Whatever food or drink you put into your body will greatly affect the balance of good and bad bacteria in your gut. When bad bacteria are fed constantly, they grow faster and develop more easily. On the other hand, the number of good bacteria decreases, even though it is responsible for fighting the bad bacteria.

Benefits of Good Bacteria

Bacteria do reside in our gut, but they also affect health in certain aspects. Some of the benefits are believed to reduce the risk of diarrhea and irritable bowel syndrome, and improve mental health as it is thought to be linked to the gut and brain.

Probiotics

Probiotics are live bacteria found in certain foods or supplements that can provide many health benefits. Probiotics occur naturally in some foods, so consuming them will help increase the amount of good bacteria in the gut. Fermented foods mainly contain probiotics, such as:

• Yogurt

• Tempeh 

• Kimchi

• Kombucha

• Kefir

• Natto 

• Pickles (unpasteurized)

After a quick read, the question may arise, what if I just buy probiotic supplements? There are indeed many preparations sold, but they are generally quite expensive, do not necessarily contain the same type of bacteria, and some even make claims without evidence of their effectiveness. So if you want to buy them, try consulting a doctor or nutritionist first.

Probiotics are live bacteria in food

Prebiotics

Prebiotics are a type of fiber that cannot be digested by the human body that serves as food for probiotics. Prebiotics serve as food for probiotics, so for them to be effective, one needs to consume probiotic foods. Actually, by eating a diverse and nutritionally balanced diet, you can get plenty of prebiotics and probiotics.

While there are prebiotic supplements sold out there, instead of spending a fortune, remember that there are many foods that naturally contain them. What are they? Here's the list:

• Legumes

• Wheat-gum

• Bananas

• Berries

• Kiwi 

• Asparagus

• Garlic

• Onion

• Leek

Synbiotics

Prebiotics and probiotics can be found in one meal. By combining the two, the effect we will get will also be higher. The combination is called synbiotics. The advantage of this combination is that it is like feeding a starving body during the day. When our cravings are fulfilled, the mood improves, right? Automatically, work becomes more productive.  For those who want to try it, here are some menu ideas for synbiotics:

1. Yogurt bowl: greek yogurt, blueberries, strawberries, banana, and nuts

2. Overnight oats: yogurt, strawberries, banana, chia seeds, rolled oats

3. Sauteed tempeh chickpeas

4. Kimchi-filled kimbap

Synbiotics are a combination of prebiotics and probiotics

Probiotics are live bacteria found in certain foods or supplements, while prebiotics are a type of fiber that cannot be digested by the human body and serve as food for probiotics. Both have good health benefits. To increase their number, let's vary the food and drinks you consume! Be wise to choose what's right and what's not.

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