Prebiotics Vs Probiotics - Let's break it down

Prebiotics and probiotics—what's the deal and why are they important?

First off, imagine your gut as a bustling community of trillions of bacteria and microbes, all working hard to keep you healthy—that's your gut microbiome! We've only recently realized just how crucial these tiny helpers are for our well-being. Just like a diverse ecosystem is essential for a healthy planet, having a diversity of bacteria in your gut is key for a healthy body.  The different bacteria all have different roles to play. But how do we achieve this diversity?

Enter prebiotic plant fibres

These are mostly types of fibre and if you imagine your gut as a garden, they are the fertilizer. They help good bacteria to flourish (flowers) but not the bad bacteria (weeds!) They are found in lots of healthy plant foods. By including a variety of prebiotic fibres in your diet, you can encourage a rich and diverse community of bacteria in your gut, which is vital for your immune health, mood, digestion, sleep & skin health and more.

Now, onto probiotics

These are live bacteria and yeasts that have been shown to have a health benefit in humans. However, it's crucial to choose well-researched probiotics, as not all of them are sure to be effective.  Probiotics are not needed for everyday health, you should think of them like a medicine.  You need to choose the right probiotic for the condition that you would like to treat.

Probiotics are added to foods and supplements and are also found naturally in fermented foods such as kefir, kimchi, kombucha and sourdough bread. While more research is needed for fermented foods, there is a lot of anecdotal evidence showing a health benefit.  If you're considering probiotics, opting for natural food sources might be a good idea.

A deeper gut health investment

At Deeply we are passionate about prebiotics and plant fibres as the science is now overwhelming when it comes to supporting their health benefits. We know that those who consume 30 different plant foods each week have a more diverse and healthy gut microbiome.  This is why our unique blend contains five different plant fibres, all with prebiotic effects. Since most people in the UK only manage to have 2/3 of their daily fibre each day, boosting your intake with plant foods (think mixed nuts & seeds, beans, mixed veg, variety of fruit, different wholegrains) can really improve your digestive and overall health.

And if you need a little extra help, Deeply has got you covered with a daily dose packed with a quarter of your fibre needs, giving you that much needed fibre boost.