The Difference Between Prebiotics & Probiotics

What are Prebiotics?

Prebiotics are a group of nutrients found in food that help stimulate the growth of good bacteria in your gut (Davani-Davari et al., 2019). Prebiotics act as “food” for the microorganisms in your gut, helping to support healthy flora. While prebiotics can be found in food, they exist in somewhat low quantities, so scientists are increasing the production of prebiotic supplements to increase availability (Davani-Davari et al., 2019). Prebiotic foods and drinks can easily be found at your local grocery store.

Food Sources of Prebiotics:

(Davani-Davari et al., 2019)

• Asparagus

• Sugar beet

• Garlic

• Wheat

• Honey

• Tomato

• Rye

• Soybean

• Peas

• Seaweeds

• Bananas

What are Probiotics?

Probiotics provide microorganisms that help support healthy gut flora, which in turn supports your overall immune system functioning (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, n.d.). There is a strong link between gut health and overall health, taking care of your gut offers a strong foundation for the rest of your body to function properly. Probiotics contain some of the actual  microorganisms that “feed” off of prebiotics. 

Food Sources of Probiotics :

• Fermented foods, including (but not limited to):

  • Yogurt

  • Kefir

  • Kimchi

  • Miso

Do I Need to Take Probiotic Supplements?

Most people are able to maintain healthy gut flora without having to take a probiotic supplement. Often, probiotics are only necessary during and after a course of antibiotic treatment. If you’re interested in learning more about your personal gut health, we recommend scheduling a visit with one of our practitioners.

• Dr. Ashok Bhandari

• Dr. Kiran Bhandari

• Dr. Eva Miller

• Dr. David Deichert

• Dr. Maiko Ochi

• Dr. Jene Ferrante

• Dr. Michael Brawner

• Dr. Hilla Asadi

• Dr. Steven LaBrecque

• Dr. Tiffany Althaus

Reference

Davani-Davari, D., Negahdaripour, M., Karimzadeh, I., Seifan, M., Mohkam, M., Masoumi, S. J., Berenjian, A., & Ghasemi, Y. (2019). Prebiotics: Definition, Types, Sources, Mechanisms, and Clinical Applications. Foods (Basel, Switzerland), 8(3), 92. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods8030092

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (n.d.). Probiotics: What you need to know. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/probiotics-what-you-need-to-know