What are probiotics and prebiotics? Detailed explanation of food sources and effects

 What are probiotics and prebiotics? Detailed explanation of food sources and effects

The intestinal flora of the human digestive tract contains trillions of microorganisms, including both bad bacteria that are harmful to health and good bacteria that are beneficial to health, which are called "probiotics".

Probiotics not only help break down food, but also help the body synthesize necessary vitamins. In order to increase the number of probiotics, it is necessary to take so-called prebiotics (also known as probiotics and prebiotics), which can promote the growth of probiotics.

So, what exactly are probiotics and prebiotics? What are the benefits of taking probiotics? How do you get these nutrients from food? Let’s take a look together.

#What are probiotics?

Probiotics are microorganisms that are beneficial to the human body when consumed. Common probiotics include Lactobacillus (such as Lactobacillus acidophilus and Lactobacillus casei) and Bifidobacterium (such as B.bifidus), among which Lactobacillus is the most abundant.

#What are prebiotics?

In natural foods, in addition to nutrients that can be digested and absorbed by the human body, there are also some ingredients that cannot be digested. For example, water-soluble dietary fiber is the main source of prebiotics. Simply put, prebiotics are food for probiotics, which break down and use to further multiply. Common probiotics <a href=https://lifenutrients.tw/probiotics>recommended probiotics</a> include fructooligosaccharides, inulin and galacto-oligosaccharides.

#The efficacy and role of probiotics

The most important benefit of taking probiotics is improving gastrointestinal function. The intestinal flora is the largest microbial habitat in the human body. When the number of probiotics in the intestine increases, it can inhibit the growth of bad bacteria, thereby improving the flora ecology, enhancing digestive function, promoting smooth bowel movements, and reducing gastrointestinal discomfort symptoms such as constipation, diarrhea and bloating. In addition, studies have also pointed out that an increase in probiotics in the intestines can help improve immunity, prevent or improve vaginal and urinary tract infections and infectious gastroenteritis, and even relieve diarrhea symptoms caused by long-term use of antibiotics.

According to the Taiwan Society of Neonatology, some probiotics may help reduce crying in babies with colic. Therefore, parents can choose formula milk containing probiotics for their baby to try after consulting a doctor. However, the Ministry of Health and Welfare also reminds that although long-term supplementation of probiotics is harmless to the body, infants under 6 months old should consider supplementing with probiotics after evaluation by a physician because their stomachs are not fully developed.

#益生<a href=https://healthpulse.tw/cranberry_recommendation>When to take probiotics</a> Food sources and intake methods of Yuanhe probiotics

Probiotics and prebiotics need to complement each other to maximize health benefits. There are two ways to supplement:

1. **Natural food intake**: Prebiotics mainly come from dietary fiber. Many natural ingredients are rich in prebiotics, such as asparagus, celery, bananas, berries, onions, garlic and other fruits and vegetables, as well as whole-wheat products; probiotics are abundant in fermented foods, such as kimchi, miso, natto, soy milk and yogurt.

<a href=https://nutrifront.tw/mannose>Cranberry Probiotics</a> 2. **Nutritional health foods**: There are many types of probiotic products on the market, and prebiotics are usually added to enhance the supplement effect. If your diet is unbalanced, you can consider purchasing probiotic health foods to supplement it.

#How to choose probiotic products? <a href=https://nutrifront.tw/mannose>Cranberry Probiotics</a> Tablets or powder packets?

When buying probiotics, you can refer to the following points to choose the right product:

1. **Choose products with strain numbers**: <a href=https://healthport.tw>When to take probiotics</a> Even the same species of bacteria can have different strains. For example, LP33 is a strain of Lactobacillus paracasei. The strain number means that the strain has been studied many times and is patented, and is relatively safe.

2. **Avoid consuming additional sugar**: Some probiotic products add sucrose or sugar substitutes to enhance the taste, but this is harmful to intestinal health.

3. <a href=https://healthport.tw>Probiotics Recommendations</a> **Pay attention to the bacterial species**: According to the regulations of the Ministry of Health and Welfare, currently commercially available probiotic products should not contain Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium.

Probiotic products are available in the form of capsules, tablets and powders. In terms of absorption rate, powders are more effective but tend to stick to the mouth or esophagus. Capsules and tablets are more resistant to stomach acid erosion and increase the survival rate of probiotics, so they are more suitable for acid-intolerant strains. However, tablets need to be processed at high temperatures and contain excipients during the production process, which may lead to a higher number of probiotic deaths and the intake of more additives.

In general, it is recommended to give priority to using <a href=https://healthport.tw/cranberry>cranberry probiotics</a> probiotic products in capsule form, which is not only convenient but also can reduce the loss of probiotics before entering the body.