WHAT IS A PREBIOTIC?
Prebiotics are food-based compounds that promote the growth and activity of beneficial microorganisms including bacteria and fungi. Prebiotics have the ability to change the composition of species in the gut microbiome, which is the most common example. Prebiotics aid probiotics, which are tiny living microorganisms, including bacteria and yeast.
PREBIOTICS, THE FRIENDLY FIBERS FOR YOUR GUT
The ability of both dietary fibers and prebiotics to move down the upper part of your digestive tract and avoid digestion by the usual digestive processes that break down and remove nutrients from food is what makes them so special. Prebiotic fiber, on the other hand, differs from normal fiber in that it acts as a selective food source for the bacteria in your gut, providing a health advantage not found in non-prebiotic fiber. Essentially, prebiotics are complex carbohydrates that nurture your gut bacteria, while dietary fibers consist of non-starch polysaccharides and oligosaccharides alike that don’t selective feed your gut. Prebiotics can also be present in other types, such as polyphenols, although these are less common in our diets.
