Prebiotic and Probiotics: Differences, Benefits, and Best Sources

Key Takeaways

• Prebiotic and probiotics help to keep gut bacteria, otherwise known as gut microbiota, healthy. See here for the difference between the two, learn about the benefits of each, plus how to include them in your diet.
• Prebiotics are from fibre-heavy foods, while probiotics are from fermented foods. If it makes you feel more comfortable, there are supplement forms of prebiotics and probiotics, too. See the full list of the best sources below!
• Nano Singapore, now Singapore’s Favorite Award-Winning Wellness Brand, proudly offers natural, FDA-registered, GMP-certified, and non-GMO health and beauty supplements. Give your body the best today!

The Difference between Prebiotics and Probiotics

The difference between prebiotic and probiotic

To understand “what is prebiotic and probiotic?” Let's break down their roles in our gut.

1. What Are Prebiotics?

Prebiotics are forms of fibre that reach the digestive system undigested because they feed good bacteria, which are called probiotics, present in the gut. Such feeding enables these latter ones to do their work better. Most whole grains, green leafy vegetables, and high-fibre fruits contain prebiotics.

2. What Are Probiotics?

Probiotics are viable microorganisms that inhabit your gut naturally. Adding this probiotic supplement to your diet will restore the balance of your gut microbiome, hence helping you to keep your gut at a healthy stage. You can get probiotics from different fermented food items or drinks.

Benefits of Probiotics and Prebiotics

Prebiotic and probiotics are majorly responsible for maintaining the health of the gut, further reflected in several other general health-related concerns.

1. Improve Digestive Health

Basic research supports the gastrointestinal health benefits of probiotics. A 2017 Cochrane review reported that supplementation of the probiotic with the use of an antibiotic decreased the risk of antibiotic-associated diarrhoea by 60%.

According to the National Institutes of Health of the U.S., probiotics are also promising in the prevention of necrotising enterocolitis and sepsis in preterm infants, infant colic, periodontal disease, and keeping ulcerative colitis in remission.

2. Strengthen Immune Function

Both prebiotic vs probiotic have immunomodulating effects partly through mediation of the intestinal function.

One 2019 review cited evidence that a prebiotic preparation of oligofructose combined with inulin-oligofructose-naturally occurring in foods such as onions, bananas, and garlic can elicit heightened immune responses to flu and measles vaccines.

Moreover, probiotic supplementations may interfere with the possibility of developing URTI; thus, the duration time for all illnesses would also be reduced, and this was underlined by the results of the 2022 systematic review published in the Cochrane Database.

Probiotics play a role in 70 - 80% of our immune response.

3. Support Mental Health

The new research also suggests that prebiotics and probiotics improve mental health. One 2019 review sums up how supplements may soothe symptoms of depression and anxiety. Additional studies would still be needed before those findings can be confirmed. At any rate, these supplements really do sound like promising low-risk therapies.

4. Enhance Nutrient Absorption

One 2013 study reported that the prebiotics in rye, wheat, and onions increased calcium absorption to levels at which bone growth became possible.

Another 2021 systematic review indicated that probiotics supplements also enhanced the levels of vitamin B, folate, calcium, iron, and zinc to support the creation of better health nutrition for disease-free people.

Foods of Probiotics and Prebiotics

Probiotics are part of fermented foods-active foods that have allowed bacteria to grow in them. Great sources of probiotics include yoghurt, pickles, kimchi, olives, refrigerated sauerkraut, and kombucha. Not all those foods, however, contain the specific strains that can survive digestion and make their way to the gut.

Foods containing probiotics

Most prebiotic foods are rich in oligosaccharide carbohydrates, such as galacto-oligosaccharides, starch, and glucose-derived oligosaccharides. Common prebiotics occur in vegetables and grains and even in some natural sweeteners. Examples include asparagus, bananas, barley, beans, chicory, garlic, honey, Jerusalem artichokes, onions, rye, sugar beets, tomatoes, and wheat.

Foods containing prebiotics

Besides taking probiotics and prebiotics through daily foods, you can also take them as scientifically formulated supplements to ensure that the gut and your health reap maximum benefits.

Risks and Side Effects of Prebiotics and Probiotics

Generally speaking, prebiotic and probiotics do not have any major side effects and neither are they unsafe to use.

The usual side effect associated with the intake of probiotics is mild bloating. However, grave caution should be exerted in those cases that involve acutely unwell and immunocompromised patients since probiotics may induce serious side effects such as bacteremia, fungemia, and other infections that may finally result in devastating illnesses among such populations.

Prebiotics, on the other hand, are more often related to mild but uneasy side effects such as diarrhoea, cramping, bloating, and gas. A daily intake of 2.5-10 grams of prebiotic is thus recommended to balance, which would minimise these side effects.

Should You Take Prebiotic and Probiotic Supplements?

The supplementation of either prebiotics or probiotics depends upon your diet and health.

The daily recommendation for adults is about 30 grams of fibre, but really, with crazy lifestyles, it's very hard to fit in enough fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. In fact, most people do not get enough prebiotics from food, and even if one consumes fermented foods, they may not get all the helpful probiotic strains. Just for that reason alone, prebiotics and probiotics supplements will be beneficial.

High-quality prebiotics vs probiotics supplement produced by Nano Singapore.

Moreover, suppose you do not like foods that consist of a lot of prebiotic and probiotics or happen to be on antibiotics due to certain facts. In that case, you should talk to your doctor about whether you should take the supplements.

For that, make sure that the supplement you go for is reputable, FDA-registered, GMP-certified, non-GMO, and naturally derived. To that effect, below are some highly recommended probiotic and prebiotic supplements for you. 

1. Probiotic 40 Billion CFU - 60 CT

Probiotic 40 Billion CFU

Introducing Probiotic 40 Billion CFU: Malaysia's No. 1 "Best Probiotic Supplement" voted by Readers' Choice Awards 2020.

The definite powerhouse of supplements, expertly formulating the formula with 40 billion CFUs of probiotics for better gut balance and nutrient absorption to develop immunity against mutagens, allergens, carcinogens, bad bacteria, and inflammation within your body.

The supplement ensures that, with enhanced WecPro technology, more probiotics reach your intestine without being destroyed by stomach acid, hence improving its active ingredient bioavailability. Maximum efficacy shall translate to long-lasting health benefits for you.

2. Prebiotic with Probiotic 15B CFU - 30 CT

Prebiotic with Probiotic 15B CFU

Unlock the full potential of gut health with Prebiotic with Probiotic 15B CFU! This powerhouse of a blend is known as a "Synbiotic" because it marries prebiotic & probiotics together for the expressed purpose of optimising the benefits of each, increasing the survival of live bacteria in the digestive tract to derive more synergistic benefits thereof.

This formula is also encapsulated into advanced WecPro technology, besides multi-layer protection against breakdown by stomach acid much too early. The capsule dissolves as soon as it reaches the digestive tract, releasing probiotics to deliver live beneficial bacteria right where they are most needed. Hence, it provides improved protection and superior gut health benefits. 

3. Digestive Enzymes Formula - 60 CT

Digestive Enzymes Formula 

Digestive Enzymes Formula consists of six potent, absolutely natural enzymes obtained through special fermentation, which lasted 365 days, and over 200 fruits and vegetables participated in it.

It's a unique formula that fills your body with enzymes responsible for the digestion of proteins, fats, and carbohydrates, aside from bloating and gases. To this, add an extremely special probiotic blend that nurtures a healthy balance of gut bacteria for improved digestion and detoxification, which may support weight loss.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Who should not take prebiotics or probiotics?

Generally, anyone who has SIBO or IBS is usually advised to stay clear of probiotics and prebiotics since these would only aggravate their symptoms.

However, in 2023, a literature review concluded that some probiotic strains actually do improve symptoms of IBS. If you have IBS, you should check with your healthcare provider to see whether probiotics might be helpful for you.

2. How does food affect the gut microbiota?

A diet with various whole grains, fruits, and vegetables acts like a prebiotic and promotes a diverse and healthy gut microbiota. Fermented foods provide probiotics that help maintain the balance of the gut.

On the other hand, diets high in refined sugars and processed foods, or heavily restrictive, can lead to a shift away from balanced gut microbiota indicative of an unhealthy gut.