Prebiotics vs. Probiotics: A Delicate Balance
The digestive system is a central powerhouse for the human body. It converts everything that a person consumes into fuel for the cells, maintaining bodily functions. Without digestion, the body would shut down; if something is off in the digestive tract it affects the entire body. Poor digestion can lead to decreased immune function, buildup of toxins, and inadequate absorption of nutrients. Chronic health issues such as gas, bloating, and diarrhea—even skin problems, bad breath, and insomnia—can be caused by a malfunctioning digestive system. Proper balance of prebiotics and probiotics provides you with extra insurance toward maintaining a healthy digestive tract.
Beneficial Bacteria
Bacteria are normally associated with sore throats, sinus infections, and fevers. But they’re not always the villains. Good bacteria in the digestive tract helps your body break down foods and toxins.
It also helps form blood vessels in the intestines and encourages their cell renewal. Even at birth, mothers pass along good bacteria to their babies, and it helps program their immune systems. People with digestive issues tend to have less good bacteria in their guts.
Many of the chemically laden and processed foods popular today are damaging to the good bacteria in our colons. If good bacteria die off, the bad bacteria will flourish.
Antibiotics, although beneficial in treating severe infections, are often unnecessarily prescribed and kill all of the bacteria in the colon—both good and bad. Taking prebiotics and probiotics can help restore the good bacteria to the intestines.
Probiotics—They’re Alive!
Probiotics contain live microorganisms that help colonize the digestive tract with good bacteria. Foods with live cultures such as certain yogurts, kefir, and kombucha, as well as fermented foods such as homemade sauerkraut can help reestablish the beneficial bacteria in the colon.
But when is the last time you had a yogurt or ate some sauerkraut that had been fermenting in your cupboard for a couple of weeks? Many people don’t find many probiotics “foods” all that appetizing, which is why they turn to probiotics supplements.
Prebiotics—The Life-Sustaining Compounds
Once established, the good bacteria need to be fed. That’s where prebiotics come in. Nothing can live without food. Prebiotics are the elements that help the good bacteria thrive.
Many greens, garlic, bananas, artichokes, and asparagus contain prebiotics and help keep the intestinal flora abundant. Prebiotics can be cooked, so it’s easy to work them into the diet.
Add caramelized onions to grilled asparagus or add artichoke hearts to your salads. Oats and other whole grains work as prebiotics as well. As the fiber in the oats begins to ferment, it feeds the good bacteria living in the intestines. Oats can be eaten as oatmeal or cereal, or oat flour can be used for baking. Rolled oats can be easily ground into flour with a coffee grinder.
Balancing the Equation
Without probiotics, the body may not have enough beneficial bacteria for the prebiotics to nourish. Without prebiotics, the good bacteria established by the probiotics won’t survive.
Many people do not eat foods with enough prebiotics to support adequate growth of the good bacteria. If the good bacteria aren’t fed, they will die. Maintaining a healthy colon involves not only consuming the good guys—the probiotics—but also keeping them alive with prebiotics.
Author Bio - Richard G. Hamilton has a B.S. in Nutrition, is an avid blogger and also a content contributor for Kanetix, a car insurance comparison site, including Ontario car insurance quotes.
