the difference between pre- , pro- , and postbiotics

instead of getting into the nitty-gritty, we’re gonna talk about this in an introductory way! for starters, prebiotics are like special food for the good bacteria in our gut. they're kinds of fibers that our body can't fully digest, but they reach our colon where they become food for the helpful bacteria. these prebiotics can be found in foods like onions, garlic, bananas, and whole grains, or you can take them as supplements.

probiotics, on the other hand, are live microorganisms (tiny living things) that we can consume. they're like the good bacteria buddies that naturally live in our gut. by adding more of these friendly bacteria through probiotic foods like yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, kimchi, or supplements, we can improve the balance of our gut bacteria and promote better gut health. our favorite kimchi is from Firefly Kitchen!

when the probiotics munch on the prebiotics, they create some cool stuff called postbiotics. postbiotics are like the leftovers or byproducts of the probiotics' feast. these leftovers can include things like short-chain fatty acids and other helpful substances. some of these postbiotics have their own health benefits, like reducing inflammation in the gut.

in short: prebiotics are the food for good gut bacteria, probiotics are the live bacteria themselves, and postbiotics are the useful substances that the bacteria create. all three of them work together to keep our gut healthy and happy!

if you’re interested in adding a prebiotics and probiotics supplement into your daily routine, we love this supplement!

if you feel like you’ve got a pretty good grasp, take a look at our other post that goes more in-depth!