Did you know there are trillions of bacteria living in your gut? The bacteria in and on your body are essential to being alive. Gut bacteria are the best friends you never knew you had - they always got your back (and gut, and really every other body system!)

We all have microscopic, invisible friends working in our gut and throughout our entire body. These organisms make up a micro-ecosystem called the human microbiome - what you feed your body affects your microbiome, which in turn impacts your overall health. Ever heard of that saying, “you are what you eat”? It’s true.

Here is a proper introduction to your new best gut friends...or BGFs (too much?): prebiotics and probiotics. Both have a uniquely positive impact on your gut and overall health and play a role in helping you feel like your happiest, healthiest self.

Probiotics

From birth, your gut is filled with trillions of native bacteria that help your body function. Probiotics are a type of good bacteria - not the kind you’re born with, but living organisms that have proven positive health benefits when consumed.

Probiotics play a role in a happy gut, as they interact positively with the native bacteria in your body to create optimal bacterial balance. Consuming probiotics can aid in digestion, support the body’s natural detoxifying abilities, and improve gut health. Different probiotics have different health benefits.

Probiotics can be found in a myriad of beverages, foods, and supplements. If you want to add probiotics to your diet, you can start by incorporating fermented foods—some of the most popular being yogurt, kimchi, sauerkraut, and kombucha. Fermented foods are wholesome and natural ways to feel good while enjoying good food. 

In any probiotic food diet, you want to make sure the probiotics you’re eating are high quality. The best place to find probiotic-rich foods is in the refrigerated section as the cold provides a stable environment for these living bacteria, so you can reap all the benefits of probiotics. 

Just like in a bottle of kombucha or a cup of yogurt, if you choose to start taking probiotic supplements, starting with a high-quality product that contains live organisms is a great place to start.

The variety of probiotic options can be overwhelming. To make your life easier when you arrive at the supplement shelf, research what probiotics will be best for you and your body’s unique needs. With any product, you want to make sure you're investing in a quality supplement—so it works the way you hope. Again, we recommend always speaking with your doctor before starting any dietary supplement. 

Prebiotics

Prebiotics sound a lot like PRObiotics, but they are entirely different. Think of PREbiotics as the food for the native bacteria that live in your body. Their main job is to nourish and support the growth of bacteria that already exists in your gut. Prebiotics are specialized plant fibers that help the bacteria in your gut do their important work.

Head to that farmer’s market or produce section of your local grocer because prebiotics can be found in most fruits and veggies. Foods with more prebiotics will typically contain complex carbohydrates like indigestible fiber and starch. 

These carbs pass through your digestive system (without being digested and absorbed, like most nutrients) and into your gut, where they feed the good bacteria. If you are drinking kombucha for its health benefits, you’ll likely want to ensure your diet contains beneficial prebiotics, too (plus other essential nutrients) - which further support gut health. 

If you are looking to level up your prebiotic intake, there are many ways to do so. Mainly focus on eating more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.

It is pretty easy to add prebiotics to your diet; you probably already eat them daily. Try eating bananas in the morning alongside breakfast or adding flaxseed to your smoothies. Here are a couple of other options: 

• Soybeans
• Artichoke
• Garlic
• Onions
• Tomatoes
• Oats
• And more!

Can’t get enough prebiotics? Prebiotics supplements can be found on the shelves of many stores. They usually contain a complex carbohydrate like fiber. We always recommend speaking with your doctor before starting any new supplement. 

We created SunSip with prebiotics so that you can enjoy a delicious full-flavored, low sugar soda that also happens to have gut health benefits.

It Takes Two

When prebiotics and probiotics work together, it’s easier to achieve a better balance in the gut. Your body’s native bacteria need prebiotics in order to function - much like you need food to be productive yourself!

When we say “follow your gut,” we mean it both literally, scientifically, and emotionally! The health of your digestive tract can affect your whole body! That’s why keeping your gut in check with both probiotics and prebiotics is so essential. 

Humans evolved with microbes and fermented foods as a part of their regular diet. Nowadays, much of our food is processed and pasteurized, so we aren’t getting the probiotics that we need. The good news is a probiotic-filled diet is just a kombucha bottle away!

Follow Your Gut

We strive to harness the power of probiotics, healthy acids, and fermented goodness with every bottle of kombucha we make. 

We use all-natural and organic ingredients from the base ingredients of sugar, tea, and a kombucha culture to the fresh veggies we use to flavor each bottle. 

You can taste the real fruit juice from organic ginger + lemon in our Ginger-Lemon or the tangy, real fruit juice from organic tangerine and passion fruit in our Passion Fruit-Tangerine.

There’s a reason Health-Ade is one of the most talked-about and most loved kombucha brands - it not only tastes delicious, but it delivers probiotics for a happy gut! Test out a bottle of Health-Ade and a prebiotic-filled diet to give your body what it needs (and deserves!)  

Our goal? To champion the healthiest and happiest you! We believe in the power of your unique gut, and we hope our kombucha helps support it.

Today's blog is written by our very own Daina Trout, MS, MPH

Daina is not just our Co-Founder, she is also a nutritionist that has spent her adult life dedicated to finding and sharing health and wellness through food. With 2 masters' degrees in nutritional biochemistry and public health, Daina has called upon her education often while leading the way at Health-Ade - from how we make every batch of kombucha, to how we talk about gut health to consumers, to even how healthy our employee workplace is! She even writes a few blogs here and there. Happy reading! :)