What Are Postbiotics And How Can They Improve Our Gut Health?

We have all got that warm, fuzzy feeling whenever we eat our favorite comfort food. That happens when your gut says “helloooo!” to you. 

You would have heard of the famous cousins prebiotics and postbiotics. They are like the popular kids in school who are always in the spotlight. 

But, what are postbiotics? You’ve never heard of those?

Well, they are the cool, mysterious new kids in school, and they are here to mix things up. Probiotics are live microorganisms that confer on users a host of health benefits, especially for their digestive system.

In this article, we will clearly explain to you what postbiotics really are, what they do inside your body, their health benefits, and ways by which you can consume food rich in postbiotics.

Stick with me throughout this blog, and get to know more about postbiotics.

What Are Postbiotics?

Postbiotics are the superheroes that come after all the gut work by prebiotics and probiotics are done. 

Postbiotics are what might be called your silent heroes when it comes to gut health. This is the metabolic by-product created when good gut bacteria—probiotics—ferment on their favorite food – prebiotics.

When you consume foods rich in prebiotics that feed the good bacteria in your gut (the same probiotics). They elongate the former to ultimately produce postbiotics in the process.

Therefore, examples of postbiotics could be short-chain fatty acids, vitamins, amino acids, and antimicrobial peptides.

Postbiotics, do everything from supporting the growth of good bacteria to providing indispensable nutrients and even calming excessive inflammation in your body. They are the quiet workers involved in ensuring maximum gut function—although, quite like their pre- and probiotic first cousins, they get little or no attention.

What Do Postbiotics Do In The Body?

You can think of postbiotics as the clean-up crews. They are certainly there, poised to keep things in balance and support different vital functions within your body. Let’s understand in detail what are postbiotics function in our body.

• Gut Guardians: A postbiotic is, much like a bouncer at the door of your gut, with gatekeeping duties that allow entry of only the cool, beneficial kids.

Basically, they help good bacteria thrive and the growth of bad bacteria gets repressed. They’re much like bouncers at the door, letting in only cool kids into the gut party.

• Nutrient-Dense: Postbiotics are powerhouses of vitamins B and K, amino acids, and short-chain fatty acids.

They help your body absorb all the good stuff from the food you eat, basically ensuring you’re really getting the most bang for your buck. 

• Boost Immune System: Metabolites are like peacekeepers that help resolve inflammation and promote healthy immune responses. 

They keep your immune system cool, calm, and collected so that it’s ready to attack the bad invaders without overreacting.

• Probiotic Partners: Much like the way you might wake up in the morning and not feel like you can function without a cup of coffee, probiotics need postbiotics to really be effective. It’s like Batman and Robin — probiotics and postbiotics are the dynamic duo.

Postbiotics set the table for the perfect snack of your gut buddies so that they wake up energized and ready for action to go and hang out in an environment that really is changing the game.

• Skin Saviors: The next superheroes in skincare are postbiotics, according to emerging research.

They can enhance skin hydration, cause acne, and even have the potential to invite protection against skin aging and even skin cancer. So, they’re actually not only gut guardians but also skin protectors!

What Are Postbiotics, Prebiotics, Probiotics, And Postbiotics — Differences?

Think about a well-choreographed dance where every move flows elegantly to the next—that’s how it is with prebiotics, probiotics, and postbiotics in your gut. Think of them as the Guts Three Musketeers:

Prebiotics are, simply put, non-digestive foods and fuel for your gut bacteria. They are like the horses of the musketeers, giving them the energy to do the job. Prebiotics are contained in food items, such as asparagus, artichokes, and bananas.

Probiotics are essentially live bacteria themselves, if you will, like the Musketeers which fight off the bad bacteria for good bacteria to do their thing in keeping the gut in harmony. You can only get them through yogurt, sauerkraut, and some cheeses.

Now, what are postbiotics — the mighty metabolites? They are the superpowers that the Musketeers whip out when they have to save the day. Postbiotics come into being when probiotics chomp down on prebiotics and bring a whole new level of awesome to your gut health.

Types Of Postbiotics 

Now, the question in your mind would be, “What, then, are these metabolites?” Well, here’s the list of common postbiotics:

• Short-chain Fatty Acids (SCFAs): The big three SCFAs your gut bacteria will produce are acetate, propionate, and butyrate. They have anti-inflammatory properties that supply energy to gut cells, keeping your gut lining in good health.
  
• Vitamins: Postbiotics can contain vitamins B and K, which together play a role in producing energy, maintaining good brain health, and having strong bones.
  
  On the other hand, vitamin B helps in converting food into energy besides promoting healthy nerve function. Vitamin K is crucial for blood clotting and the health of bones.

• Amino Acids: Building blocks of proteins that enhance gut barrier function, promote a healthy immune system and facilitate nutrient absorption. They are basically the construction workers that build a strong foundation for your health.

• Antimicrobial Peptides: These shall act as bouncers’ batons in keeping peace in your gut. They help balance the gut flora by stimulating the growth of good bacteria while hampering bad ones.

• Phenols: These compounds exert antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities, hence help in the suppression of excessive inflammation in your body. They are sort of like a balm to the system, steadying its surge of everything.

• Bacterial Lysate: It’s more or less a soup-type mixture made from breaking down bacterial cell walls and resides in lysed bacteria. The immune-boosting property of facilitating a healthy gut environment is diverse in this nutrient.

• Enzymes: Postbiotics can contain enzymes involved in digestion that act on food to break it down into absorbable nutrients. Consider them tiny assistants that ensure you obtain what you can from your meals.

• Exopolysaccharides: You can think of them like gut glue, really—holding everything together in your gut. They feed good bacteria and form a kind of barrier within the gut lining.

What Are Postbiotics Foods?

I’m sure you’ve understood what postbiotics are. Now, you must be thinking that it’s time to explore how to lay your hands on these supernaturally good metabolites: natural postbiotics. Amigo, they’re hiding in some of your favorite fermented foods!

• Kefir: So, kefir is really an ancient probiotic beverage that tastes like a tangy, creamy smoothie rammed with postbiotics. It’s more or less like a multivitamin for your gut and therefore rich in vitamins B and K and biotin.

• Tempeh: A great probiotic-rich, fermented Indonesian soy-based food with a nutty flavor that makes it delicious to have with meals, an excellent source of protein, and fortified with vitamins.

• Kimchi: It is spicy, savory, and simply flavored sidewards. Kimchi represents the Korean way of fermenting vegetables, giving them an umami taste. Therefore, the vegetables become super gut food, topped with vitamins and fiber.

• Yogurt: Besides being a great probiotic source, yogurt contains postbiotics, particularly if it is traditional. It is arguably among the best sources of protein and calcium in the whole of foods and undoubtedly helps with good digestion through plenty of protein and calcium as well as useful microorganisms.

• Sauerkraut: Sauerkraut has been a classic fermented food for quite some time, providing an easy way to incorporate more gut healing into daily life. It is rich in fiber and vitamins, which become more accessible to digestion through fermentation.

• Sourdough Bread: Essentially magic dough, it is fermented to a lower pH, which allows for better digestion. Wild yeast and good bacteria give a very comfortable kind of food that has hidden gut benefits associated with it.

• Kombucha: This fizzy-tang tea reinvents refreshment and serves as an uplifting postbiotic boost. kombucha is brewed using a SCOBY. There are B vitamins, which constitute antimicrobial organic acids that support gut lining.

• Miso Soup: That unassuming, comforting bowl of miso soup will bring you a good dose of postbiotics by itself. Made from fermented soybean paste, miso is an excellent source of protein and immune-modulating zinc.

Health Benefits Of Postbiotic Foods

Postbiotics are like the unsung heroes of your gut health, offering a range of benefits:

• Improved Gut Health: Postbiotics help create a happy and healthy gut environment, reducing the risk of digestive issues like diarrhea, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and inflammatory bowel diseases.
  
  They promote the growth of good bacteria and prevent the buildup of harmful bacteria, keeping your gut in harmony.
  
• Enhanced Nutrient Absorption:  Some strains of postbiotics contain a few of the very bioactive nutrients that make it possible for the body to absorb all the nutrients from the food one consumes, including some vitamins and amino acids. This enhances your nutritional and energy potential.
  
• Immune System Support: The antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of postbiotics balance the immune system, so it’s ready to respond to any invader.
  
  They reduce the chance of infections and even support general immune function—it’s kind of like a peacekeeping force for your body.
  
• Healthy Skin: Although much more research is still needed, the future for postbiotics might lie in skincare.
  
  They help blot out acne, improve skin hydration, and show potential for protection against skin aging and even cancer. They keep your skin from within.
  
• Ease Colic in Infants: Postbiotics have proven to alleviate colicky discomfort in infants, reduce crying, and improve sleep. They aid in the healthy development of the gut and immune system, soothing both an uncomfortable baby and weary parents.

• Relieve Constipation and Diarrhea: Postbiotics regularize bowel movements and hence relieve diarrhea and constipation.
  
  They ensure a healthy gut transit time while maintaining the balance of water absorption in the colon, allowing things to flow smoothly.

• Fights Cancerous Cells: Some studies suggest that postbiotics may have anti-tumor properties.
  
  They have been shown to suppress the growth and spread of certain cancer cells, including colon and stomach cancer cells. Postbiotics may be a potential adjunct therapy in cancer treatment.

• Prevent Infections: In view of their antimicrobial capacity, postbiotics help your body fight an infection. They bolster your defenses so your body does a better job of fighting off bad pathogens.

• Support Weight Loss: Postbiotics can actually work to make weight loss easier by enhancing digestion and absorption of food. By reducing gut inflammation associated with obesity, they incentivize healthy metabolism. So, more include postbiotics for weight loss.

How To Add Postbiotics To Your Diet?

So, you want to boost your postbiotic intake? Here’s how:

• Fermented Foods: Kimchi, kefir, tempeh, and yogurt are your friends. Add them to your meals or enjoy them as snacks.
  
• Traditional Cooking Methods: Try incorporating more traditionally prepared foods, like sourdough bread, fermented pickles, and cultured dairy products.
  
• Prebiotic-Rich Foods: Foods like garlic, onions, and bananas feed the beneficial bacteria in your gut, aiding in postbiotic production.
  
• Fiber Intake: Increase dietary fiber with whole grains, legumes, and vegetables to support a healthy gut microbiome.
  
• Miso Soup: Incorporate miso soup into your diet, as miso is a fermented soybean paste rich in postbiotics.
  
• Fermented Beverages: Enjoy drinks like kombucha or beet kvass, which are rich in postbiotics.
  
• Raw Cheese: Opt for raw, unpasteurized cheeses, which can be rich in beneficial bacteria and postbiotics.
  
• Fermented Soy Products: Include natto, a fermented soybean dish, known for its high postbiotic content.

A Word From Fitelo On What Are Postbiotics 

And there you have it! The rock stars for gut health foods and well-being are the postbiotics. 

Fermented gut health foods, along with the power of prebiotics, probiotics, and postbiotics, will all help keep your gut happy.

Now is the time to show off in front of your friends and reap the benefits for yourself with a healthy gut. After all, a happy gut equals a happy you!

Frequently Asked Questions

Can You Take Postbiotics And Probiotics Together?

Absolutely! In fact, they work really well together. Probiotics need postbiotics to thrive, so taking them together can enhance the benefits of both.

Are Postbiotics Suitable For Everyone?

Postbiotics are generally safe for healthy individuals. However, everyone’s gut is unique, so it’s always a good idea to introduce new foods or supplements gradually and pay attention to how your body responds.

Who Should Not Take Postbiotics?

If you have specific health concerns or are taking medication, it’s important to consult your healthcare provider before adding postbiotics to your routine. This is especially important if you have a compromised immune system or are taking antibiotics.

Should I Take A Postbiotic Supplement?

Postbiotic supplements can be beneficial if you feel your diet could use an extra boost. However, it’s always best to prioritize getting your postbiotics from food sources first. Supplements should be considered as additional support under the guidance of a healthcare professional.

What Are Postbiotics In Skincare?

Postbiotics are also making their way into the skincare world! Some studies suggest that postbiotics may have skin-soothing properties and could help improve skin hydration, reduce acne, and protect against skin aging. They’re definitely a skincare trend to keep an eye on!

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Disclaimer

This blog post was written to help you make healthy and better food choices. So, be aware and take care. The most important thing to consider is your health before starting a restrictive diet. Always seek advice from a doctor or dietitian before starting, if you have any concerns.

Eat healthy and live healthy. Enjoy a long, happy life.