Looking after your gut is one of the best ways to support your overall health, but terms like prebiotic, probiotic and postbiotic can be confusing. Here’s a clear guide to what they are, how they work, and how you can get more of them in your daily routine.
1. Prebiotics – Food for Good Bacteria
Prebiotics are special types of fibre that your body can’t digest, but your friendly gut bacteria can. Think of them as “fertiliser” that helps healthy microbes thrive.
Benefits:
Feed beneficial bacteria
Support bowel regularity
Boost absorption of key minerals
Strengthen immunity
Different types of prebiotics
There are various types of prebiotics, but most of them are a subset of carbohydrates. The most common prebiotics include:
Fructans – like inulin and fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS), which may be able to stimulate lactic acid bacteria and other bacterial species
Galacto-Oligosaccharides – stimulate two key types of friendly bacteria, Bifidobacteria and Lactobacilli
Starch and Glucose-Derived Oligosaccharides – a kind of resistant starch that produces a high rate of butyrate (a short-chain fatty acid) which benefits our health
What do prebiotics do?
Prebiotics can change the composition of your gut microbiome for better. For example, consuming prebiotics has been shown to support the immune system by increasing the number of protective microorganisms.
As well as this, studies have shown that they can even decrease the number of harmful microorganisms, too.
Some of the best sources of prebiotics include: 5 prebiotic foods
Chicory root – 68% of its fibre comes from inulin4
Garlic – promotes the growth of bifidobacteria
Onions – a good source of inulin and FOS
Artichoke – also rich in inulin
Dandelion greens – another source of inulin fibre9
Other Food sources: Bananas, garlic, onions, leeks, asparagus, oats.
Try this: Add sliced banana or oats to breakfast for a daily prebiotic boost.
2. Probiotics – The Good Bacteria
Probiotics are live “friendly” bacteria that support a healthy gut microbiome. They are especially useful after illness, stress, or antibiotics, when your natural balance may be disrupted.
While they’re often known simply as ‘probiotics,’ there are a lot of different types. The most common probiotics typically include:
Lactobacillus – usually added to yoghurts and cheese, as well as found naturally in fermented foods12
Bifidobacterium – usually added to yoghurts and cheese, or found naturally in some fermented food or live yoghurts1
Benefits:
Restore good gut bacteria
Reduce bloating and digestive discomfort
Help manage diarrhoea
Support immunity, skin and mood
Sources: Yoghurt, kefir, sauerkraut, kimchi, kombucha, and high-quality probiotic supplements.