Prebiotics or probiotics: which should you start with?
- Josie Shillabeer
- 21 hours ago
- 6 min read
Prebiotics and probiotics do very different jobs. Nutritional therapist Chandy Rodgers explains which to feed first and why food often matters more than supplements.
If you’ve spent any time looking into gut health, you’ve probably come across the terms prebiotics and probiotics. They sound similar, they’re often mentioned in the same breath, and both are linked to a healthy digestive system.
But what exactly are they? Do you need them? Can you get them from food? And if you’re trying to improve your gut health, should you focus on prebiotics or probiotics first?
In this article, we'll explore:
Your gut is a garden
I often think of the gut as being a bit like a garden. Your probiotics are the plants: the living things you want to see thriving. Your prebiotics are the compost and fertiliser that feed them. You need both for the garden to do well, and, as we’ll see, the part most people overlook is the soil.
What are prebiotics and why do they matter?
Prebiotics are types of fibre and plant compounds that we can’t digest ourselves, but our gut microbes can. When these fibres reach the large intestine, they become food for beneficial bacteria. The bacteria then ferment them, producing useful compounds that help support both gut and overall health.
Without prebiotics (compost and fertiliser), even a healthy collection of gut bacteria (plants) may struggle to thrive.
Which foods are highest in prebiotics?
The good news is that prebiotics are found in many everyday foods. Some of the best sources include:
Onions
Garlic
Leeks
Asparagus
Oats
Apples
Chicory root
Jerusalem artichokes
Lentils
Beans
Chickpeas
Slightly green bananas
Many other fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and wholegrains also contribute prebiotic fibres. This is one reason eating a wide variety of plant foods is so often recommended for gut health.
What are probiotics and what do they do?
Probiotics are beneficial microorganisms that naturally live in your digestive system. They’re often referred to as “good bacteria”, although they actually include a variety of different microbes, not just bacteria.
Going back to our garden, probiotics are the plants. When there’s a good variety of healthy plants, the garden tends to thrive. If there are very few, or weeds start to take over, it can struggle.
These beneficial microbes perform several important jobs, including:
Helping digest certain foods
Producing some vitamins
Supporting the immune system
Helping to maintain the gut lining
Competing with less desirable microbes
While probiotics naturally live in the gut, we can also consume them through certain foods and supplements.
Where do you find probiotics?
Probiotic foods are usually fermented foods that contain live microorganisms. Examples include:
Live yoghurt
Kefir
Sauerkraut
Kimchi
Miso
Tempeh
Some fermented cheeses
Not all fermented foods contain live bacteria. Some products are pasteurised after fermentation, which kills the beneficial microbes. If you’re specifically looking for probiotic foods, check the label for terms such as ‘live cultures’ or ‘contains live bacteria’.
Do you need both prebiotics and probiotics?
Imagine buying a beautiful collection of plants for your garden but never watering or feeding them. They may survive for a while, but they’re unlikely to flourish.
The same applies to your gut microbes. Probiotics help introduce beneficial microorganisms, while prebiotics help support and nourish them.
Together, they can contribute to:
A more diverse gut microbiome
Better digestive health
Production of beneficial short-chain fatty acids
Immune system support
Improved gut barrier function
When the plants are thriving, there’s naturally less room for weeds to take hold.
Should you prioritise prebiotics or probiotics?
One thing I see time and time again is people spending a fortune on probiotic supplements while paying very little attention to the foods that nourish the gut microbes they already have.
Increasing prebiotic-rich fibrous foods and improving dietary variety can make a significant difference before expensive supplements are even considered.
Going back to our garden analogy, if your gut is a struggling flowerbed, adding more plants (probiotics) won’t help much if the soil is poor (due to low prebiotic intake).
For many people, the best place to start is simply increasing:
Vegetables
Fruit
Legumes
Wholegrains
Overall plant diversity (eat the rainbow)
That doesn’t mean probiotics aren’t useful. They absolutely can be. But creating an environment where beneficial microbes can thrive is often the foundation that needs attention first.
Do you need prebiotic or probiotic supplements?
Supplements can have their place, but they’re rarely the first thing I’d reach for. For most people, a varied diet built around plants and fermented foods provides both prebiotics and probiotics in a form the body recognises, alongside the fibre, vitamins, minerals, and other compounds that whole foods bring with them. A capsule can’t fully replicate that.
That said, there are times when a prebiotic or probiotic supplement may be worth considering:
After a course of antibiotics
During a period of digestive upset
When someone genuinely struggles to get enough variety from food alone.
Based on results from a comprehensive stool test (run by a qualified nutritional therapist)
If you decide to explore supplementing with prebiotics and probiotics, it’s worth doing so thoughtfully. The market is crowded, quality varies a great deal, and the right choice depends on your individual situation. No two supplements are the same, and the research around certain strains of prebiotics and probiotics is continuously developing.
This is where personalised guidance can help. A qualified practitioner can look at your overall health and select the right supplement for you.
How can you include prebiotics and probiotics in your diet?
Fortunately, it doesn’t need to be complicated. Here are some simple meals that incorporate a healthy balance of both:
Breakfast
Porridge oats topped with banana and berries
Live yoghurt with fruit and nuts
Overnight oats made with kefir
Lunch
Lentil soup
Bean-based salads
Wholegrain sandwiches packed with salad vegetables
Dinner
Add onions and garlic to cooking
Include beans, lentils, or chickpeas in meals
Serve vegetables alongside your meals
Add a spoonful of sauerkraut or kimchi if you enjoy fermented foods
Snacks
Apple with nuts
Live yoghurt
Fruit with seeds
Small changes made consistently are often far more effective than dramatic dietary overhauls that are difficult to maintain.
Can you take prebiotics and probiotics together?
Yes, and many times they naturally come together anyway. A bowl of overnight oats made with kefir, for instance, pairs prebiotic-rich oats with a probiotic food in a single dish. When prebiotics and probiotics are eaten together like this, the fibre gives the beneficial microbes something to feed on.
There’s no need to overthink the timing. For most people, the more useful focus is variety and consistency: a range of plants across the week, with some fermented foods in the mix, rather than worrying about precise combinations. If you’re taking a specific supplement, follow the guidance on the product or from your practitioner. For food, simply eating both as part of a balanced diet is enough.
How quickly should you increase fibre-rich foods?
One common mistake is realising you need more fibre and fermented foods and then trying to change everything overnight.
It’s important to take things slowly if you’ve been eating a relatively low-fibre diet. Suddenly doubling your fibre intake could lead to:
Bloating
Excess wind
Abdominal discomfort
Changes in bowel habits
This doesn’t necessarily mean those foods don’t suit you. More often, it simply means your digestive system needs a little time to adapt. A gentler approach is usually better.
Try:
Introducing one new fibre-rich food at a time
Increasing portions gradually
Drinking enough fluids
Giving your digestive system a few days to adjust before making further changes
The same applies to fermented foods. Start with small amounts and build up slowly. Think of it as training your gut rather than shocking it.
If you’d like to go deeper on fibre, I’ve written a separate guide to how much fibre you need and where to find it.
The bottom line
It helps to understand that feeding your gut microbes is just as important as adding new ones. While probiotic foods and supplements often get all the attention, many people can benefit simply from eating more fibre and a greater variety of plant foods.
If you’re not sure where to start, focus on adding things to your diet rather than cutting things out. More vegetables, more fruit, more legumes, and more wholegrains can make a real difference longterm. Then, if appropriate, consider introducing probiotic foods or supplements as an extra layer of support.
Gut health isn’t built overnight, but small changes repeated consistently can have a surprisingly big impact.
For ideas on getting started
Visit the Health Puzzle directory and explore our gut-friendly recommendations, including:
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