Understand the difference between probiotics and prebiotics

In this world so full of varied diets, you may have heard of moon, juice, lemon, vinegar diet? Anyway, there are a multitude of recommendations for a diet? supposedly? healthier.

In the meantime, you may have come across probiotic foods and prebiotic foods, which offer a number of benefits to our body.

But do you know what these two similar words mean? Are they different things, or perhaps just a spelling mistake?


We can already say: the two words exist and mean different things.

It is worth knowing more about this subject, because these two types of components present in food really are good for our health.

Read also: 10 Ways to Consume More Probiotics


What are probiotics and prebiotics anyway?

Both probiotics and prebiotics play important roles in the body, although they have different functions:

  • Probiotics: It is the bacteria found in certain foods or supplements that can temporarily colonize our intestines and perform beneficial functions for our bodies.
  • Prebiotics: These are substances found in some types of carbohydrates, especially fiber, that humans cannot digest and at the same time feed the beneficial bacteria in the gut.

Thus, probiotics are living microorganisms that, when consumed in adequate amounts, confer benefits on our health. These bacteria can pass intact through our stomach (which is very acidic and kills many other bacteria) and reach the intestinal mucosa. There, they dispute territory with other bacteria, including harmful ones, and can reduce the risk of disease caused by these pathogens.

This colonization, however, is temporary, lasting at most one to two weeks. Therefore, the consumption of probiotic foods needs to be regular so that you can really enjoy the advantages.


Prebiotics, in turn, also reach the intestines intact, as our stomach is unable to digest them. In the intestinal mucosa, these fibers stimulate the proliferation of beneficial bacteria, making it difficult for pathogens to reproduce.

In addition, good bacteria still participate in the synthesis of vitamin K, which participates in the coagulation process, and in the synthesis of short-chain fatty acids, which fight infection, reduce inflammatory processes and help lower the risk of cancer, as indicated by this study.

Read also: 15 Prebiotic Rich Foods You Should Include in Your Diet

How does eating affect the gut microbiota?

The foods we eat play an important role in balancing the beneficial and harmful bacteria. A diet rich in fats and sugars, for example, has a negative impact on the good microbiota, favoring the growth of species that can cause disease, as spelled out by this 2012 survey.

That way, when we have been on an inadequate diet for a long time, we end up feeding the wrong bacteria? and giving conditions for them to proliferate. And that, of course, impairs the work of beneficial bacteria, which run out of space and resources to reproduce. To top it off, this 2011 study shows that harmful bacteria still favor the absorption of calories, which can result in weight gain.

Given this, it is easy to deduce that a diet that has a positive impact on beneficial bacteria will also be beneficial to our body. This is why you should consume prebiotic and probiotic foods.

How to add prebiotics and probiotics to your diet

Before you go to the supplements store to spend all your money on prebiotic-rich products, keep in mind that many foods are naturally high in these fibers. Some examples are chicory root, dandelion, vegetables, beans, peas, oats, bananas, asparagus and garlic, among others you can check out in this regard.

Probiotics, in turn, are usually found in dairy products such as fermented milks and yogurts, curd, sauerkraut, darling kombucha, kimchi (typical Korean dish) and kefir, among other foods. It is worth investing in these foods to maintain the good balance of the microbiota and ensure the health benefits.

Read also: Foods that strengthen the immune system

???? What You Must Know About Probiotics and Prebiotics - by Dr Sam Robbins (March 2024)


  • food
  • 1,230