Often confused, prebiotics and probiotics do not have the same nature or functions - even though their interest is the same: Maintaining the fundamental balance of the intestinal flora.

Prebiotics

Prebiotics have the ability to reach 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 with the proper functioning of the intestine.

In summary, prebiotics are the food for the bacteria of the microbiota.

Where can it be found in the diet?
Foods rich in inulin and fructo oligo saccharides (FOS) contribute to the good health of the intestinal flora. These foods are: Jerusalem artichokes, asparagus, artichokes, onions, tomatoes, garlic, bananas, barley and especially chicory root from which inulin is industrially extracted.

Probiotics

Probiotics help to balance or rebalance the intestinal flora, by promoting the presence of good bacteria at the expense of bad ones.

Probiotics are living bacteria that will colonize the intestine and act by strengthening the "barrier" effect of the intestinal flora, by stimulating the immune system, by participating in the maintenance of the intestinal mucosa through the production of short chain fatty acids (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 its motility, in particular on the motility and emptying of the stomach, they aid in weight loss).

Where can it be found in the diet?
Foods rich in probiotics are all fermented foods: sauerkraut, capers, pickles, olives, canned anchovies, sourdough bread, dry sausage, kefir, certain yogurts…but also foods from farther away, soy sauces (tamari and shoyu), soy paste, miso, nuoc-mam (fish sauce), tempeh (fermented yellow soybeans to cook).

So here's a little tip, when you're organizing a get-together with friends, replace chips, salted peanuts, tuc and others with foods rich in prebiotics and probiotics such as small asparagus, artichoke hearts, cherry tomatoes, olives, "giant" capers, small pickles or even anchovy fillets. And why not with olive anchovy skewers?