When consumed in adequate amounts, probiotics provide health benefits by helping maintain a healthy gut microbiome. They can adhere to the intestinal lining, inhibit the growth of harmful microbes, and produce beneficial compounds that support overall health.
Common sources include yogurt, cultured milk, fermented foods, kimchi, miso, and fermented vinegar.
Prebiotics are non digestible dietary fibers that reach the large intestine, where they are fermented by beneficial microbes. They help nourish probiotics, promote their growth, and support the production of short chain fatty acids (SCFAs), such as butyrate, which help support gut health and a healthy inflammatory response.
Common sources include garlic, onions, cabbage, leeks, bananas, apples, avocados, watermelon, soybeans, red beans, oats, barley, and brown rice.
Synbiotics combine probiotics and prebiotics to help maintain a balanced gut microbiome. They support the growth of beneficial microbes, inhibit harmful microbes, promote healthy digestion, and support immune function.
Common sources include breast milk, yogurt, cultured milk, and kefir.
Postbiotics are beneficial bioactive compounds and inactivated microbial cells that support health. They include short chain fatty acids (SCFAs), bioactive peptides, enzymes, polysaccharides, antioxidants, and inactivated microbes. Together, they help maintain gut balance and support immune function.
