Did you know that trillions of different bacteria live in your intestines? These can be divided into approximately 150 different strains. Together with viruses, yeasts, and fungi, these make up your microbiome. That sounds like a lot of work to maintain them all, doesn't it? In this blog post, we'll tell you all the ins and outs of prebiotics and probiotics and their effects on your gut health. This way, you'll know what you can do to take good care of your gut!

What is a microbiome?

Every person carries around 1.5 kilograms of bacteria in their body. These bacteria, or microbes, collectively form your microbiome. This microbiome is as unique as a fingerprint; no two are the same. They work in your body, and your intestines could be considered their headquarters. Therefore, it's crucial that the microbes in your intestines are in balance, as they can influence your physical and mental health.

The microbiome is crucial for your digestion. It helps you digest food and absorb nutrients, among other things. It also maintains your immune system. To keep your microbiome well-balanced, it helps to eat foods that contain prebiotics and probiotics, and to supplement with a supplement if needed .

What are prebiotics?

Prebiotics are indigestible carbohydrates found in our diet, including vegetables, fruit, grains, nuts, and legumes. Prebiotics nourish the bacteria in your intestines; some of these bacteria, the beneficial ones, are also called probiotics.

What are probiotics?

Probiotics are the good bacteria that live in your intestines. These are often found in fermented foods like yogurt, sauerkraut, cheese, beer, and sourdough bread. Probiotics play a role in a healthy immune system and healthy bowel movements. Prebiotics and probiotics work together to create a healthy environment for beneficial bacteria in your intestines.

What are synbiotics?

Synbiotics are meals that contain both prebiotics and probiotics. You could say it's the best of both worlds. By ensuring you get both in your meal, you ensure that the prebiotics protect the stomach, allowing as many probiotics as possible to pass through alive. Examples of combinations of prebiotics and probiotics include:

• Yogurt with fruit
• Tempeh with onion and/or garlic
• A glass of kombucha with an apple

There are, of course, endless combinations you can make between pre- and probiotics, so be inspired by recipes and try to figure out for yourself which ingredient contains what.

Bacillus coagulans as a probiotic

A difficult name, but Bacillus Coagulans is certainly not one to forget. This type of probiotic can do something some others can't: survive in places like your stomach and small intestine. Bacillus Coagulans is also called a spore-forming bacterium, meaning it can enter "dormant mode," temporarily halting cell metabolism and division. This makes it tolerant of high and low temperatures and highly acidic environments. This makes this type of probiotic perfect for eating, for example, in the form of a gummy.

In addition, Bacillus Coagulans produces lactic acid in the intestines, which increases the acidity within your intestines and has a positive effect on the growth of other beneficial microbes such as Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, Faecalibacterium Prausnitzii and Akkermansia muciniphila.

In short, whether you're young or old, your microbiome is always important. A healthy diet with sufficient fiber combined with plenty of probiotic-rich foods ensures your microbiome gets the nutrients it needs to maintain itself. If you find it difficult to get enough fiber and probiotic-rich foods daily, a supplement might be a good addition to your diet. Yummygums Pre & Pro Biotics is a vegan supplement with 3 billion live bacteria in the form of a gummy. The probiotics it contains come from a strain specially developed to reach your intestines alive: Bacillus Coagulans. The gummies have a refreshing pineapple-orange flavor. In short: this is the supplement for you if you're looking for a combination of pre- and probiotics!