What are Postbiotics?

You have likely heard of pre-biotics and probiotics but probably not the new kid on the block - postbiotics.

Postbiotics are a relatively new and emerging area of research in gut health. While probiotics and prebiotics have been widely studied and promoted as beneficial for health, postbiotics have only recently come under the health spotlight. Postbiotics are the metabolic byproducts of the fermentation of probiotics. When probiotics are introduced into the gut, they are fermented. The result of this fermentation is the production of various compounds, including short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), vitamins, enzymes and peptides. These compounds are referred to as postbiotics.

One of the key benefits of postbiotics is their ability to support the growth and diversity of beneficial gut bacteria. SCFAs, in particular, are important for this. They are produced when probiotics break down dietary fiber that is eaten and they help to nourish and support the growth of beneficial bacteria in the gut.

In addition to supporting gut health, postbiotics have also been shown to have a number of other potential health benefits such as helping to regulate the immune system and reduce inflammation, and improve the body's ability to absorb nutrients.

Be sure to include probiotic rich foods in your daily nutrition plan so you can reap more benefits of their fermentation process and the creation of postbiotics. While still in their infancy in terms of research, postbiotics are definitely a hot topic in nutrition and will continue to be so in the future.

Please reach out if you have any questions about this topic or any others!