Understanding Prebiotics and Probiotics

Prebiotics (the “fertiliser”)

These are fibers and compounds that your gut bacteria ferment into beneficial metabolites. They’re found in foods like:

• Garlic, onions, leeks
• Asparagus
• Pomegranate seeds
• Bananas (especially slightly green)
• Flaxseeds, chia seeds
• Apples, berries

Probiotics (the “seeds”)

These are live microbes you add to the gut through fermented foods:

• Sauerkraut, kimchi, pickles (naturally fermented)
• Kefir, yogurt (unsweetened, live cultures)
• Miso, tempeh

Together = Synbiotics

When you eat both probiotic-rich foods + prebiotic-rich foods, you create a synbiotic effect: the new microbes (from probiotics) are more likely to survive and thrive because they immediately get fed by the prebiotic