What are prebiotics and what is the difference to probiotics?

Veröffentlicht am: November 04, 2024
Irina  Fink
Irina Fink

Naturopath

The importance of probiotics has long been recognized. These live bacteria have been shown to be beneficial in combating gastrointestinal problems and promoting healthy digestion. They also play an important role in strengthening the immune system.

Probiotics are found in the cultures of dairy products such as yoghurt. Their relatives - prebiotics - are less well known, although this is changing. In this article, you will learn about them and how they are related to probiotics, what they actually are, what they do and how they help your body. We'll also tell you about the many foods that contain prebiotics and what supplements you can take to get your daily healthy dose of prebiotics.

How are probiotics and prebiotics related? 

First of all, both probiotics and prebiotics fulfill important health functions for the human gut. Probiotics are living organisms that live in your gastrointestinal tract. They primarily aid digestion by cleansing the gut so that the digestive process runs smoothly. Like all living things, probiotics need food to stay active and healthy so you can have as much of them as possible.

This food is prebiotics. In other words: probiotics eat prebiotics

How do you get prebiotics? 

Put simply, prebiotics are certain fibers, or more precisely: indigestible plant fibers, that are found in the large intestine. The more probiotics you eat, the more efficiently they work and the healthier your gut is.

You are probably digesting prebiotics and don't even know it. This is because they are found in many of the foods you eat every day. Since fiber is the source of prebiotics, foods that are rich in fiber are also rich in prebiotics.

Which foods contain prebiotics?

Here you will find the most interesting representatives from the list of prebiotic foods. And you can ask yourself how many of them you want to include in your diet this week. 

Prebiotics in raw chicory (root chicory) 

With almost 65% fiber, chicory (also known as common chicory) is one of the best sources of prebiotics available. You can find them in health food stores or markets, either processed into supplements or raw. You may have eaten them without realizing it, as chicory is added to some foods such as cereals, breakfast bars, milk products and bread.

You may also be familiar with the coffee-like taste, although chicory does not contain caffeine. Nevertheless, they have often been used as a coffee substitute (chicory coffee or "muckefuck"), which helps to avoid side effects such as jitteriness or insomnia, which some people suffer from if they drink too much coffee. 

Prebiotics statistics

Percentage of fibers in total weight

Recommended daily intake

64,6 %

9,3 g

Prebiotics in raw Jerusalem artichoke (Jerusalem artichoke) 

You are probably familiar with the large, green, spherical artichoke that makes such delicious dips from your local greengrocer. But that's not what we mean; the Jerusalem artichoke is a completely different plant that has nothing to do with artichokes, except that it has a similar taste to the artichoke heart - which is why it is sometimes called that, although its real name is "Jerusalem artichoke". In fact, it looks more like ginger than artichokes; it is also known as (horse)earth apple or earth sunflower, as it is related to sunflowers. It is extremely rich in fiber and an excellent source of nutrients. Apart from its role as an excellent prebiotic, it also contains plenty of iron and potassium.

You can enjoy this prebiotic as a salad, boil it, sauté it or fry it like a roast potato. For the latter, the Jerusalem artichoke is a popular substitute for diabetics, as its glycemic index is very low. 

Prebiotics statistics

Percentage of fibers in total weight

Recommended daily intake

31,5 %

19 g

Prebiotics in dandelion leaves 

Dandelion leaves are rich in valuable nutrients such as vitamin K, vitamin A, calcium and iron. In fact, one cup of raw dandelion leaves provides 535% of the recommended daily intake of vitamin K, which supports blood clotting and helps to maintain bone density, especially in older people.

You can enjoy the prebiotic benefits of raw dandelion leaves by adding them to salads or using them as an ingredient in sandwiches, stews, braised dishes, soups or herbal teas. As they taste a little bile-like when raw, you should blanch them in boiling water for 20 minutes to soften the taste. 

Prebiotics statistics 

Percentage of fibers in total weight

Recommended daily intake

24,3 %

24,7 g

 

Prebiotics in raw garlic

Raw garlic is also rich in nutrients such as manganese, vitamin B6, vitamin C and selenium. There are several healthy ways to consume raw garlic - for example as a flavoring ingredient in 

  • Guacamole,
  • Hummus,
  • Vegetable pans or
  • Pasta dishes 

However, you should have plenty of mouthwash available... 

Prebiotics statistics 

Percentage of fibers in total weight

Recommended daily intake

17,5 %

34,3 g

 

Prebiotics in raw leeks 

The good thing about leeks, apart from the fact that they are a high-quality prebiotic, is that they can be used with practically any dish. As a sweeter version of the onion, it is just as suitable for pasta as it is as an ingredient for garden salads or as a garnish for your quiche.

Of course, it is also perfect for soups - but when cooked, it loses a good part of its prebiotic ingredients. One cup of raw leek, including onion and stalk, contains no less than 52% of the recommended daily intake of vitamin K and 18% of vitamin C. 

Prebiotics statistics 

Percentage of fibers in total weight

Recommended daily intake

11,7 %

51,3 g

 

Prebiotics in raw onions 

Like garlic, onions also belong to the lily family. Eating raw onions provides you with organic sulphur compounds, but these are destroyed as soon as the onions are cooked.

In addition to sulphur - an important mineral for your body - raw onions also contain chromium, which promotes insulin production, quercetin, which fights free radicals, and vitamin C. Since most of the valuable flavonoids are contained in the outer layers of the onion skin, you should peel off as few as possible before cutting or tearing the onion. If raw onions give you heartburn or indigestion, consider cooked onions, also a highly prebiotic food. 

Prebiotics statistics 

Percentage of fibers in total weight

Recommended daily intake

8,6 %

69,8 g

 

Prebiotics in cooked onions 

As with raw onions, there are many ways to incorporate cooked onions into your daily diet. They can be caramelized, deep-fried, grilled or sautéed. But apart from that, many say the best way to enjoy cooked onions is with a hot bowl of French onion soup with creamy, melted provolone. 

Prebiotics statistics

Percentage of fibers in total weight

Recommended daily intake

5,0 %

120 g

Prebiotics in raw asparagus 

Raw asparagus is another excellent source of prebiotics, as its fiber makes up 5% of the total weight. It may be difficult to eat raw due to its tough texture, so fermentation is a wonderful tasting alternative.

Raw asparagus also looks pretty good in a smoothie. 

Prebiotics statistics

Percentage of fibers in total weight

Recommended daily intake

5,0 %

120 g

Prebiotics in raw wheat bran

Wheat bran is also a good prebiotic, with the same fiber content as raw asparagus and cooked onions. You can add it to your breakfast cereals, mix it into your yogurt or use it as a smoothie ingredient.

Prebiotics statistics 

Percentage of fibers in total weight

Recommended daily intake

5,0 %

120 g

Prebiotics in roasted wheat flour 

Toasted wheat flour produces a more flavorful, denser version of your favorite pastry. At 14 %, it also contains more protein than all-purpose wheat flour with a protein content of 11.7 %.

Prebiotics statistics

Percentage of fibers in total weight

Recommended daily intake

4,8 %

125 g

Prebiotics in raw bananas 

Raw bananas are already packaged, so to speak, thanks to their peel and are therefore a practical source of prebiotics that you can take with you wherever you go. Simply peel them and eat them as a snack or while exercising! Bananas are also rich in potassium - one cup of the crushed fruit provides you with 23% of the recommended daily intake. 

Prebiotics statistics 

Percentage of fibers in total weight

Recommended daily intake

1,0 %

600 g

And what are probiotic food sources? 

Fermented dairy products contain both pro- and prebiotics (these are referred to as "synbiotics"). The following fermented dairy products are widely used: 

  • Yogurt
  • Cheese
  • Kefir
  • Sour cream

How do you use prebiotics? Raw or cooked? 

As with most foods, the composition of prebiotics changes as soon as they are cooked. This means that they lose some of their valuable prebiotic fibers.

Exactly how much is lost is not known, but it's reasonably safe to assume that the less you heat them, the more healthy prebiotic fiber is retained. So instead of cooking dandelion roots, just toss them into a salad and eat them raw. And if you absolutely must cook them, you can preserve more prebiotic fiber with careful steaming than by boiling or sautéing them.

How much prebiotics do you need? 

To take full advantage of the health-promoting effects of prebiotics, you should consume at least five grams of foods rich in prebiotic fibers per day. If you do this, however, you should note that there is no guarantee that you will actually reach this amount - because even if you make sure that your diet contains prebiotic foods, there are factors that can influence the actual amount of prebiotic fibers. 

For example, it depends on whether you eat the food raw or cooked - and also on how you cook it. This has a significant influence on the prebiotic ingredients in your food. 

Are there food supplements with prebiotic fibers?

As the health benefits of prebiotics gain increasing attention, there are now a number of prebiotic supplements available to help you incorporate prebiotic fibers into your diet.

Should you take them? For many, the answer is simple: yes, you should.

Food supplements are the best way to accurately measure the amount of prebiotics in your diet because they contain predetermined, defined quantities. They are also available in practical powder form and can therefore be easily added to food.

So if you take a daily supplement containing five grams of prebiotics, you can be sure that you are actually consuming the suggested minimum amount of healthy fiber. In addition, you avoid unpleasant side effects such as bloating or discomfort that can result from taking too many prebiotics.

Prebiotics make your gut happy 

Prebiotics are an essential part of a healthy diet - and they make your gut happy. If you want to make sure you're getting the real thing, it makes perfect sense to take a 100% natural supplement that has the full prebiotic spectrum. Only with such a supplement can you be sure that you are taking the right amount of pure and natural prebiotics.

What are the health benefits of prebiotics? 

Please remember one thing: the sooner you start taking prebiotics regularly and in the right way, the sooner you will reap the demonstrable health benefits: 

  • Improvement of calcium and magnesium absorption
  • Stronger bones, increased bone density
  • Improved and stronger immune system
  • Reduced triglyceride levels in the blood
  • Better weight control and a "healthy" appetite
  • Most important: More healthy bacteria in the intestinal flora
  • At the same time, fewer "bad" bacteria in the intestinal tract
  • Reduced bacterial flow through openings in the intestinal wall in the course of so-called "leaky gut syndrome"
  • More regular digestion
  • Possible decrease in infections of the digestive tract
  • Possible reduction of inflammation of the colon wall
  • Reduction of flatulence
  • Possible reduction in anxiety 

As initial studies suggest, regular, healthy consumption of prebiotics can also extend life in general - possibly by up to 30 percent!