Your body is home to about 30 trillion bacteria.
It sounds weird, but bacteria help keep you healthy by supporting your immune system, reducing inflammation, helping to prevent infection and keeping bad bacteria at bay.
“When it comes to good health, your gut microbiome is important. The bacteria there play a big role in digestion and ensure your body receives essential nutrients, among other things,” said Debjani Roy, MD, an internal medicine and integrative medicine physician with Endeavor Health. “When that microbiome is thrown off balance because of things like illness, antibiotics, stress or even just bad food choices, it can lead to chronic disease.”
Supporting a healthy gut microbiome can be as easy as including probiotics and prebiotics in your diet.
- Probiotics are live microorganisms that promote a healthy balance of gut bacteria. Probiotics are the good bacteria in your gut.
- Prebiotics are healthy (non-digestible) food for the microorganisms in your gut to use. Prebiotics are the fuel for the good bacteria in your gut.
Focus on food first
Both probiotics and prebiotics work to keep your gut healthy, which is something everyone needs. But not everyone needs a supplement to get them.
A balanced diet should be the first source to get the nutrition, bacteria, vitamins and nutrients your body needs. In fact, eating healthy, balanced meals can eliminate almost any need for dietary supplements.
“Even when taking antibiotics, most people don’t need a probiotic supplement. If you’re eating a healthy diet, you will support the good bacteria in your body through the foods you eat,” Dr. Roy said. “Also, taking supplements when you don’t need them could upset the balance of good and bad bacteria in your gut, leaving you feeling sick.”
Probiotic and prebiotic food sources
You can help maintain the good bacteria in your body and decrease harmful bacteria by eating foods with probiotics and prebiotics.
Prebiotics are found in foods high in insoluble and soluble fiber, including:
- Apples
- Bananas
- Artichoke
- Asparagus
- Avocado
- Garlic
- Leeks
- Onions
- Beans
- Soybean
- Oats
- Barley
- Grapefruit
- Honey
- Berries
- Mushrooms
- Nuts & seeds
- Whole wheat
- Rye flour
- Chickpeas
- Cabbage
- Bitter chocolate
- Dark leafy greens
Probiotics are naturally found in fermented foods, including:
- Yogurt with live, active cultures
- Sauerkraut with live, active cultures
- Kefir
- Buttermilk
- Cottage cheese
- Tempeh
- Miso
- Kimchi
- Pickles (unpasteurized)
- Sourdough bread
- Sour cream (unpasteurized)
- Aged cheese (unpasteurized)
Some foods, called synbiotics, contain both good bacteria and fiber for the bacteria to feed on, including cheese, kefir and sauerkraut.
A balancing act
It’s all about balance between good and bad gut bacteria, so make sure you’re eating the right amounts of each. Pay attention to how you feel after eating these foods, as high amounts can cause digestive upset. Start by adding small amounts to your diet to give your body time to adjust.
While most people can get enough prebiotics and probiotics by eating certain foods, sometimes a supplement can help balance your gut bacteria, specifically for those with conditions such as IBS (irritable bowel syndrome), Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, antibiotic associated or traveler’s diarrhea.
Talk to your doctor after you analyze your (realistic) daily diet to see if he or she recommends you start a supplement. Dietitians can also help you restructure your diet to make sure you’re getting the vitamins and minerals you need from your food.
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