Handbook- Probiotics and Prebiotics

What Are Prebiotics and Probiotics?

Probiotics are live beneficial bacteria that, when consumed in adequate amounts, support your gut health. They’re often found in fermented foods like yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, and in dietary supplements. Their job is to add good bacteria to your gut, helping balance your microbiome and support digestion, immunity, and overall health.
Prebiotics, on the other hand, are non-digestible fibers (mostly plant-based) that feed the beneficial bacteria already living in your gut. Think of them as fertilizer for your microbiome. Found in foods like garlic, onions, bananas, leeks, oats, and legumes, prebiotics help your gut bacteria grow stronger and more resilient.

How Good Prebiotic Habits Can Reduce the Need for Probiotics

While probiotics give your gut a short-term boost by introducing beneficial bacteria, their effects are often temporary—many don’t permanently colonize the gut. That’s where prebiotics shine.

If you consistently consume prebiotics:

You nourish and strengthen your existing good bacteria, helping them flourish naturally.
A well-fed, diverse microbiome becomes self-sustaining, reducing the need for external probiotic supplementation.
You’re less likely to experience gut imbalances (like bloating, irregular digestion, or dysbiosis), which are the common reasons people turn to probiotics in the first place.

In essence, probiotics plant the seeds, but prebiotics water the garden. And with the right prebiotic-rich diet, your gut can grow a thriving, resilient ecosystem—making reliance on probiotic supplements much less necessary.

Prebiotics

	Helps improve the the following species	Foods containing
Inulin & Fructooligosaccharides	Akkermansia muciniphila, Heyndrickxia coagulans, Bacillus subtilis, Bifidobacterium adolescentis, Bifidobacterium animalis, Bifidobacterium bifidum, Bifidobacterium breve, Bifidobacterium longum, Enterococcus durans, Lacticaseibacillus casei, Lacticaseibacillus paracasei, Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus, Lactiplantibacillus pentosus, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus delbrueckii, Lactobacillus gasseri, Lactobacillus helveticus, Lactobacillus johnsonii, Levilactobacillus brevis, Limosilactobacillus fermentum, Limosilactobacillus reuteri, Lactococcus lactis, Leuconostoc mesenteroides, Ligilactobacillus salivarius, Streptococcus thermophilus	Chicory root, Jerusalem artichokes, onions, garlic, leeks, bananas
Polyphenols	Akkermansia muciniphila	Berries (especially cranberries and pomegranates), grapes, green tea, cocoa
Pectin	Heyndrickxia coagulans, Bacillus subtilis, Bifidobacterium adolescentis, Bifidobacterium animalis, Bifidobacterium bifidum, Bifidobacterium breve, Bifidobacterium longum, Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus, Lactiplantibacillus pentosus, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus delbrueckii, Lactobacillus gasseri, Lactobacillus helveticus, Lactobacillus johnsonii, Levilactobacillus brevis, Limosilactobacillus fermentum, Limosilactobacillus reuteri, Lactococcus lactis, Leuconostoc mesenteroides, Ligilactobacillus salivarius, Streptococcus thermophilus	Apples, citrus fruits, carrots, and plums
Xylooligosaccharides	Heyndrickxia coagulans, Bacillus subtilis, Bifidobacterium animalis, Bifidobacterium longum, Lacticaseibacillus casei, Lacticaseibacillus paracasei, Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus gasseri, Lactobacillus helveticus, Lactobacillus johnsonii, Levilactobacillus brevis, Limosilactobacillus fermentum, Limosilactobacillus reuteri, Lactococcus lactis, Leuconostoc mesenteroides, Ligilactobacillus salivarius, Streptococcus thermophilus	fruits, vegetables, and grains, especially from bamboo shoots and corn cobs
Beta-Glucans and Arabinoxylans	Heyndrickxia coagulans, Bacillus subtilis, Bifidobacterium adolescentis	Whole grains such as wheat, rye, barley, and oats mushrooms, and yeast
Galactooligosaccharides	Bacillus subtilis, Bifidobacterium adolescentis, Bifidobacterium animalis, Bifidobacterium bifidum, Bifidobacterium breve, Bifidobacterium longum, Enterococcus durans, Lacticaseibacillus casei, Lacticaseibacillus paracasei, Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus, Lactiplantibacillus pentosus, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus delbrueckii, Lactobacillus gasseri, Lactobacillus helveticus, Lactobacillus johnsonii, Levilactobacillus brevis, Limosilactobacillus fermentum, Limosilactobacillus reuteri, Lactococcus lactis, Leuconostoc mesenteroides, Ligilactobacillus salivarius, Streptococcus thermophilus	Legumes, beans, lentils, and dairy products
Resistant starch	Heyndrickxia coagulans, Bacillus subtilis, Bifidobacterium adolescentis, Bifidobacterium animalis, Bifidobacterium bifidum, Bifidobacterium breve, Bifidobacterium longum, Lacticaseibacillus casei, Lacticaseibacillus paracasei, Lactiplantibacillus pentosus, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus delbrueckii, Lactobacillus gasseri, Lactobacillus helveticus, Lactobacillus johnsonii, Levilactobacillus brevis, Limosilactobacillus fermentum, Limosilactobacillus reuteri, Lactococcus lactis, Leuconostoc mesenteroides, Ligilactobacillus salivarius, Streptococcus thermophilus	Green bananas, cooked and cooled potatoes, legumes, oats, and rice
Lactulose	Bifidobacterium bifidum, Bifidobacterium breve, Bifidobacterium longum, Lacticaseibacillus casei, Lacticaseibacillus paracasei, Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus, Lactiplantibacillus pentosus, Lactobacillus acidophilus	A synthetic sugar used medically and sometimes in supplements
Oligosaccharides	Bifidobacterium bifidum, Bifidobacterium breve	Human milk (breast milk)
	Enterococcus durans	Fenugreek, psyllium