Probiotics
Dr. Debojyoti Dhar, co-founder & Director, Leucine Rich Bio Pvt. Ltd. says, “These are foods or products that contain healthy microorganisms that our body needs to function properly. One of the popular ways to consume probiotics is in the form of supplements. However, one can fulfill this body requirement by including fermented foods in their diet. This can be in the form of a fermented pickle. Yes, you read that right. Abundant healthy probiotic bacteria, including a pickled cucumber or lime in your diet is a great way to get the benefits of the beneficial bacteria. Other simple examples of probiotics are forehead, buttermilk, and yogurt that we can effortlessly incorporate into our diets. Moreover, sipping on Kombucha, the fermented green tea is also a way to keep your gut health in check as the tea is rich in friendly bacteria and yeast.”
Prebiotics
Just like we need food rich in different types of nutrients to function well, so do the native microorganisms in our gut. Dietary fibers that these tiny friends in our gut need to be fed on are called prebiotics. Onion and garlic are simple examples of prebiotics as they are rich in substances that are Bifidobacteria, an important healthy bacteria in our gut, which requires it for its growth. The growth of beneficial Bifidobacteria is important to us as it prevents disease-promoting bacteria from growing, thus helping in the upkeep of our health.
“In addition, including green bananas, brimming with resistant starch: a substance that has prebiotic properties, in the diet is a healthy step towards gut health. Moreover, utilizing grains like barley and oats in everyday meals is also an excellent way to bolster gut health. These grains contain beta-glucan, a prebiotic fiber that boosts the growth of friendly bacteria in the digestive tract,” says Dr. Dhar.
Synbiotics
Simply put, synbiotics are a combination of the above-mentioned foods, both prebiotics and probiotics in a calculated way. This means that both the live microorganism and the food it needs for growth are present in a single product. Synbiotics are mostly available in supplemental forms. The composition of synbiotics formulation, both at the level of the prebiotics and probiotics, may vary based on the requirements of an individual. One can better understand the type of synbiotics their body needs by understanding the type of gut microflora population.
“With microbiota tests easily accessible these days, it has become feasible for a person to get a detailed analysis of their gut health. According to the individual’s gut microbiota profile, gut microbiome tests like BugSpeaks (India), Floré(USA), and Ombre (USA) provide a complete report with information on prebiotics and probiotics,” advises Dr. Dhar.
Summing up
Our body needs a sizable amount of beneficial microorganisms in the gut to support a healthy life. One way to ensure that the quality and quantity of these friendly microbes is best maintained is by consuming foods and products, which fall into the categories of probiotics, probiotics, and synbiotics. Prebiotics provide nourishment for the healthy microorganisms, while probiotics include those healthy microbes. A synbiotic is created when the two are combined in a planned way.