We have all seen the Inner Health Plus ad on TV, and perhaps most of us have thought “I need a Probiotic daily to keep my Gut in good health”…
But what is the go with Probiotics?
Let’s start with ProBiotics vs PreBiotics
Probiotics.
These are live bacteria found in certain foods or supplements. They can provide numerous health benefits.
Prebiotics.
These substances come from types of carbs (mostly fiber) that humans can’t digest. The beneficial bacteria in your gut eat this fiber.
Microbes in the lower intestinal tract help us digest food, fight harmful bacteria, and regulate the immune system. But sometimes an imbalance of microbes occurs, leading to diarrhea and other health problems.
When the gut becomes unbalanced with unhealthy levels of certain bacteria, probiotics can help restore the balance. They’ve been shown to secrete protective substances, which may turn on the immune system and prevent pathogens from taking hold and creating major disease. But we are still learning to understand how probiotics may promote health.
PROBIOTIC RICH FOODS:
Fermented foods; kimchi, sauerkraut, tempeh, pickled foods, miso, yoghurt, kefir and other naturally fermented foods.
Look for “live” and “active” probiotic cultures in these foods. Pasteurized foods means the live bacteria is killed. So unpasteurized is best.
PREBIOTIC RICH FOODS
Asparagus, bananas, legumes, garlics, leaks, onions, wheat, barley, rye, fruits, vegetables and other gluten-free grains/seeds.
Foods high in resistant starch include oats, beans, legumes, cooked and cooles potatoes and rice.
TAKE HOME POINT:
1. The wider the variety of fruits, vegetables and good sources of carbohydrates in your diet, the more you are feeding your gut bacteria.
2. We don’t generally consume enough PRO + PRE biotic rich foods in our diets and due to pharmaceuticals, diet, medications, toxic exposure and so much more, it is necessary to supplement to boost your good gut bacteria AS WELL AS eating probiotic rich foods.
