A recent survey found that 84% of Americans are interested in foods and products that support gut health. Still, with products touting probiotic or prebiotic benefits, many consumers are unaware of how these elements influence the gut microbiome and contribute to overall health. That's why I set out to explain the difference between prebiotics and probiotics and discuss how they can impact your well-being.
Below, I'll address prebiotics vs. probiotics to help you better understand how consuming foods rich in these ingredients and dietary supplements like Live it Up Super Greens can aid digestion, support immunity, increase nutrient absorption, help with inflammation, and more.
Prebiotics vs. Probiotics at a Glance
First, let's compare prebiotics and probiotics side by side:
| Probiotics | Prebiotics | |
| Definition | Live beneficial bacteria that reside in the gut and contribute to digestive health | Non-digestible fibers that serve as food for probiotics |
| Best For | Restoring gut balance and contributing to overall gut health | Stimulating and supporting the growth of good bacteria |
| Function | Create a healthy gut environment to aid digestion and support immune function | Feed and support the growth of good bacteria in the gut |
| Sources | Probiotic supplements, yogurt, kefir, and other fermented foods | Prebiotic supplements and certain fruits, veggies, and whole grains |
What Is a Prebiotic?
A prebiotic is a type of fiber naturally found in certain foods. It is a non-digestible carbohydrate that feeds beneficial bacteria in the gut. When the healthy bacteria eat the prebiotics, this process is called fermentation.
Prebiotics maintain healthy gut flora, helping the live microorganisms to function and thrive in the gut microbiome. Examples of prebiotics include inulin, galactooligosaccharides (GOS), and fructooligosaccharides (FOS).
It's important to note that while all prebiotics are fiber, not all dietary fiber is a prebiotic. Other kinds of dietary fiber, such as soluble and insoluble fiber, do not stimulate gut bacteria growth and, therefore, are not considered prebiotics.
Prebiotic Sources
Prebiotics naturally occur in some fruits, vegetables, legumes, and whole grains. Some examples of prebiotic food sources include the following:
- Bananas
- Burdock root
- Barley grass
- Dandelion greens
- Wheatgrass
- Onions
- Garlic
What Are Probiotics?
Probiotics refer to the beneficial bacteria that the prebiotics feed. They are live microorganisms, such as healthy bacteria and yeast, which help maintain gut microbiome balance. Foods rich in probiotics add friendly microbes to your gut and help fight off the harmful bacteria that could cause infections, imbalances, or viruses.
Lactobacillus genus and Bifidobacterium genus are examples of common probiotics.
Probiotic Sources
Now, let's look at some probiotic foods containing live and active cultures of bacteria. Some of the most popular sources of probiotics include fermented foods, such as the following:
- Kimchi
- Yogurt
- Kefir
- Sauerkraut
- Miso
- Kombucha
- Pickled vegetables
Potential Health Benefits
Next, let's cover some of the health benefits of prebiotics and probiotics and how they could impact you.
Prebiotic Benefits
Prebiotics fuel probiotics. They stimulate the growth of good gut bacteria, creating a healthy gut microbiome that contributes to overall health.
During fermentation, when the probiotics consume the prebiotics, they produce short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs). These byproducts may support metabolic health, provide anti-inflammatory benefits, and limit digestive issues like gas and bloating.
Consuming different prebiotic foods may offer additional health benefits, such as
- Regulating bowel movements
- Supporting immune function
- Enhancing nutrient absorption
- Improving calcium absorption
Probiotic Benefits
Are probiotics good for you? Yes! Probiotics offer a number of health benefits. As you now know, probiotics introduce good bacteria into the gut, which helps support a healthy gut microbiome. But why is a healthy gut important in the first place? Your gut plays a vital role in your health.
For one, your gut needs probiotics (the helpful bacteria) to break down food, absorb nutrients, and aid digestion. Probiotics in your gut can also:
- Help support your immune system, as they may reduce inflammation
- Strengthen your intestinal barrier
- Fight off harmful bacteria, viruses, and parasites that could compromise your health
- Impact your mental health
The gut-brain axis is a network of nerves connecting your gut to your brain. When you consume probiotic-rich foods, the good bacteria can improve the gut environment, sending signals to your brain, which may help boost your mood, improve cognitive function, and even lower stress and anxiety levels.
Possible Side Effects
While there are undoubtedly many benefits to consuming probiotics and prebiotics, it's essential to understand some potential side effects. We recommend speaking with your healthcare provider or registered dietitian if you experience any concerning symptoms or have additional questions regarding prebiotics versus probiotics.
Prebiotic Side Effects
The good news is that prebiotics are generally well-tolerated when you gradually introduce them into your diet. That said, you may experience mild side effects, especially if you consume probiotic foods in large doses.
Some common side effects include gas, bloating, diarrhea, and other digestive issues. If you struggle with digesting fiber or are following a low-FODMAP diet, it's best to consume prebiotics in small quantities.
Probiotic Side Effects
Probiotics tend to have fewer side effects than prebiotics. That said, introducing new strains into your diet may cause minor disruptions, like digestive issues or headaches, until your body adjusts to them. It's also important to note that your body may react differently to different probiotic strains, depending on the health of your gut.
Start with a small dose and gradually increase the dosage as your body gets used to it. If you experienced prolonged symptoms or severe constipation or diarrhea, stop taking probiotics and talk to a healthcare professional about switching strains.
How to Use Prebiotics vs. Probiotics
Eating probiotics and prebiotics can benefit your health in various ways, so let's take a closer look at how to increase your daily intake.
Prebiotic Recommendations
Many people receive the daily recommended dose of prebiotics simply by consuming 25 to 28 grams of fiber. For instance, eating fiber-rich plant foods like Jerusalem artichokes, asparagus, leeks, broccoli, and oats can help you increase your prebiotic intake.
You can also take prebiotic supplements to increase the amount of prebiotics in your diet. These supplements usually contain four to five grams of prebiotics, such as FOS or inulin.
Another option is to look for a greens powder that contains prebiotics or prebiotic-rich ingredients. For example, the Live it Up Super Greens' formula is packed with prebiotic foods, such as barley grass and alfalfa leaf. Meanwhile, the Bloom Greens blend features probiotics like blue agave inulin and chicory root fructo-oligosaccharides.
Probiotic Recommendations
The daily recommended dose of probiotics is between 1 and 10 billion colony-forming units (CFUs) from multiple strains, with 5 billion being the sweet spot. A colony-forming unit is a measurement used to determine the number of live bacteria or yeast in the food or supplement.
Consuming fermented foods is one way to increase your probiotic intake. For example, one gram of sauerkraut may contain anywhere from 1 million to 1 billion CFUs of probiotics.
As we've seen with prebiotics, you can take probiotic supplements with live microorganisms, too. Many greens powders also contain multiple strains of probiotics, such as Live it Up Super Greens, which offers four different strains.
Why Try Live it Up Super Greens for Gut Support
While probiotics can work independently, adding prebiotics to the mix can help gut bacteria thrive. Therefore, I encourage my clients to eat both prebiotic and probiotic foods to achieve a well-balanced diet. But even then, we may not receive adequate amounts to make a direct health impact.
That's why I'm a big proponent of greens powders. Regardless of your individual health needs and goals, dietary supplements rich in prebiotics and probiotics can contribute to a healthy gut and help boost overall wellness.
Live it Up Super Greens is my go-to supplement, and I recommend it to all my clients. The nutrient-dense formula contains an effective dose of probiotics (five billion CFUs) from four different strains: Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus casei, Bifidobacterium bifidum, and Bifidobacterium lactis. While the Supplemental Facts do not specifically list prebiotics, the formula contains 3g of dietary fiber from prebiotic-rich ingredients such as wheat grass, barley grass, and alfalfa leaf.
The Live it Up formula also contains all-natural ingredients, digestive enzymes, and organic greens packed with vitamins and nutrients, which can help fill nutritional gaps. Furthermore, the affordable greens powder comes in two pleasant flavors, making it easy to incorporate into your daily routine.
Frequently Asked Questions
Review our FAQs below to learn more about prebiotics and probiotics.
What’s the difference between probiotics and prebiotics?
Probiotics are live bacteria or yeast that are introduced into the gut microbiome, while prebiotics are the compounds that the probiotics feed on.
Probiotics create microbial balance, taking up gut space while fighting off harmful pathogens. They can also strengthen the gut barrier and support immunity. Meanwhile, prebiotics are non-digestible food ingredients that fuel the probiotics during fermentation, releasing beneficial byproducts that can support gut health, digestion, and the immune system.
Are probiotics good for you?
Yes, probiotics offer many health benefits. Consuming probiotic supplements and fermented foods helps create good bacteria in your gut, which can support your immune system and digestive health. They can also help with digestive issues and may even support mental health due to the direct pathways between the brain and gut.
Are probiotics vegan?
Yes, some probiotics are vegan. For example, those that come from plant-based sources, such as fruits and vegetables, are considered vegan. However, those that come from probiotic foods like yogurt, cheese, and other dairy products are not. You can also purchase vegan probiotic supplements like Live it Up Super Greens, which are a good solution for those who follow a diet that excludes animal byproducts.
What are postbiotics?
Postbiotics are byproducts of the fermentation process during which the probiotics feed on the prebiotics. Short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) are examples of postbiotics that appear when good bacteria break down dietary fiber. Postbiotics can have beneficial effects on the body, as they support the gut microbiome and help the immune system.
Is it better to take prebiotics or probiotics?
Consuming both prebiotics and probiotics is best to support a healthy diet, as they work in tandem to support gut health. After all, the prebiotics act as food for the probiotics, helping good bacteria grow and thrive in the gut. There are several ways to consume both, such as taking prebiotic and probiotic supplements, eating prebiotic and probiotic foods, and choosing a green supplement, like Live it Up Super Greens, which contains these ingredients.
References
- https://hartdesign.com/industry-news/consumers-have-become-much-more-concerned-with-gut-health/
- https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/probiotics-and-prebiotics#benefits
- https://www.webmd.com/diet/foods-high-in-prebiotic
- https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/14598-probiotics
- https://www.verywellhealth.com/short-chain-fatty-acids-5219806#toc-digestive-health-benefits-of-scfas
- https://www.brownhealth.org/be-well/importance-prebiotics#
- https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/probiotics-may-help-boost-mood-and-cognitive-function#
- https://www.verywellhealth.com/prebiotics-and-ibs-1944748
- https://www.health.harvard.edu/nutrition/what-are-postbiotics
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