Prebiotics or Probiotics: Which is More Important?

Prebiotics or Probiotics: Which is More Important?

Probiotics have taken the nation by storm. They have the power to improve digestion, blood sugar levels, and your immune system, but do you also realize the power prebiotics have? Prebiotics are a type of fiber the body cannot digest. They benefit the balance and growth of bacteria in the colon, meaning they serve as the fuel for probiotics. 

So which is more important, prebiotics or probiotics? They are actually equally as important, because without prebiotics, probiotics would not have the power they do.

The difference between prebiotics and probiotics 

If prebiotics are like fertilizer for your microbial lawn, probiotics are like grass seeds, with the healthy lawn representing your colon. 

Prebiotics are a type of fiber that the human body cannot digest and they serve as food for probiotics. Probiotics are tiny living microorganisms, which include healthy bacteria and yeast. It is the combination of them working together that creates the best health benefits. 

Benefits of prebiotics and probiotics

The benefits of prebiotics and probiotics are abundant. They can calm stomach issues and reduce serious health problems, like obesity and heart disease. Studies have also shown prebiotics can reduce your cortisol, the stress hormone, levels, acting as an anti-anxiety aid. A 2014 analysis of 24 trials also found that probiotics could help prevent the life-threatening disease necrotizing enterocolitis in preterm infants. 

Those are just some of the benefits of prebiotics and probiotics. Prebiotics may also improve calcium absorption, change how quickly the body can process carbs, and support the probiotic growth of gut bacteria, potentially enhancing digestion and metabolism. Probiotics also benefit general health. A 2017 review of Cochrane reviews found that probiotics may decrease the need for antibiotics, school absences from colds, the incidence of ventilator-assisted pneumonia, gestational diabetes, vaginal infections, and eczema. 

However, the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health found that probiotics may not be safe for certain people with serious underlying medical conditions. So, ask your doctor before you begin taking prebiotics and probiotics. 

Where can you find them

Prebiotics 

• Asparagus 
• Artichokes
• Onions
• Green bananas
• Chicory root
• Leeks
• Sweet potatoes
• High-fiber fruits, vegetables, and whole grains

Probiotics 

• Yogurt
• Kefir
• Fermented foods, like sauerkraut and kimchi
• Kombucha
• Traditional fermented buttermilk
• Fermented cheese

Pick up some of the foods next time you are grocery shopping to create a delicious, prebiotic and probiotic-rich meal.