It's likely that you're familiar with probiotics. After all, the concept has been around for a long time now. Probiotics are well established as a supplement for boosting the good bacterial in the intestine in order to improve digestive health. Prebiotics is a newer concept that also boosts good bacteria, and it's given rise to quite a bit of debate around prebiotics vs probiotics and which is better.
So what's the key difference between the two?
Probiotic supplements actually comprise live good bacteria. On the other hand prebiotics are non-digestible foods that feed the good bacteria that are already in the intestine. This helps them multiply and be more active.
With all the scientific research that's been carried out, there's a growing body of thought these days that prebiotics have an edge over probiotics.
Why's that?
The main reason is to do with the challenges of actually getting the live good bacteria from the probiotic supplement into the large intestine. You may be surprised to learn about what actually goes on in the body after you swallow a probiotic capsule.
The good bacteria has to make its way through the gastrointestinal tract and then establish itself in the intestine. On the way, it has to pass though a range of physical and chemical barriers, such as gastric acid and bile acids. When the good bacteria does reach the colon, it's likely that it will be feeling rather worse for wear thanks to the difficult conditions it was confronted with along the way. If the good bacteria does survive, it will then need to fight the already established bacteria for the nutrients and living space that it needs.
As you can see, it's quite an arduous journey! Giving food to the good bacteria that are already in the colon, so that they can flourish, is a much easier option.
But why would you want to alter the balance of the bacteria in the intestine in the first place?
Unfortunately, with the lifestyle that people lead and the food they eat, it's common for the bacteria to get out of balance. Both good and bad bacteria exist in the colon, and both are necessary for digestive health. However, ideally there should be around 85% good bacteria. Typical colon bacteria these days tends to be dominated by bad bacteria, and it results in all kinds of gastrointestinal upsets such as bloating, gas, constipation, and malabsorbtion.
If you are suffering from any of these health issues, it could be time to take a look at your digestive health and try a prebiotic supplement.
Which prebiotic to take?
The range of foods with prebiotic capabilities is growing all the time, as scientific research progresses. A relatively new discovery is the digestive benefits of the kiwi fruit. Not only has the pectin in kiwi fruit been scientifically shown to display better prebiotic activity than popular prebiotic inulin, it also contains natural plant phenols that keep the bad bacteria from populating.
Learn more about prebiotics vs probiotics and the new kiwi fruit supplement that's a remarkable natural digestive, with results guaranteed.
Sharell Cook is enthusiastic about natural health, and has been taking natural health supplements for many years. She writes on a range of natural health topics and enjoys introducing people to the best natural products she can find.
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