Probiotics and prebiotics are terms that have become increasingly part of normal language. Probiotics refers to whole microorganisms that can live within the human gut as part of the normal microbiota. Probiotics can be ingested in the form of foods, such as yoghurt, which contain live microorganisms. Alternatively, probiotics can be ingested as supplements, with the microorganism contained within a capsule. Normally probiotics refer to bacteria, and they include organisms such as Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacteria. Prebiotics are different to probiotics because prebiotics refers to components within the diet that can act as food for the bacteria already within the gut. Inulin and fructooligosaccharides are examples of prebiotics, and like many prebiotics, are both forms of dietary fibre. Therefore both probiotics and prebiotics can increase microbiota numbers in the gut, but they achieve this in quite different ways, with one directly and the other indirectly, affecting bacteria numbers.
Eat Well, Stay Healthy, Protect Yourself
RdB
