Prebiotics and Probiotics Simplified

What is the difference between Prebiotics and Probiotics? I asked this question to several people, and the answers were surprising. Some said curd is a Probiotic but they weren't sure what Prebiotics are, while others had no idea at all. Then I asked a second question - Does any brand come to mind when I say “Probiotic”?, some said “Yakult” and that’s when I knew the brand had succeeded in marketing.

In this blog, lets deconstruct these jargons with The OG Twist and also, look at Yakult’s label to see if it’s truly a Probiotic or just a marketing gimmick!

Prebiotics and Probiotics Explained

Probiotics are live bacteria and Prebiotics are the fiber which feeds the bacteria - that’s all, it’s that simple.

Our intestine (gut) has live bacteria that aid in digestion, especially the digestion of fibers we get from fruits and vegetables that are not digestible by enzymes. Today, many brands promise billions of CFUs (colony-forming units) of Probiotics, which are simply live bacteria. But the fundamental question is: "Are you feeding those bacteria correctly?". Without Prebiotics (i.e. fiber - fruits and veggies), Probiotics have nothing to feed on.

To sum it up, eat your fruits and veggies to nourish the good bacteria you already have, instead of just adding more.

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Gut bacteria is like a little army inside your body which turns indigestible food into energy and fights bad bacteria. But without food, can any army fight a war?

Deep dive on Yakult - Remember that cute little bottle?

Did we just see “Sugar” as the second ingredient on the Yakult label? Well, that’s not so cute! No wonder children love the taste.

Yakult does provide a strain of live bacteria that survives stomach acid and adds up into your good bacteria count, but takes up almost half of your day’s sugar quota.

It is made by adding live bacteria (Shirota strain) to skimmed milk, which then ferments. During fermentation, the bacteria produce lactic acid, which makes it sour and with added sugar, we get the final sweet-sour taste. While the brand claims a shelf life of 30-40 days, if it's not stored below 10 degrees Celsius, the live bacteria won't survive, and you'll just be drinking sugar syrup.

So having Yakult occasionally would help, but only if you pair it with ~~prebiotics~~ fiber in your diet that feeds the ~~probiotics~~ bacteria.

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So, live bacteria added to skimmed milk, which then ferments into a gut friendly drink. Sounds like homemade curd on steroids, doesn't it?

The OG Recommendation

Having a high fiber diet such as oats, fruits and vegetables would help existing good bacteria grow and no, you don’t need a dose of live bacteria every morning.

Yakult can be enjoyed occasionally, just don’t think a tiny bottle alone would fix your gut!

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Fun fact: Our body has a gut-brain axis, which is a bi-directional communication system between the gut and the brain. A healthy gut produces serotonin which helps regulating mood and sleep. So, remember that “Gut Feeling” you get? It’s actually your “second brain” whispering.

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