Prebiotics and probiotics. What are they, where are they found, and what are the benefits?
- 2 Minute Read
You’ve probably heard that prebiotics and probiotics have benefits for health. We’ll break it down for you to give you the facts, including ideas for increasing them in your diet.
Key Takeaways
- Prebiotics feed the microorganisms living in your digestive system.
- Probiotics are live microorganisms that offer health benefits when consumed in sufficient quantities. Probiotics support gut, immune, and metabolic health.
- Adding prebiotic- and probiotic-rich foods to your diet is one way to support overall health.
- Use MyNetDiary to discover prebiotic and probiotic food sources and to track your intake of these beneficial foods.
What is the difference between prebiotics and probiotics and their benefits?
Prebiotics are nondigestible plant fibers that feed the healthy microorganisms in your digestive system. Yes, there are about 100 trillion microorganisms in the digestive tract, and prebiotics are their nutrient source.
Probiotics are healthy microorganisms in the digestive tract that help with food digestion, control harmful bacteria, and serve other essential functions such as producing vitamins.
Overall benefits of prebiotics and probiotics
What do prebiotics do for you? Regular prebiotic intake keeps healthy bacteria thriving in the digestive tract. This is important for digestive system health and the entire body.
What do probiotics do for you? Probiotics support healthy digestion, strengthen the immune system, and help balance the bacteria that live in your gut.
Studies show that prebiotics and probiotics can positively benefit the immune system and metabolic health. In fact, the community of microorganisms that live in the body, called the microbiome, is a hot research topic these days. Emerging research suggests the microbiome may even play a role in mental health!
Food sources of prebiotics
Prebiotics are in many fiber-rich foods. Some foods are higher in prebiotics than others, and include:
- Asparagus
- Sugar beets
- Garlic
- Leeks
- Chicory
- Onion
- Jerusalem artichokes
- Dandelion greens
- Peas
- Beans
- Tomatoes
- Apples
- Bananas
- Wheat
- Flaxseed
- Barley
- Oat
- Rye
- Soybeans
- Honey
- Seaweed
Prebiotics are also added to some foods and are available as dietary supplements. Inulin is the prebiotic most commonly added to foods and supplements.
Food sources of probiotics
Fermented foods are the most natural sources of probiotics. Probiotic sources include:
- Yogurt
- Kefir
- Kombucha
- Pickles
- Sauerkraut
- Miso
- Tempeh
- Kimchi
- Some cheeses, including Swiss, provolone, Gouda, cheddar, Edam, and Gruyère
Get the benefits of probiotics and prebiotics in foods throughout your day
- Include these foods in a salad–grilled asparagus, beets, onion, dried beans, tomatoes, and Swiss or cheddar cheese.
- Add banana slices and a dollop of yogurt to your oats. Top with a drizzle of honey.
- Add garlic, onion, beans, peas, tomato products, or barley to your soup.
- Start your day with yogurt or kefir.
- Snack on a crisp apple.
- Add a pickle to your lunch. Opt for pickles made without vinegar, as vinegar reduces the number of probiotics in the pickle.
MyNetDiary Premium recipe sources of prebiotics and probiotics
Banana and Peanut Butter Smoothie
Related content
Health benefits of the prebiotic inulin and how to get more of this dietary fiber in your day
What are the best fiber-rich foods and why you should eat them every day for optimal health
What are postbiotics, and how can they benefit gut health?
Updated by Amy Brownstein, MS, RDN on March 11, 2026
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Nutrients->"Carbs: Fiber, Starch, & Sugar" Other Health Issues->Gastrointestinal (Gut)
Mar 11, 2026
