WHAT ARE PREBIOTICS AND PROBIOTICS?
Gut health is a rather trendy topic at the moment with more and more research revealing the importance of our gut microbiota in maintaining optimal health. Our gut is home to trillions of different bacteria that have been shown to play an important role in digestive and mental health including anxiety and depression, skin health, immune function and weight management to name a few. An imbalance in gut microbiota can lead to a reduction in ‘good’ bacteria and an overpopulation of ‘bad’ bacteria which could contribute to numerous conditions including IBS, autoimmune conditions and obesity.
The inclusion of prebiotics and probiotics have been shown to support the numbers of ‘good bacteria’ and promote gut and overall general health. Read on to find out a little bit more about what they are and where you can find them.
What are prebiotics?
Prebiotics are non-digestible types of fibre found in food which your gut bacteria feed off. Prebiotics are fermented by gut bacteria and can alter the composition of the gut microbiome, enabling ‘good’ bacteria to thrive, multiply and colonise within the gut. They can be found in various plant based foods as well as supplements. Food sources include:
Leeks
Chicory
Onions
Garlic
Bananas
Jerusalem Artichokes
Oats
What are probiotics?
Probiotics are live bacteria and yeasts thought to increase the numbers of ‘beneficial’ bacteria in the gut whilst reducing the numbers of ‘harmful’ bacteria. Probiotics can be found in certain foods as well as supplements. There are hundreds of different strains of bacteria, each having a different effect on your body. Certain fermented foods are thought to contain probiotics and can easily be incorporated into your daily nutritional intake:
Sauerkraut
Kimchi
Miso
Kefir
Kombucha
Yoghurt
Although including prebiotic and probiotic foods can be helpful in supporting our gut microbiota, other factors such as sleep, nutritional diversity, fibre intake, exercise and stress are equally important in maintaining optimal gut health. More info coming soon...
