Prebiotics 101: Feeding Your Inner Garden

Written by BAE Nutrients

6 minutes

4 Citations

Last updated February 7, 2025

If probiotics are the gardeners, prebiotics are the fertilizer.

Prebiotics are non-digestible fibers that act as food for your beneficial gut bacteria. Unlike probiotics, they’re not live organisms—but they’re just as essential in building and maintaining a healthy microbiome.

What Are Prebiotics?

Prebiotics are natural fibers that pass undigested through the stomach and into the colon, where they feed the friendly bacteria already living there. Common prebiotics include:
Inulin

  • Fructooligosaccharides (FOS)
  • Galactooligosaccharides (GOS)
  • Resistant starches


They’re found in foods like onions, garlic, bananas, chicory root, oats, and asparagus.

How Prebiotics Support Gut Health

Prebiotics help:

  • Stimulate the growth of healthy bacteria like Bifidobacteria
  • Improve mineral absorption, especially calcium and magnesium
  • Enhance the production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) like butyrate, which reduce inflammation and strengthen the gut barrier
  • Balance blood sugar levels and reduce appetite spikes

Should You Take a Prebiotic Supplement?

If your diet lacks fiber or fermented foods, or you’re taking antibiotics or dealing with gut issues, a prebiotic supplement can help rebalance your microbiome.


Look for blends that include:

  • Organic inulin
  • FOS or GOS
  • No added sugars or artificial ingredients

The Power of Synbiotics: Prebiotics + Probiotics

The real magic happens when prebiotics and probiotics are combined—this duo is known as synbiotics. Together, they:

  • Increase probiotic survival
  • Amplify microbiome diversity
  • Enhance overall digestive and immune function

Final Thoughts

Think of your gut as a garden. Probiotics are the beneficial plants, and prebiotics are the nourishing soil. Feed your microbiome right, and it will reward you with better digestion, improved immunity, and even a better mood.


A healthy gut is a healthy you.

Citations
  1. Gibson, G. R., & Roberfroid, M. B. (1995). Dietary modulation of the human colonic microbiota: introducing the concept of prebiotics. Journal of Nutrition, 125(6), 1401–1412.
     
  2. Slavin, J. (2013). Fiber and prebiotics: mechanisms and health benefits. Nutrients, 5(4), 1417–1435.
     
  3. Davani-Davari, D., Negahdaripour, M., Karimzadeh, I., et al. (2019). Prebiotics: Definition, Types, Sources, Mechanisms, and Clinical Applications. Foods, 8(3), 92.
     
  4. Macfarlane, G. T., & Macfarlane, S. (2011). Fermentation in the human large intestine: Its physiologic consequences and the potential contribution of prebiotics. Journal of Clinical Gastroenterology, 45(Suppl), S120–S127.