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The easy way to think about prebiotics and probiotics is that one is the ‘food’ for good bacteria and one is the good bacteria themselves. Here’s some science behind it:
Prebiotics can change the composition of your gut microbiome for the better, which in turn can help to support your overall health and wellness.[2] While certain types of probiotics can help to aid digestion.[3]
Prebiotics feed the gut microbiome, so yes, they could have an effect. Both pre and probiotics work together to help keep your gut happy, so taking a prebiotic may help enhance the effect of a probiotic in your small intestine and colon.[4]
Some of the specific strains of bacteria that have been said to help reduce bloating are:
Some prebiotics can actually cause bloating in some people, however, as we’re all different.[6]
Some of the best food sources of prebiotics are chicory root, garlic, onions, artichoke and dandelion greens.
Then for probiotics, which also might have on the label ‘live-cultured’ or ‘active cultures’, there’s live yoghurt, some cheeses, kefir, uncultured buttermilk, kimchi, kombucha, sauerkraut and fermented olives.
There’s quite a few benefits to these supplements that are backed up by science, including:
Check with your GP if you’re unsure if a supplement is right for you.
Sonia Sadique
“There can be a few, all of which are often due to an imbalance in the gut microbiota. These include:
“Bloating basically refers to the enlargement of the stomach or abdomen, and it's caused by a significant amount of gas in the digestive system or excess water.[20]
Managing bloating can involve things like a mix of dietary, lifestyle and behavioural changes. Here’s some that may help alleviate bloating:
To help you understand what areas of your diet might be causing your bloating, I suggest keeping a food diary – ‘See how you eat’ is a popular and easy food journal app to use. Try tracking for a few weeks and note how you feel a few hours after eating as well as your water intake, sleep patterns, taking supplements consistently, and physical activity levels.”
“Symptoms of gut inflammation can vary depending on the severity and any underlying cause, so IBD refers to chronic inflammation affecting the gastrointestinal tract and includes conditions such as Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.
Symptoms of these conditions commonly include:[26]
“One of the main things is to try to reduce stress, as frequent stress not only impacts our emotions, but it also has the potential to alter our microbiome.[27] While eliminating stress entirely may be difficult, finding effective coping strategies such as spending time with friends and family can help keep stress in check.
We need to make sure we’re getting enough sleep as not enough may alter the bacteria in our gut.[28] It's recommended to have at least seven to nine hours of sleep each night.
Also, staying hydrated[29] is crucial to ensure proper movement of food throughout the body. I suggest trying to incorporate more fibre[30] into your meals, too.”
“Fibre is a really big one – because fibre is linked to increased diversity in the bacteria living in your gut and good sources provide nourishment for beneficial gut bacteria.[31]
Fibre can be found in foods like whole grains, legumes, vegetables and fruits.
Probiotics found in fermented foods[32] may support your gut microbiome, including foods like yoghurt, kefir, tempeh, kimchi, sauerkraut, plus foods with polyphenols[33] in (plant compounds found in red wine and dark chocolate) and olive oil. The microbiome breaks them down promoting the growth of friendly bacteria.
Ripe and unripe bananas are also good for gut health. So, ripe bananas are easier to digest[34] and contain more simple sugars like fructose, making them easier on the digestive system. Whereas unripe bananas have a more resistant starch acting as a prebiotic,[35] which are basically substances that promote the growth of the beneficial bacteria in our gut.”