Probiotics Probably Won't Help You Lose Weight, But Prebiotics Might

One casual stroll down a grocery store aisle will reveal that probiotics are all the rage in [...]

probiotics
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One casual stroll down a grocery store aisle will reveal that probiotics are all the rage in today's nutrition. People are always talking about how improving your gut health with probiotics can help you feel and look better. When you eat foods that contain probiotics, you give your body supplement amounts of healthy bacteria, which can then improve your digestive system and potentially lose weight.

The question is, is that actually true? Are probiotics the secret weapon we've all been missing out on when it comes to weight loss?

The answer is complicated. In many cases, probiotic-heavy foods like kombucha and yogurt are actually pretty effective at aiding the human body's metabolism and ensuring that your body digests food properly. However, there's little evidence showing that probiotics are actually tied to substantial weight loss.

The truth is that ingesting tons of probiotics probably isn't going to cause you to drop pounds quickly. There's just not enough supporting evidence to validate probiotics as a weight loss tool, and although they certainly do improve your gut health, they aren't the key to staying trim.

Now, let's chat about "prebiotics." These are the lesser-known sister supplement to probiotics, and they can actually produce very different results when it comes to weight loss. Here's why:

Prebiotics Are a Type of Dietary Fiber

Eating soluble fiber is one of the best ways you can cut down on belly fat. This is because fiber actually helps suppress your appetite in a natural, healthy way. Prebiotics are a type of dietary fiber, and the bacteria that live in your gut loves to ingest them. This means that your gut will be healthy and well fed, plus you'll be cutting down on your feelings of hunger that continuously wreck your diets. Your stomach will actually cut down on its production of the hunger hormone.

They Help Balance the Critters in Your Gut

Every person's gut is home to a range of bacteria. When you eat too many probiotics and not enough prebiotics, you run the risk of ruining your gut's balance. Since having a healthy digestive system is a huge part of living a healthy life, it's vital that you work on balancing your gut flora by ingesting all sorts of nutritional foods, including prebiotics that are extremely effective at improving your gut's health.

Furthermore, prebiotics correct a problem known as "leaky gut." This happens when your gut accidentally releases unwanted materials, like toxins, into your blood. This is an especially common issue in people who are overweight. Prebiotics can combat problems with a leaky gut by keeping the toxins where they're supposed to be, which makes you feel happy and healthier.

Foods That Are Heavy in Prebiotics Will Keep You Full

Because foods that are high in prebiotics are also high in fiber, they're often quite filling. Snack on bananas, apples, oats, leafy veggies, and other prebiotic foods if you want to keep hunger at bay throughout the day. Not only will you find that you experience fewer feelings of hunger, but you'll also discover that you crave less junk food when you're on a prebiotic-intensive diet.

If you want to up your prebiotic as a form of weight management, it might be a good idea to start taking prebiotic supplements instead of just eating healthy foods. These supplements will ensure that there are enough prebiotics in your blood system to help control blood sugar, reduce hunger, and decrease inflammation in the gut.

Probiotics are good for your body, but they won't work any miracles when it comes to shedding those extra pounds. Instead, go for foods that are rich in prebiotics. These high-fiber foods are great at keeping weight gain at bay and making your gut work overtime to digest your meals. Once you begin consuming more prebiotics, you just might start to see the weight-loss results you've been looking for.

Related:
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