probiotics for gut health, provide a deeper understanding of these essential components, highlight the prebiotics and probiotics foods, and more.
The difference between prebiotics and probiotics
This section contains prebiotics and probiotics differences that will help you understand the reason why they’re important for your gut health.
Right off the bat, one aspect is clear that our body needs a healthy balance of prebiotics and probiotics for a happy gut. It nourishes your gut bacteria which is known as gut microbiota or gut flora.
Probiotics are live bacteria strains found in various foods or supplements. Once we consume them, our body gets to experience the health benefits of these probiotics instantly. After reading the previous sentence, if your find goes “What are the probiotics foods that I should consume?” then you’re on the right track. Some foods that contain probiotics are fermented foods such as yoghurt and sauerkraut.
Meanwhile, when we talk about prebiotics, they are high-fibre foods that are fodder for probiotics. The higher the number of prebiotics, the better will be your gut microbiota. Some prebiotic foods that give you the good-good fibres are fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.
Benefits of prebiotics and probiotics
Prebiotics and probiotics nourish your gut. Some of the key benefits that you’ll experience almost instantly are -
- Gastrointestinal health
- Digestive Health
- Mental health
- Improvement in general well-being such as reduced dependency on antibiotics
- Faster metabolism
- Improved digestion
- Better calcium absorption
Foods for prebiotics and probiotics
Prebiotics food
Listed are the foods that are rich in prebiotics -
- Legumes, beans, and peas
- Berries
- Bananas
- Oats
- Jerusalem artichokes (not the same as regular artichokes)
- Dandelion greens
- Asparagus
- Garlic
- Onions
Prebiotics food
Listed are the foods that are rich in probiotics -
- Sauerkraut
- Kimchi
- Kefir (dairy and nondairy)
- Leafy vegetables
- Kombucha tea
- Pickles (unpasteurized)
Who should avoid taking prebiotics and probiotics
Prebiotics and probiotics are mostly beneficial to our bodies, but since all our bodies are unique in their own way, some rare cases of flare-ups might occur. The severity will nonetheless be moderate and can be managed by a quick fix. People who should avoid taking prebiotics and probiotics are those facing small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) issues or irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). However, new research suggests that many strains of probiotics are actually useful in managing IBS symptoms. The best way to navigate the situation is to talk to your doctor or expert and get yourself examined.
Keeping a check on your gut bacteria is of utmost importance if you want to keep your digestive health in good shape. There are also many prebiotics and probiotics supplements that nourish your gut health such as three60 De-Stress & Happy Gut sachet. It is available in a powder format that gives you freedom from acidity & bloating while nurturing your gut microbiota with prebiotics and probiotics.
Eat the right type of prebiotics and probiotics foods and choose to follow a healthy lifestyle to ensure you and your gut are happy all day, every day!
