There’s been so much in the press recently about prebiotics, with claims that they’re a dietary wunderkind linked to anti-ageing, weight loss and lots more. Prebiotics are the food source for our probiotics, the healthy bacteria in our gut. They cannot be broken down or absorbed by the body but – in an ideal healthy ecosystem – provide the perfect environment in which our beneficial gut flora can grow, multiply and survive. This applies particularly to the bifidobacteria family of probiotics, less so to lactobacilli strains.

Prebiotics in food

Prebiotic fibres occur naturally in onions, garlic, Jerusalem artichokes and chicory. But often the amount we consume of these ingredients is not enough to ensure we are feeding the levels of beneficial bacteria in our intestines properly.

In a similar manner as there are different types of probiotics, there are different types of prebiotics, in. With prebiotics the key differentiating factor is the length of the chemical chain – short chain, medium chain or long chain determines where in the gastrointestinal tract the prebiotic has its effect, and how the benefits are felt.

The most common prebiotics are inulin, FructoOligoSaccharides (FOS), GalactoOligoSaccharides (GOS), lactulose and lafinose, with FOS the most researched and well-proven.

Do I need prebiotics or probiotics?

Everyone has a different bacterial make-up, so different types of prebiotics and probiotics (or combinations) will work for different people and different ones may be helpful at different times. While you may feel better on a prebiotic/probiotic combination and find it helps relieve bloating, someone else may experience discomfort and actually feel all the more bloated.

Generally our advice is prebiotics are not always necessary, but if you want a belt-and-braces boost to your gut health and immunity it is worth trying a combination formula, with both probiotics and prebiotics. Experiment and see if it suits your system.

Prebiotic range

The following in our range at The Hub contain both prebiotics and probiotics:

  • Optibac For Every Day (with the prebiotic FOS)
  • Optibac One Week Flat (FOS)
  • Optibac For Babies & Chidren (FOS)
  • Synergy Biome Actives (with inulin)
Posted in Probiotics