Although probiotics and prebiotics sound very similar, it’s important to distinguish them, as each has a distinct meaning and a different impact when consumed. While a probiotic refers to a live microorganism that benefits health, a prebiotic is “the food” for this microorganism.
Probiotics consume prebiotics, becoming “stronger” and carrying out their health-promoting actions optimally in our bodies. Therefore, it’s important to understand their properties and differences, which we will explain in this article so you can make the most of them.
MICROORGANISMS AND THE MICROBIOTA
When we think of microorganisms, such as bacteria, fungi, or viruses, we often give them a negative connotation, associating them with diseases, infections, or food poisoning. In general, and as their name suggests, microorganisms are tiny organisms that are found everywhere.
What does this mean? We find them in the air, water, soil, food, and even in our bodies and intestines. It is known that more than 39 trillion bacteria live inside us, and most of them have a significant impact on our health and well-being.
These bacteria that live within our bodies are called the microbiota, and it has been discovered that they vary in each of us, depending on various factors such as our genotype, gender, and lifestyle, including diet and physical activity.
According to a recent study published in the scientific journal “Antibiotics,” a poor and unbalanced diet, obesity, and a sedentary lifestyle create an imbalance in the gut microbiota, which contains more than 500 species of bacteria, leading to a multitude of diseases.
Fortunately, today we have a wide variety of foods with probiotics and prebiotics available that can help us maintain our microbiota in balance. However, it is important to learn to differentiate them and understand how to consume them properly.
PROBIOTICS AND THEIR BENEFITS
The term probiotic was first defined in 1908 when Nobel Prize-winning physician, Élie Metchnikoff, argued that the presence of certain “friendly” or “good” bacteria in foods could alter the microbial composition of our bodies when consumed, replacing harmful microorganisms (pathogens).
Since then, numerous research studies have been conducted, leading to an official definition: probiotics are live microorganisms that, when administered in sufficient quantities, confer a health benefit to the host.
Some of the most studied probiotics are Lactobacillus and Bifidobacteria, which can be found in fermented foods such as yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, kombucha, and kimchi, among others. However, it is important to ensure that these foods have not been processed at high temperatures for preservation and that they are always kept refrigerated.
This ensures that the microorganisms present are alive and reproducing in a controlled manner so that when you consume them, they can exert their benefits. These benefits include pathogen exclusion, aiding in the digestion of certain food components like lactose, improving intestinal barrier function, and producing bioactive compounds such as vitamins, neurotransmitters, and short-chain fatty acids, among others.
PREBIOTICS AND THEIR BENEFITS
The concept of prebiotics is more recent, defined in 1995 as foods that contain certain components indigestible by humans, which nourish probiotics and thus reinforce our gut microbiota. Notable among these indigestible components are soluble fibers such as fructooligosaccharides, inulin, galactooligosaccharides, pectins, mucilages, and resistant starch.
These compounds are commonly found in foods such as fruits and vegetables, garlic, onions, artichokes, chickpeas, fava beans, and other legumes. The primary benefit of prebiotics is that their consumption stimulates the activity of the “friendly” bacteria in our microbiota, keeping it healthy and balanced. Therefore, including them in your diet is highly beneficial, enhancing the effectiveness of any probiotics you consume.
Now that you understand the differences, we recommend incorporating both into your diet and maintaining regular physical activity to maximize health benefits and maintain optimal well-being.