What are the differences between prebiotics and probiotics?

Prebiotics and Probiotics are both important for ensuring a healthy intestinal tract. They are two different foods and have different uses. But they work together and make a healthy digestive system.

What is prebiotics?

Prebotics helps nourish beneficial bacteria in the gut. In the gut of every person there are trillions of bacteria, including both beneficial and harmful ones. Good bacteria help your digestive system work smoothly, while harmful bacteria are the cause of digestive problems. Eating foods containing prebiotics helps beneficial bacteria work better . Imagine prebiotics as fertilizer for the bacterial garden, they help the beneficial bacteria grow stronger.

Eating foods containing prebiotics helps beneficial bacteria work better.(Image source: Rimma Bondarenko / Shutterstock).

Prebiotics can be found in plant fibers. They are found in fruits, nuts, vegetables, and even as a dietary supplement. Some prebiotic foods include: apples, artichokes, asparagus, bananas, barley, legumes, berries, flax seeds, garlic, greens, baro onions, oats, onions , peas, seaweed, soy, tomatoes and wheat .

These foods contain a variety of complex carbs that cannot be digested by humans (fiber, for example), but when they enter the stomach and intestines, they will be "cleaned" by the beneficial bacteria there .

If you do not eat a lot of the above foods and have digestive problems, you can use supplements containing prebiotics to improve the situation.

What is probiotics?

Probiotics are bacteria that benefit your gut. Probiotics are not a fertilizer to keep the microbial garden inside your digestive system fresh, but they are good bacteria for the digestive system. Adding probiotics is similar to adding plants to your garden.

Whether you take probiotics from food or supplements, they are all living things. Not all probiotics are created equal, some probiotics have more strains of bacteria than others.

Probiotics are often found in fermented foods. For example: acidophilus fermented milk, kefir milk mushrooms, kimchi, kombucha nourishing tea, pickled sauerkraut, tempeh (fermented soybean cake) and yogurt .

Probiotics are often added to the human body with supplements. These types of food are very good for those who often have abdominal pain, diarrhea or constipation.

The addition of both prebiotics and probiotics will help the beneficial bacteria in your digestive system be nourished and always work well. Ask your doctor if you have a stomach ache, he or she will recommend a number of bacteria to suit your condition and give you a healthier diet.