Prebiotics and Probiotics
What are probiotics?
Beneficial, live bacteria that are in food
What are prebiotics?
The food for the probiotics. We cannot digest prebiotics, but the microbes in our gut can, in order to benefit the host (us!)
What does this mean to ME?
Your gut has a relatively set number of microbes. By increasing the amount of good microbes (bacteria) you put into your body (by consuming pre/probiotics), you increase the amount of good bacteria thereby pushing out the bad bacteria because there is no longer room for it in the gut!
Where can I find pre/probiotics in my food?
| Foods high in prebiotics | Foods high in probiotics |
| Chicory root, Jerusalem artichoke, dandelian greens, garlic, leeks, raw onion, cooked onion, asparagus, banana | Live cultures (yogurt, kefir, kombucha), fermented foods/drinks (sauerkraut, pickles, kimchi-cabbage). |
Health benefits of probiotics:
- promotes immune function, protects gut surfaces, treats/prevents diarrhea, controls food allergies, lowers cholesterol, controls urogenital (yeast) infections, cancer prevention, reduces symptoms of celiac disease