Prebiotics, Probiotics and Synbiotics
By Kelsey Chadwick, MS RDN
April 19th, 2024
Are you wondering if you should be taking a probiotic? Chances are you have read about them online or maybe your friend or coworker said they just started taking one. Today I’d like to do a brief overview of what probiotics and prebiotics are, including food sources that you can start with. In a future blog post I'll dive a bit deeper into these supplements and health benefits they may provide.
Probiotics are live microorganisms that confer a health benefit on the host. They are found in both foods and supplements. Probiotics are known by their genus, species and strain. For example, you may have heard of Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFM. Lactobacillus refers to the genus, acidophilus is the species, and NCFM is the strain. Many of the microorganisms in probiotic supplements are the same as the microorganisms that are naturally present in our bodies.
Probiotics have gained attention over the years and this is due to concerns in gut health and the human microbiome. Common uses for probiotics are managing symptoms like bloating and change in bowel habits and to help your body maintain a healthy community of microorganisms.
It's important to note that not all fermented foods contain probiotics due to the processing of some foods like pasteurization, smoking and baking, which can destroy the active microbes. Fermented foods include yogurt, kefir, uncooked sauerkraut, kimchi, beer, wine, sourdough bread, chocolate and tempeh.
Which foods contain probiotics?
Sauerkraut, Kimchi, pickles
Yogurt and kefir
Miso, tamari
Tempeh
Kombucha
Sour cream, cottage cheese, aged cheese
Buttermilk, acidophilus
Prebiotics are nondigestible food components. They function as a food source for the gut’s microorganisms. Prebiotics are naturally present in many plant-based foods, including fruits, vegetables and whole grains and most are high in soluble fiber. Chances are, you are already including a wide variety of prebiotics in your eating pattern, which is great!
Prebiotics need to bypass digestion and make their way to the colon. Once they have reached the colon, the microorganisms metabolize and ferment the prebiotics, creating a variety of beneficial byproducts for the gut. When the prebiotics are broken down, different short-chain fatty acids are created and can do a variety of different things including provide energy to colon cells and help with mucus production. This still an active area of research, but it certainly seems like a good idea to include a variety of prebiotic-rich foods for their nutrient content and fibrous benefit.
What foods contain prebiotics?
Almonds
Bananas
Whole grain wheat
Whole grain corn
Whole grain rye and barley
Flax
Soy
Cabbage
Raw garlic
Raw/cooked onion
Jicama
Peas
Eggplant
Artichoke
Asparagus
Honey, agave
Oats
Raw leafy greens
Beans
You may have also heard the word synbiotics and this is a term used to describe a combination of probiotics and prebiotics. Synbiotics are a mix of beneficial bacteria and non-digestible fibers that help these bacteria grow. Examples of this include bifidobacteria and fructooligosaccharides. Ultimately a “synbiotic product beneficially affects the host in improving the survival and implantation of live microbial dietary supplements in the gastrointestinal tract by selectively stimulating the growth and/or activating the metabolism of one or a limited number of health promoting bacteria1.”
There is a lot of information out there on probiotics and prebiotics and starting with food sources is a great way to add these into your eating pattern. In a future blog post I’ll dive a bit deeper into the different types of supplements and possible benefits of supplementation.
Thilagavathi, T. 2020. Probiotics, Prebiotics, Synbiotics and its Health Benefits. Int.J.Curr.Microbiol.App.Sci. 9(11): 497-511. doi: https://doi.org/10.20546/ijcmas.2020.911.061