Most people are familiar with the many health benefits probiotics and prebiotics have to offer, but many haven't I heard of a new member of the biotic family called postbiotics. It is time you were introduced to this family member and discover just what they can do for you.
The difference between pro-, pre- and postbiotics
Your microbiome is the home to trillions of gut bacteria. Probiotics are the "friendly" bacteria that colonise your digestive tract. A healthy balance of these beneficial bacteria is vital for good health and wellbeing, and is especially important for supporting the immune system and improving digestion. Prebiotics, on the other hand, are what feed the probiotics. Prebiotics help probiotics to grow and thrive in the gut. You get prebiotics from certain fibre-rich foods such as legumes, whole grains, and a variety of vegetables. These soluble dietary fibres aren't digested in the small intestine - instead they're fermented by bacteria in the large intestine.
The by-product or "waste product" of this fermentation process in your gut is the production of postbiotics. These functional bioactive compounds have been found to have an abundance of important health benefits. When you supplement with probiotics and prebiotics, the end goal is to get these health-promoting postbiotics. Unlike probiotics and prebiotics, postbiotics aren't found in foods - they're naturally produced when you feed your good bacteria.
This story is from the Issue #41, 2022 edition of Eat Well.
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This story is from the Issue #41, 2022 edition of Eat Well.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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Our Chefs
Meet the chefs who bring this issue's recipes to you: Lisa Guy, Georgia Harding, Lee Holmes, Sammy Jones, Raquel Neofit, Naomi Sherman and Ames Starr.
