Prebiotics and Probiotics Work Together to Make A Healthy Gut Microbiome
Prebiotics and probiotics work together to make a healthy gut microbiome. Since the gut microbiome is the control center for your overall health, creating a healthy gut microbiome is the gateway to being healthy.
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What are Prebiotics?
Prebiotic is a food source needed to grow healthy or friendly bacteria in your intestinal tract. Our digestive tract can’t break down prebiotics and eventually reach the colon, large intestine where they can help grow the healthy or friendly bacteria. Prebiotics are found in foods which contain dietary fiber like vegetables, fruits and legumes and beans.
Friendly bacteria then turn the dietary fiber into a short-chain fatty acid called butyrate. Research suggests butyrate may help prevent or treat Irritable Bowel Disease, Crohn’s disease, and colon cancer. However, you need dietary fiber to create butyrate.
Most Americans are not getting adequate amounts of dietary fiber due to high intakes of ultra-processed foods. The average American only eating about 16 grams of dietary fiber per day.*
*The USDA’s Dietary Guidelines for Americans suggest the following amounts of fiber:
- Women under 50: 25 to 28 grams per day
- Men under 50: 31 to 34 grams per day
- Women 51 and older: 22 grams per day
- Men 51 and older: 28 grams per day
Children ages 1 to 18 should eat 14 to 31 grams of fiber per day, depending on their age and sex. Even higher fiber intakes, seen in countries around the world, may significantly reduce chronic disease risk.
Foods high in prebiotic dietary include:
legumes, beans, peas
oats
banana
berries like blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, raspberries
Jerusalem artichokes (not the same as regular artichokes)
Asparagus
Dandelion greens
Garlic
Leeks
Onions
Flax seed
What Foods are Probiotics?
Aged cheeses like Swiss, Provolone, Gouda, Cheddar, Edam, Gruyere, and Cottage Cheese
Kimchi
Kombucha tea
Kefir (dairy & nondairy)
Pickles (unpasteurized)
Sauerkraut
Pickled vegetables (unpasteurized)
Yogurt that contains live and active cultures like Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium strains.
Some of those foods listed can be synbiotics because they contain both beneficial bacteria and a prebiotic source of dietary fiber for the beneficial bacteria to feed on.
Examples, cheese, kefir, sauerkraut, pickled vegetables and pickles.
The Bottom Line
Prebiotics and probiotics work together in tandem.
So eating plenty of both prebiotic and probiotic foods to keep your best balance between your good and bad gut bacteria.
https://www.healthline.com/health/butyric-acid
https://www.healthline.com/health/food-nutrition/how-much-fiber-per-day
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/probiotics-and-prebiotics#bottom-line
https://health.clevelandclinic.org/prebiotics-vs-probiotics-whats-the-difference
is a registered dietitian with a Master’s Degree in clinical nutrition. She is the Chief Blog Organizer for www.DayByDayLiving.net
Barbara worked as a research nutritionist with the military’s tri-service medical school & worked as a performance nutrition consultant to Navy SEALS’ BUD/S Training Program and West Coast Navy SEAL Teams. Barbara is the former nutrition performance consultant to the University of Louisville Athletic Department. She is the author of Fast Facts on Fast Food For Fast People and High Energy Eating Sports Nutrition Workbook for Active People used by the University of Louisville, University of Tennessee Lady Vols and the Tennessee football program, the LSU basketball program, the Buffalo Bills, the Cleveland Browns and by the United States Navy SEALs.
Barbara is the former publisher of Kentuckiana HealthFitness Magazine, Kentuckiana Healthy Woman magazine and radio show host of Health News You Can Use. Barbara has over 60 years of experience in promoting healthy lifestyles to consumers. Barbara is a former runner who walks, a spinner, hiker, a pickleball player, a mother and grandmother to 13 grandchildren.
Barbara also serves on the Leadership Team for Moms for America as the Grammy Grizzlies National Group Leader. (www.momsforamerica.us).
