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).