Probiotics Vs. Prebiotics: What's The Difference? Which Is Better?
When it comes to the overall well-being of our bodies, gut health takes the top spot. Commonly referred to as the "second brain" due to its intricate connection to the brain, our gut plays a vital role in maintaining the healthy and flowing state of our bodies.
We often hear about the benefits of taking probiotics and prebiotics to support our gut health, but with so many recommendations on the market, it can be easy to get confused about which ones to take, when to take them, and how to choose the ones that best fit our body’s needs.
It could all be a lot simpler if we knew the functions and the role each played in our body, so maybe it’s time we break down the do’s, don’ts, and how’s of taking probiotics vs. prebiotics so you can always trust and care for your gut.
WHAT DOES THE GUT DO?
The gut is home to trillions of microorganisms, collectively known as the gut microbiome. These microorganisms help break down food, produce essential vitamins and nutrients, and protect the gut from harmful pathogens. When the balance of good and bad bacteria in the gut is disrupted, it can lead to a variety of health issues, including digestive problems, autoimmune disorders, and even mental health issues.
Research has linked gut health to immune function since a healthy gut microbiome helps regulate the immune system and protect against infections. Gut health has also been linked to mental health — since the gut and the brain are so closely connected, the gut microbiome can produce neurotransmitters that impact mood and behavior. Meaning, a well-balanced gut can equal a well-balanced you.
WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PROBIOTICS AND PREBIOTICS?
While probiotics and prebiotics may sound similar, they have distinct roles in promoting gut health.
Prebiotics are a type of fiber that the human body cannot digest. These natural compounds are commonly found in foods rich in complex carbohydrates, like resistant starch and fiber. Prebiotics act as a fertilizer for the good bacteria in your gut, promoting their growth and overall health. By feeding these beneficial microorganisms, prebiotics help keep the gut microbiome in balance and support optimal digestive and immune health.
On the other hand, probiotics are live microorganisms, such as bacteria or yeast, that are beneficial to the gut microbiome. Consider these to be the good bacteria that live in the gut (or your gut’s best friend). These beneficial microorganisms can help promote healthy digestion, boost immune function, and even influence your overall wellness. Probiotics work by maintaining a healthy balance of good and bad bacteria in the gut. By supporting the growth of beneficial bacteria, probiotics help keep the gut microbiome in check and support optimal immune function and normal inflammation response.
BEST FOOD TO FIND PREBIOTICS:
- Garlic
- Bananas
- Asparagus
- Artichokes
- Legumes, beans, and peas
- Oats
- Berries
- Onions
- Dandelion greens
BEST FOOD TO FIND PROBIOTICS:
- Kombucha
- Yogurt (with live and active cultures)
- Apple cider vinegar
- Tempeh
- Pickles
- Aged cheeses
- Kimchi
- Sauerkraut
- Miso
PROBIOTICS VS. PREBIOTICS: WHICH IS BETTER?
It’s not so much that one is better than the other, but rather that incorporating both prebiotics and probiotics into your diet through food and supplements can help the two work in harmony with each other.
Prebiotics function as nourishment for the good bacteria in your gut, while probiotics are the actual bacteria themselves. When consumed in either supplement or food form, prebiotics and probiotics work hand in hand to promote a healthy gut.
So, is it possible to consume prebiotics and probiotics simultaneously? Absolutely! You can find them as a combined supplement. While probiotics are capable of functioning independently, incorporating prebiotics may enhance their effectiveness, but prebiotics alone may not provide significant benefits.
TRY THESE SUPPLEMENTS:
Culturelle Pro Strength Daily Probiotics
Garden of Life Probiotics for Women
Love Wellness Good Girl Probiotics
Rae Pre + Probiotic Dietary Supplement Capsules for Gut Health
HUM Nutrition Gut Instinct Probiotic Supplement
With the right combination of prebiotics and probiotics, you’ll be on your way to smoother digestion, a stronger gut, and boosted immune system in no time.
Let’s make things inbox official! Sign up for the xoNecole newsletter for daily love, wellness, career, and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox.
Featured image by Moyo Studio/Getty Images
- Halle Berry Says These Are The Must-Haves Every Woman Needs In 2023 ›
- 80% Of Your Immunity Is In Your Gut. Take Care Of It Like This. ›
Aley Arion is a writer and digital storyteller from the South, currently living in sunny Los Angeles. Her site, yagirlaley.com, serves as a digital diary to document personal essays, cultural commentary, and her insights into the Black Millennial experience. Follow her at @yagirlaley on all platforms!
Black women are not a monolith. We all are deserving of healing and wholeness despite what we've been through, how much money we have in the bank, or what we look like. Most importantly, we are enough—even when we are not working, earning, or serving.
Welcome to Black Girl Whole, your space to find the wellness routine that aligns with you! This brand-new marketplace by xoNecole is a safe space for Black women to activate their healing, find the inspiration to rest, and receive reassurance that we are one small act away from finding our happiness.
Want to discover where you are on your wellness journey? You don't have to look far. In partnership with European Wax Center, we're bringing you a customized wellness quiz to help you up your wellness game. Answer our short series of questions to figure out which type of wellness lover you are, what you need to bring more balance into your life, and then go deeper by shopping products geared towards clearing your mind, healing your body, and soothing your spirit.
Ready to get whole? Take our quiz now!
Omarion & Apryl Jones’ Family Trip Shows How Far They’ve Come In Their Co-Parenting Journey
The year was 2014, and the show was Love & Hip Hop: Hollywood. In its first season, we were reintroduced to Omarion and got a more intimate look into the man behind the B2K fame and hits like “Touch.” Audiences tuned in as they saw him balance being a son to his mom and a partner to his then-girlfriend Apryl Jones as they prepared to be first-time parents. And amid some of the franchise’s most iconic moments and fights, there was undeniable and unapologetic love shown between them pre-breakup.
Despite whatever issues we may or may not have been privy to because of the former couple being in the public eye, it’s clear that over the years following their 2016 split, Omarion and Apryl have done their best to keep “family” at their center. It’s why now in the year 2023 (and past messiness pushed aside, chile), it is not all that surprising to see Omarion and Apryl posted up in Disney World with their two kids like they’re "post to be" because, well, it's all love.
Omarion and Apryl made headlines over the weekend after posting to social media some behind-the-scenes moments of their "first family trip" together.
Together for a handful of years, having kids together (Megaa and Ame'i) is the kind of commitment that you keep for a lifetime, regardless of whether the romantic part of a relationship ends. And while some speculated that their very public family outing over the weekend possibly hinted that the romantic aspect of their relationship might have rekindled, it could just be another healthy example of co-parenting (especially because Apryl is still reportedly booed up with actor Taye Diggs). And lawd knows the world needs as much of that as it can get.
It is also a sign of growth and is in alignment with what Omarion shared in the past about the status of his co-parenting relationship with Apryl in 2022:
"We’re still in a transformative state. Like I said, I’m the type of person who likes to leave room for some new ideas, some different methods. I’m all for that. But we are in a transformative state right now."
Though there might have been ill will between them at some point due to how things ended and where things were emotionally (that eventually led to resurfaced animosity between him and a B2K member that Apryl eventually became involved with), the famed unbothered king doesn't don that name for nothing and has publicly stated that there's no "ill will" because he's "moved on." He has also stated that he will never speak against her publicly because she is the mother of his kids. Perhaps that has also led
In an article on our platform, "Omarion Speaks On Where Co-Parenting With Apryl Jones Stands Now & I Have 6 Solid Takeaways From It," we covered his interview with Sway in the Morning where the artist hinted at a reason that might have caused the romantic love aspect of their journey to come to an end:
“Not to generalize women, but you know, umm, sometimes women think that you know, love stories are supposed to be this kind of like, happy thing and this, ‘Oh we vibin,’ and you know, we, we get married, and we have a family,’ but it’s really, it’s really not like that. You know, umm, that wasn’t my experience. L
"ooking back on the history of how I viewed relationships, like, my mom is not married, you know, my Nana was married at a very young age…like, steppin’ back and realizin’ like, ‘Oh, your love style, your support, the things that you actually need, you know, is different from what you perceive. And it allowed me to really see, you know, what it is that I truly want, and it is acceptance. It is love. That’s what love is.”
However, wanting different things doesn't stop have to stop the way people show up in their children's lives as parents. As they make strides towards being better co-parents, Omarion shared in an interview earlier this year about the importance of moving forward for the kids:
"I will say we have been moving towards a better relationship at this particular point in time, for the kids. It’s all good, it was just something we went through. I think as long as respect is over-stood and appreciated within the scope of the blended family then I think you can virtually get through anything.”
A trip to Disney World as a family is a beautiful step in their healthy co-parenting journey.
Let’s make things inbox official! Sign up for the xoNecole newsletter for daily love, wellness, career, and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox.
Featured image via Omarion/Instagram
