Prebiotics vs. Probiotics – What’s the Difference?

Do prebiotics cause bloating?

Prebiotics feed beneficial microbes in our guts. The good bacteria inside us really love carbohydrates, such as fructans found in garlic, onions and apples, or galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS) found in milk, beans and oats. However, bacteria produce gas when they feed on these fermentable sugars, which can cause tummy troubles like bloating in those with sensitive stomachs.

These fermentable carbohydrates are also known as FODMAPs. Ifyou have IBS, then you are probably familiar with the low FODMAP diet. This a diet which limits FODMAPs to help reduce gas production in the gut and in turn help improve symptoms like bloating. However, this comes at the cost of losing beneficial bacteria that like to feed on them too.

Luckily, there are other prebiotics that don’t cause gas (and even help bloating!). Two prebiotics that have been shown to help bloating include B-GOS from Bimuno® and partially hydrolysed guar gum (PHGG). What’s unique about these prebiotics is that they are much easier on the tummy than other prebiotics like inulin. They have both been shown to potentially help bloating in human trials.

The science is also starting to show that polyphenols, antioxidant compounds found in plants, can support the growth of beneficial bacteria in the gut. These can be found in foods like extra-virgin olive oil, blueberries and even red wine.

For those who are unable to handle lots of prebiotic foods due to sensitive stomachs, a prebiotic supplement can help to give extra hand in boosting good gut microbes. Luckily, our experts at Tummy MOT have reviewed some so you can check them out here.

Are fermented foods a source of probiotics?

Fermented foods are thought to be teeming with probiotics. But remember, probiotics are living things, so “cooked” fermented foods do not contain them. For example, sourdough bread is made by fermenting dough with live, friendly bacteria and yeast, but they are eventually killed off when the dough is baked.

Also, if we are being scientific, most “raw” fermented foods probably don’t contain probiotics either. According to the International Scientific Association for

Probiotics and Prebiotics (ISAPP), probiotics have to be identified strains with a proven health benefit. You can tell if it’s a probiotic strain by the third part of its name. For example, Lactobacillus casei Shirota is the strain found in Yakult, so it’s probiotic identifier is “Shirota”.

The problem is we have no idea what exact microbes are in fermented foods, so we cannot be sure if they contain probiotics. However, we do know that most fermented foods contain live microbes and that people who eat more of these typically have better health. So don’t let it put you off. Eat as much kimchi, sauerkraut, and kefir as you like!

In fact, eating fermented foods has been shown to increase the number of different bacteria in the gut of healthy people. Whereas probiotic supplements do not appear to change the make up of microbes in healthy people. This means that if you want to improve the diversity of microbes in your gut, then probably reach for the fermented foods before the probiotic supplements.

Post-biotics – the future?

When beneficial microbes in our gut feed on prebiotics, they produce compounds that are important for health. This has led to development of the term post-biotics. One example would be butyrate, a short-chain fatty acid that is produced by certain microbes when they feast on fibre. Butyrate is an important fuel source for the cells in our gut and may even help to reduce inflammation. People with inflammatory bowel disease are thought to have lower levels of bacteria that produce butyrate.

Some companies are now selling post-biotics like sodiumbutyrate. While there isn’t as much science on taking post-biotics yet (when compared to prebiotics and probiotics), at Tummy MOT we are keeping an eye-out for any products that may be helpful! For now, it’s more important to focus on prebiotics and fermented foods. These are more likely to shape your gut microbiome for the better.