You’ve probably heard about probiotics and prebiotics, but do you understand what they are and why they’re essential for keeping your body healthy and strong?

The reason you keep hearing about probiotics and prebiotics is because of the important role they play in digestive health. You may have asked yourself: “What’s all the fuss about digestive health?” Well, you may be surprised to learn that it’s got to do with more than just flatulence and bloating.

Digestive health is crucial because the digestive system is where between 70% and 80% of our immune tissue is situated.  So a healthy gut equals a healthy immune system, and research has proven that to keep the digestive system in the best possible condition, it’s vital to make probiotics and prebiotics part of our diets.

What are probiotics and why do you need them?

• Found in fungi and yeast, probiotics are live micro-organisms – the “friendly” bacteria you’ve heard about that can keep the gut healthy if they’re present in large enough numbers.
• Probiotics do the important work of helping the digestive system to break down food that’s hard to digest, which enables us to gain nutritional value from the vitamins and nutrients in these foods. This helps stabilise blood sugar levels and metabolism.
• They’re also essential in bowel health, helping to prevent bloating, flatulence, constipation and diarrhoea.
• But they do more than just keep you physically healthy; they also play an important role in emotional health because the gut is where many of the brain’s chemicals, including serotonin, are made.
• Because probiotics are constantly competing with harmful micro-organisms, it’s essential that their numbers remain strong and that they’re kept healthy enough to work effectively. That’s where prebiotics come into play.

What are prebiotics and why do you need them?

• Prebiotics are non-digestible food fibres.
• Because they’re non-digestible, prebiotics remain intact until they hit the large intestine. There, they provide nutrition for probiotics, enabling them to grow and multiply and fight off the bad bacteria that live in the gut.
• Prebiotics keep probiotics healthy and able to stick to the walls of the bowel.
• They also play a role in fighting harmful micro-organisms.

The cornerstone of good health is a strong and effective digestive system which can influence other important parts of the body, from the bowel to the brain. Not sure if you’re getting enough probiotics and prebiotics on your daily diet? See how Vital All In One may improve your intestinal health.