The indispensable contribution of pre and probiotics

We're currently professionally translating all content. In the meantime, this article has been translated by Google Translate. Sorry if this isn't 100% relevant.

Often confused, the pre and probiotics do not have the same nature, nor the same functions - even if their interest is the same: To maintain the fundamental balance of the intestinal flora.

Prebiotics
Prebiotics have the ability to travel to the large intestine without being digested or absorbed during their journey. They then serve as food for the good bacteria that live there, which helps the proper functioning of the intestine.

In summary, prebiotics are the food of microbiota bacteria.

Where to find it in the diet?
Foods rich inulin and fructo-oligo saccharides (FOS) contribute to a healthy intestinal flora. These foods are: Jerusalem artichokes, asparagus, artichokes, onions, tomatoes, garlic, banana, barley and especially the chicory root which is extracted inulin industrially.

Probiotics
Probiotics can balance or rebalance the intestinal flora, promoting the presence of good bacteria at the expense of bad.

Probiotics are living bacteria that will colonize the intestine and act by enhancing the "barrier" effect of the intestinal flora, stimulating the immune system, participating in the maintenance of the intestinal mucosa by the production of fatty acid short chain (these fatty acids present in the intestine have a very important influence on the functioning of the digestive tract as a whole.They interact on the degree of inflammation of the colon, on the motricity of the latter, in particular on motility and emptying of the stomach, they help with weight loss).

Where to find it in the diet?
Foods rich in probiotics are all fermented foods: sauerkraut, capers, pickles, olives, canned anchovies, sourdough bread, sausage, kefir, some yogurts ... but also foods from more distant countries, sauces soy (tamari and shoyu), soy paste, miso, nuoc-mam (fish sauce), tempeh (fermented yellow soybeans to cook).

So a little trick, when you organize an aperitif with friends, replace crisps, salted peanuts, tuc and others with foods rich in pre and probiotics such as small asparagus, artichoke hearts, cherry tomatoes, olives , "giant" capers, small pickles or anchovy fillets. And why not anchovy skewers with olives?