Pre, Pro and Postbiotics for Gut Health

Be Fit Food have recently added Prebiotics and Probiotics to our protein balls.  Why?  Because prebiotics, probiotics, and the newly defined postbiotics, all have a role to play in improving our health.

Including Prebiotics in our diet can:

• Improve the regularity of bowel movements
• Enhance the uptake of nutrients
• Aid in weight loss by regulating your desire to eat and
• Support your immune system.¹

Probiotics, on the other hand, help support your immune system, aid in digestion, produce vitamins and aid in nutrient absorption.

What are Prebiotics?

Prebiotics support the growth and activity of beneficial bacteria in our digestive system.

They are a type of fibre that our body is unable to digest, resulting in them being fermented in our digestive system. In more complex terms - they essentially provide food for the microbes that live within us and are metabolized by the bacteria in our gut.

Where are Prebiotics found?

Prebiotics are found naturally in certain foods including onion, garlic, asparagus, banana, tomato, rye, wheat soybean, cow’s milk, peas, beans and honey.^2.  They can also be manufactured and added to foods or supplements.

What are Probiotics?

Probiotics are live microorganisms, often similar to the microbes in our own bodies, that can support our health.³

Probiotics can influence the microbes we already have residing in our body, growing, metabolizing and interacting with these microbes, including prebiotics.

In addition to the benefits listed above, probiotics and relieve some symptoms such as diarrhoea, constipation and bloating.⁴

Where are Probiotics found?

Probiotics are most often found in fermented foods such as yoghurts, kefir, kimchi and sauerkraut, as well as in probiotic supplements. ⁴

What are Postbiotics?  

Postbiotics are essentially the waste left behind from prebiotics and probiotics. They provide similar effects to that of probiotics, without the risk of live microorganisms being present.  This provides a potentially more tolerated option to improve gut health. ^5,6  

Studies suggest postbiotics help support your immune system ⁷, manage blood glucose levels⁸, reduce the risk of heart disease⁹ and aid in alleviating symptoms such as diarrhoea ¹⁰.

Postbiotics also assist in weight loss by suppressing the appetite ^11,12. 

As postbiotics are byproducts of pre and probiotics, by including foods rich in these such as vegetables, wholegrains and fermented foods, you can naturally produce postbiotics in your gut and support your health. 

Be Fit Food

Be Fit Food’s newly formulated protein balls provide prebiotics in the form of Oligofructose and postbiotics in the form of L. Plantarum.

Together, these support good gut and digestive health, as well as provide immune health benefits.

Your gut health is essential to your overall health. Keep an eye on the ingredients of protein balls that live on the shelf. There’s a reason they last so long. Snap freezing our protein balls means they remain natural and filled with the goodness you need to EAT YOURSELF BETTER.

You can shop our entire range of protein balls here:  https://befitfood.com.au/collections/snacks-sides-extras

References

1. Slavin J. Fiber and Prebiotics: Mechanisms and Health Benefits. Nutrients. 2013;5(4).
2. Davani-Davari D, Negahdaripour M, Karimzadeh I, Seifan M, Mohkam M, Masoumi SJ, et al. Prebiotics: Definition, Types, Sources, Mechanisms, and Clinical Applications. Foods. 2019;8(3).
3. Plaza-Diaz J, Ruiz-Ojeda FJ, Gil-Campos M, Gil A. Mechanisms of Action of Probiotics. Advances in Nutrition. 2019;10(suppl_1):S49-S66.
4. Markowiak P, Śliżewska K. Effects of Probiotics, Prebiotics, and Synbiotics on Human Health. Nutrients. 2017;9(9):1021.
5. Malagón-Rojas JN, Mantziari A, Salminen S, Szajewska H. Postbiotics for Preventing and Treating Common Infectious Diseases in Children: A Systematic Review. Nutrients. 2020;12(2):389.
6. Wegh CAM, Geerlings SY, Knol J, Roeselers G, Belzer C. Postbiotics and Their Potential Applications in Early Life Nutrition and Beyond. International journal of molecular sciences. 2019;20(19).
7. Shinkai S, Toba M, Saito T, Sato I, Tsubouchi M, Taira K, et al. Immunoprotective effects of oral intake of heat-killed Lactobacillus pentosus strain b240 in elderly adults: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. The British journal of nutrition. 2013;109(10):1856-65.
8. Tilg H, Moschen AR. Microbiota and diabetes: an evolving relationship. Gut. 2014;63(9):1513-21.
9. Kim S, Goel R, Kumar A, Qi Y, Lobaton G, Hosaka K, et al. Imbalance of gut microbiome and intestinal epithelial barrier dysfunction in patients with high blood pressure. Clinical science (London, England : 1979). 2018;132(6):701-18.
10. Xiao SD, Zhang DZ, Lu H, Jiang SH, Liu HY, Wang GS, et al. Multicenter, randomized, controlled trial of heat-killed Lactobacillus acidophilus LB in patients with chronic diarrhea. Advances in therapy. 2003;20(5):253-60.
11. Chambers ES, Morrison DJ, Frost G. Control of appetite and energy intake by SCFA: what are the potential underlying mechanisms? The Proceedings of the Nutrition Society. 2015;74(3):328-36.
12. Byrne CS, Chambers ES, Morrison DJ, Frost G. The role of short chain fatty acids in appetite regulation and energy homeostasis. International journal of obesity (2005). 2015;39(9):1331-8.