3 MIN READ | GEORGIA SMITH 

what do prebiotics do?

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A healthy gut is crucial to an overall healthy body and healthy mind. If you’re looking to sustain optimal health and wellness, it may be best to understand how prebiotics and probiotics work in order to do so. The body alone is full of plenty of bacteria, fungi, and viruses, and while we often incorrectly consider bacteria as being a negative thing for our body, having a solid mix is actually essential for our body to function at its best.

To understand this further, you’ll want to have an understanding of prebiotics and probiotics, two terms that you’ve likely come across before in the world of wellness. While they may sound similar, they both play such a large role in our overall health, that you’ll 100% want to take note of. Today, we’ll be breaking down the two, as well as how you can consume them.

You can think of prebiotics as something that feeds the microorganisms or the “healthy bacteria” in your gut

WHAT ARE PREBIOTICS?
Prebiotics are dietary ingredients that the human enzyme is unable to digest. Instead, they are fermented and digested by our microbiota — the wide variety of bacteria, fungi and viruses that live within the body, in this case, the intestine.

You can think of prebiotics as something that feeds the microorganisms or the “healthy bacteria” in your gut. The healthy bacteria in your gut has the role of protecting you from bacteria or fungi that’s harmful to your body. This is why it is important that you’re consuming prebiotics in order to stimulate this healthy bacteria so that it can continue growing and thriving to do its job of protecting your gut. One way you can do this is by consuming prebiotic rich foods or resorting to solid prebiotic sources, something that we’ll get into shortly. But first, let’s discuss probiotics, what they are and how they work in relation to prebiotics.

PREBIOTICS VERSUS PROBIOTICS
Oftentimes, you’ll find that you can’t discuss prebiotics without tying in the role of probiotics. While the two both sound similar, there are differences, but when they work together, there are endless benefits for your gut health and your body.

Probiotics are live microorganisms that grant benefits to the host; in order words, where the group of microorganisms are living. Some people tend to refer to microorganisms as the “healthy bacteria” that the body needs to function properly. To summarize prebiotics versus probiotics, probiotics are the microorganisms that our bodies need to function and prebiotics are what feed those microorganisms so that they can continue to support the gut. At the end of the day, it’s important that your body has a healthy balance of the two.

WHAT IS GUT HEALTH AND WHY IS IT SO IMPORTANT?
Both prebiotics and probiotics concurrently support our gut and are essential to our overall health. In fact, our gut health is linked to our immune system, mood, mental health, and even disease development. The gut microbiota, in other words, the variety of microorganisms that inhabit the gut, are constantly changing and being shaped by our lifestyles, dietary habits, stress levels, and plenty more. When you have a healthy balance of microorganisms in your system, you are supporting how your immune system functions and even preventing disease development.

This is where staying on top of your gut health is important. At the end of the day, it is connected to so many other physiological systems that are responsible for your general health and wellness. With prebiotics and probiotics being such necessary factors in helping to sustain this balance of a healthy gut, you’ll want to make sure you’re taking the steps that can allow the two to continue working together for a healthy mind and body. That brings us to our next point: how to take the two.

HOW TO TAKE PROBIOTICS AND PREBIOTICS
One of the best things you can do for your gut health is by including more probiotics and prebiotics in your diet. In today’s world, you’ll find probiotics and prebiotics all around you, from supplements to food. Those are both two great places to start. For some, it may be as simple as incorporating a form of probiotic or prebiotic supplement into your daily routine, so that you’re making sure you’re feeding and stimulating the growth and activity of the healthy bacteria within your digestive system. With this option, it’s always important to do careful research and consult with your healthcare provider to determine the best means of doing this.

Another option is simply incorporating more foods that will help maintain a positive relationship between the probiotics and prebiotics in your system. As stated earlier, prebiotics serve as the fuel that feeds the healthy bacteria so that it can continue to grow. Some prebiotic sources and prebiotic rich foods that you can incorporate more of in your diet are foods that are high in fiber like beans, bananas, garlic, asparagus, wheat, honey, and so much more. It’s best to steer clear from foods that are processed, or high in fat or sugar.

prebiotic rich foods that you can incorporate more of in your diet are foods that are high in fiber like beans, bananas, garlic, asparagus, wheat, honey, and so much more

ZOLT’S PREBIOTIC FORMULATION

At Zolt, we understand the role that prebiotics and probiotics play in wellness. With gut health being such a key factor in overall health and wellness, we’re committed to incorporating this area of functionality through our products. Zolt’s hemp-free formulations include the prebiotic agave inulin, a fiber source that has been studied to enhance the gastrointestinal microbiota in healthy adults. If you’re looking for a place to start, our products serve as a great prebiotic source for you to maintain optimal gut health. 

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