1. WHAT ARE PRE- BIOTICS AND PRO- BIOTICS?
Prebiotics are a special type of complex carbohydrate found in a
variety of foods and food supplements that naturally feed the ‘good’
types of bacteria in your gut, such as lactobacilli and bifidobacteria.
Probiotics are live so-called ‘friendly’ or ‘good’ bacteria found in a
variety of foods and food supplements. These include bacteria such as
lactobacilli and bifidobacteria.
2. WHAT DO THEY DO?
Prebiotics feed and increase the friendly bacteria in your gut, without
feeding bad microorganisms or pathogens. These ‘good’ bacteria play
a significant role in bolstering your immune system and keeping your
digestive system healthy.
Probiotic bacteria play a number of vital roles in the body, including
helping to regulate the immune system, aiding the digestion and
absorption of food, producing essential vitamins, and contributing to
digestive health.
3. HOW DO THEY WORK?
Prebiotics are resistant to heat, oxygen, the body’s enzymes and acids,
and are therefore not destroyed, digested or absorbed as they travel
through your digestive system. They reach the colon intact, where
they feed your naturally occurring good bacteria, helping them to
grow and multiply.
Probiotics are ‘perishable’ bacteria. As with most bacteria they are
susceptible to heat and oxygen. Journeying through the body, they
come into contact with enzymes and acids in our mouth and stomach,
which can kill the bacteria. Those that reach the lower part of the gut
must compete with other types of bacteria present to get established.
A high intake of the bacteria is therefore necessary to see any
benefits.
4.WHAT MAKES THEM A ‘PERFECT DUO’?
Ultimately, prebiotics, or "good" bacteria promoters, and probiotics,
or "good" bacteria, work together synergistically. In other words,
prebiotics are breakfast, lunch and dinner for probiotics, which
restores and can improve GI health. Products that combine these
together are called synbiotics. The bottom line: At a minimum,
prebiotics and probiotics are keys for good gut health. Incorporating
health-promoting functional foods, such as foods containing
prebiotics and probiotics, into the diet aids in creating a healthier you.
5. WHERE CAN YOU GET THEM?
FOOD SOURCES OF PRE-BIOTICS:
-Onions
-Leeks
-Radishes
-Carrots
-Coconut Meat & Flour
-Flax and Chia Seeds
-Tomatoes
-Bananas
-Garlic
-Chicory Root
-Asparagus
-Yams
FOOD SOURCES OF PRO-BIOTICS:
-Yogurt (with live cultures)
-Kimchi (a spicy fermented cabbage common in the Korean diet)
-Dark chocolate (a good, high-quality chocolate)
-Pickles
-Natto (a fermented soybean)
-Some soft cheeses (such as Gouda) contain Lactobacilli bacteria
-Sourdough bread may also contain Lactobacilli
-Fruits such as bananas and tomatoes
-Vegetables like artichokes, green beans, leeks
-Whole-grain breads
-Honey