Healthy bowels are receiving increasing attention, and for good reason. Healthy bowels and a well-functioning digestion are essential for our overall health. But what are prebiotics or probiotics, and what role do they play in good gut health? You can read more about it in this blog.
Healthy Bowels and Good Digestion
Our gut health plays a very important role in our overall health. The bowels are therefore often called the second brain. As much as 80% of our entire immune system is located in the digestive tract. Keeping our digestion healthy is therefore a high priority! And for that, it is necessary to balance the good and bad bacteria in the gut. Getting the right pre- and probiotics is important here. But what are they exactly?
What are probiotics?
Probiotics are living microorganisms that are important for digestion. They help fight infections and support the body in absorbing nutrients. So we can definitely use them!
In our entire digestive system, we find about 1,000 different bacteria; each person carries as much as 1.5 kilograms (!) of bacteria with them! We find probiotics in our food. Daily intake of sufficient probiotic foods can improve digestion, support the immune system, improve skin health, and provide more energy.
What are prebiotics?
In addition to probiotics, we also have prebiotics, which serve as food for our microbiome – all the bacteria in our gut. They are broken down by bacteria in the large intestine, which we call fermentation. Prebiotics thus essentially serve as food for our bacteria. Most prebiotics are found in fibers, which contribute to healthy bowel movements.
One of the biggest differences with probiotics? Prebiotics contain NO living bacteria, while probiotics do! Additionally, prebiotics support probiotics, as it were, because they strengthen the good bacteria already present.
Do I have a shortage of pre-probiotics?
It is important to know that all processes in our body influence each other. Do you have a shortage of pre- and probiotics? Then it is important to look at the cause – where does it come from? You can have a gut test done by us or have an orthomolecular therapist help you look into it.
A shortage of pre- and probiotics can quickly occur if you consume too much sugar, grains, chemicals, medication, and antibiotics.
Foods rich in probiotics and prebiotics
You now know that gut bacteria are super important for your health! Therefore, getting enough pre- and probiotic foods is also important. Eating plenty of organic fruits and vegetables is important for gut health, but we have highlighted some specific foods for you.
Foods rich in probiotics
- Sauerkraut
- Kefir
- Kimchi
- Kombucha
Foods rich in prebiotic fibers:
Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables is particularly important. A minimum of 400 grams of vegetables is the starting point. Additionally, the following foods contain many prebiotic fibers:
- Nuts
- Legumes
- Bananas
- Onions
- Asparagus
- Leeks
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