Probiotics & Prebiotics: Building Blocks for a Happy Healthy Gut
As a nutritionist, gut health is always on my mind! Did you know that 90% of the serotonin (the neurotransmitter that helps you feel happy) in our bodies is made in the gut, not the brain?
Simply put, gut health is health. Our mood is key. Without happiness, it’s not very easy to take care of ourselves. It may surprise you to look to your gut health for the answer to your overall health and well being. Your gut is your gastrointestinal tract, so the term ‘gut health’ refers to the overall health of that system, including the microbes that are part of it. We have 100 trillion microorganisms residing throughout the human body which is 10 times more microorganisms than human cells. Your gut bacteria do so much more than just help you digest food, they contribute to the overall homeostasis of your body. It keeps you in balance and actually helps you thrive.
Dr. Bernard Jensen was a pioneer in GI tract health. He studied 10,000 people’s colon’s throughout his career; he noted that the healthiest people had by far more beneficial bacteria than “bad” bacteria. Dr. Jensen also noted that North Americans’ good-to-bad ratios were far too low and this was over 35 years ago, imagine what those studies would show today. Many aspects of our modern life are not exactly the ideal environments to help our good bacteria thrive. For the most part, our diet and lifestyle actually encourage the “bad” bacteria to thrive.
How can we support our gut health?
There are many ways we can support our gut health, here are just a few that are simple and when implemented can create change in as little as 24 hours:
- Lower Stress Levels: meditate, do deep breathing techniques, get out in nature.
- Drink More Water: drink filtered water throughout the day.
- Get Enough Sleep: make sleep a priority and make sure you get at least 7+ hours.
- Eat Fermented Foods Daily: sauerkraut, apple cider vinegar, kimchi etc.
- Change your Diet: lower sugar intake and minimize processed foods.
- Introduce Probiotics and Prebiotics: In supplement and food forms.
How Prebiotics and Probiotics Contribute to Gut Health
I have partnered with @nutridomcanada to explain how we can nourish and support our gut. I explain the difference between prebiotics and probiotics and teach you how they support gut health. You can also watch this video on Instagram.
Probiotics & Prebiotics: What are they?
You’ve probably heard about probiotics—It’s become pretty mainstream to hear about the benefits of probiotic supplements for gut health. But you may not be as familiar with prebiotics. Let’s dig a little deeper and look at how both of these can be beneficial for our overall health.
It’s pretty simple: Probiotics are beneficial bacteria, and prebiotics are food for these beneficial bacteria.
Probiotics
Probiotics are defined as “live microorganisms, which when taken in adequate amounts, confer a health benefit on the host”. They work by communicating with the nervous system, inhibiting the growth of pathogens, modulating immune function and regulating digestion and metabolism.
One of the best ways to flood your body with beneficial probiotics is by eating fermented foods. Fermented and cultured foods have been around as long as people have harvested food. Before refrigeration existed, after a few days food would begin to break down and ferment. Humans learned that this could actually be beneficial and learned how to create beneficial colonies of organisms in these foods. Things like yoghurt, sauerkraut, miso, apple cider vinegar, wines, and kimchi are all traditionally fermented foods that are not only hundreds of years old but hold so many health benefits.
It’s easier than you might think to include these foods into your diet daily or weekly, Homemade Kombucha is not only fun to make but hosts an array of benefits: promotes detoxification, boosts energy and mood and has antioxidant properties. Apple cider vinegar is a great cheap, simple gut boosting food that can be included daily. I love making salad dressings with it by replacing any white vinegar with apple cider vinegar like this great apple cider vinaigrette. Miso is full of probiotics, which contribute to improved gut health. Try this crowd-pleaser Asain Napa Cabbage Slaw as a side or as a lunch.
How Probiotics Boost Our Energy Levels
In this video, I explain the important role probiotics play in our digestion and energy levels. I talk about what probiotics are, how they boost energy levels, and how you can add them to your daily routine.
Prebiotics
Prebiotics are a special form of fiber present in plants, mainly vegetables. Prebiotic fiber is non-digestible and reaches the colon intact where they feed good bacteria. Our bodies are incapable of digesting prebiotics when they are eaten, the bacteria in your gut ferments them along your gastrointestinal tract. This helps the good bacteria grow and feeds the probiotics. This promotes healthy digestion. Think of prebiotics like a rich fertilizer which enters the body through our food and sects to enrich only the good bacteria in the gut.
Prebiotics can double the number of good bacteria in our guts within 20 minutes! Prebiotics fertilize these good bacteria as they slow down and stifle the production of the bad, disease-causing bacteria.
Benefits of prebiotics include:
- Improved bowel habits
- More energy
- Better immune function
- Weight management control
- Increased vitamin production
The great thing about prebiotic foods is that you are most likely already consuming them. Some prebiotic foods include apples, berries, citrus fruits, onions, oats, raw garlic, leeks and greenish bananas.
Here are some recipes for breakfast, lunch and dinner that include prebiotic foods.
Breakfast
Lunch
Pasta with Roasted Garlic & tomato sauce
Dinner
Crispy Baked Chicken and Purple Slaw
Warm Potato and Asparagus Salad
Research is showing us that a healthy balance of ‘good’ gut bacteria relative to the bad ones is critical to overall health in more ways than we’ve ever known. The key to balance is the role of probiotics and prebiotics.
Maybe you are unsure if you are in need of more probiotics or prebiotics, here are some key indicators that it may be time to add in some of these beneficial gut “bugs” to improve gut health:
- You’ve used antibiotics
- You have digestive issues
- You get ill easily
- Your diet includes processed foods, sugar and alcohol
- Your mood is low, you are anxious, have issues with memory
- You have sleep issues
- You have skin disorders (acne, rosacea etc)
Everyone’s microbiome is different, and there is still so much more to learn when it comes to knowing all about gut health, probiotics and prebiotics and how they can impact your gut health. But what we do know is that by eating more plants and foods with probiotics and prebiotics you are increasing the diversity in your gut microbiome – which translates into overall better wellbeing! A happy healthy gut.
Key takeaways for optimal gut health:
- Probiotics are foods or supplements that contain live microorganisms similar to bacteria found in the gut.
- Prebiotics are non-digestible; they reach the colon intact where they feed the good bacteria.
- Both prebiotics and probiotics are beneficial for gut health.
- For many people, the food-based forms of prebiotics and probiotics will be all you need.
- Some sources of Probiotic foods include kombucha, miso, ACV, sauerkraut, Tempeh, sourdough bread, and kefir.
- Some sources of prebiotic foods include legumes, beans, peas, oats, bananas, berries, asparagus, dandelion greens, garlic, and leeks.
What are your favourite probiotic and prebiotic foods? How do you support your gut health? Let me know in the comments!
This article was lovingly written by my intern Gemma Digby. She is a Holistic Nutritionist and Culinary Nutrition Expert who is intoxicated with the idea that food is medicine. Gemma believes that food should be vibrant, nutritious and delicious. She teaches and empowers women to create vibrant health and find the emotional well-being they’ve been missing. Check her out on Instagram and visit her website to learn how to create vibrant health using simple science-backed strategies that work.
Fermented Food Photo by Brooke Lark on Unsplash