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Prebiotics & Probiotics: Their Collaborative Effect & How They Elevate Your Health!

Article by Amelia Rigby

Here at Kommunity Brew, we are crazy about probiotics and their copious beneficial effects on human health. Probiotics have a unique and diverse ability to support a multitude of bodily systems which can enhance your overall health and wellbeing. Our priority is creating delicious cultured beverages that deliver a health-packed punch of naturally derived flavour, brimming with live, probiotics. Recently, both prebiotics and probiotics have captivated the interest of health conscious individuals and the wider science community, as their combined ingestion has an interesting effect. This article will outline the difference between prebiotics and probiotics, where to find them, and what happens when you combine the two.

What are probiotics and why are they good for you?

Probiotics are live nonpathogenic microorganisms that live in the gut, the epicentre for supporting a wide range of bodily functions, and contribute to our body’s homeostasis. This essentially means that these bacteria are unable to cause disease and contribute to our health by balancing our gut microbiota. It is stated by Butel (2014) that there is a relationship between the gut and the overall health of your body, explaining that a balanced microbiome (gut flora) prevents disease.

 Ingesting probiotics helps maintain a balanced amount of diverse bacteria in the gut by interacting directly with receptors in the gut lining (Cunningham et al, 2021). These receptors act as links to your immune, endocrine, metabolic and nervous systems which, as Cunningham states, are affected by the balance of bacteria in your gut. 

The immediate and direct contact that probiotics have with your gut lining lowers the level of pH in your intestinal tract, which reduces colonisation of disease-causing bacteria (improving your immunity), and enhances barrier integrity by lowering gut inflammation (Williams, 2010). 

With the gut lining balanced, other systems such as your metabolic system, which regulates digestion and energy production, can work optimally, reducing symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and fatigue (Wang, 2008). The nervous system is subsequently supported, as bifidobacteria (found in probiotics) support the production of B vitamins and reduce the level of hormones such as cortisol, which is associated with feelings of stress and anxiety. 

All in all, probiotics have proven holistic benefits to human health that elevate the function of multiple systems throughout your body! No wonder we are crazy about them at Kommunity Brew!

Then what are prebiotics and what do they do?

“Prebiotics are undigested dietary carbohydrates that are fermented by colonic bacteria,” (Hutkins et al, 2016). This is a fancy way of saying that prebiotics are found in the carbohydrates we eat and bond with bacteria found in our digestive system (AKA the gut!)

 Prebiotics only indirectly affect the health of your body, for probiotics essentially utilise prebiotics as a food/energy source. This enables probiotics to stay alive for a longer period within your gut, doing all their amazing things to your body (Sekhon, Singh and Saloni, 2010). Probiotics can work effectively without your conscious ingestion of a prebiotic, but prebiotics do support their function by enabling them a longer lifespan. 

Where can I find Prebiotics and Probiotics? 

Prebiotics are largely found in plant based foods such as fruits, vegetables and legumes. However, to determine what the best foods to consume are, as far as prebiotics are concerned, is variable. Comprehensive in-vitro studies concluded that a diverse range of carbohydrates and fibre works the best in accelerating probiotics function (Hutkins et al, 2016). 

Here is a list of foods that have a high prebiotic potential: (Hutkins et al, 2016) & (Ahmadi et al, 2017). 

Fruit

Vegetable

Legume 

Grains/Nuts

Nectarine

Spring Onion

Beans

Varied Nuts

Watermelon

White Onions 

Peas

Rye

Pears

Leek

Lentils 

Wheat

Blueberries

Garlic

Flax Seeds

Rockmelon 

Kale

Psyllium 

Cherries

Cabbage 

Raspberries 

Broccoli

Figs

Artichoke

Bananas 

Brussel Sprouts

Avocado 


Probiotics are mainly found in fermented foods and cultured products such as natural yoghurt, kefir, kombucha, sauerkraut, pickles, tempeh, miso, kimchi, sourdough bread and probiotic supplements in capsule form. 

Our recommendations for a supercharged gut!

At Kommunity Brew we would recommend incorporating foods that have prebiotic potential into your diet and pairing the meal with a source of probiotics. Whether it's a breakfast avocado on sourdough toast, paired with Kommunity Brew's Immunity shot (which has two BILLION probiotics!), or a lunchtime roast vegetable salad paired with Kommunity Brew's sparkling probiotic water; Kommunity Brew leaves it up to YOU! Lay the groundwork for a fighting fit gut with your diet and added probiotics, so that your body can flourish. 

References 

Ahmadi, S., R, Mainali., R, Nagpal., M, Sheikh-Zeinoddin., S, Zad., S,Wang., G,Deep.,S, Mishra., H, Yadav. 2017. “Dietary Polysaccharides in the Amelioration of Gut Microbiome Dysbiosis and Metabolic Disease.” National Library of Medicine. 4 (3). 10.15226/2374-8354/4/2/00140.

Butel, M. 2014. “Probiotics, Gut Microbiota and Health.” Medicine and Infectious Diseases. 44 (1). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.medmal.2013.10.002

Cunningham, M., M, Peril., A, Bernard., D, Sinderen., J, Vulevic., V, Benoit., R, Grimaldi., D, Guyonnet., H, Holscher., K, Hunter., S, Manurung., D, Obis., M, Petrova., R, Steinert., K, Swanson., G, Gibson. 2021. “Shaping the Future of Probiotics and Prebiotics.”Trends in Microbiology. 29 (8). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tim.2021.01.003

Hutkins, R., J, Krumbeck., L, Bindels., P, Cani., G, Fahey., Y, Goh., B, Hamaker., E, Martens.,D, Mills., R, Rastal., E, Vaughan., M, Sanders. 2016. “Prebiotics; Why Definitions Matter.” Current Opinion in Biotechnology. 37. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.copbio.2015.09.001

Sekhon., B, Singh., J, Saloni. 2010. “Prebiotics, Probiotics and Synbiotics: an overview.” Journal of Pharmaceutical Education and Research. 1 (2). https://openurl.ebsco.com/EPDB%3Agcd%3A8%3A7866344/detailv2?sid=ebsco%3Aplink%3Ascholar 

Wang, Y. 2008. “Prebiotics: Present and Future in Food Science and Technology.”Food Research International. 42 (1).  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodres.2008.09.001

Williams, N. 2010. “Probiotics.” American Journal of Health System Pharmacy. 67 (6). https://doi.org/10.2146/ajhp090168