You have probably seen probiotics advertised as ‘good bacteria’ and thought to yourself, ‘Is there really such a thing as good bacteria?’ The short answer to this is yes. Probiotics can have a tremendously beneficial effect on your wellness and wellbeing, if incorporated into your diet on a regular basis.
Funnily enough, the term ‘probiotics’ has actually just been banned, and as of December 2012, companies that make this type of product are no longer allowed to use that term when making their claim. This is because it was deemed to be a health product unless it has passed the European Food Safety Authority, which none of these products have, to date.
Probiotics are basically live bacteria that have a job to do when they enter your gut. They are an important part of nutrition because they help to maintain a healthy digestive system. Bacteria in the gut is vital for immune system function as well as helping to absorb the correct nutrients from food. There are approximately three trillion bacteria in the gut.
Becoming ill, such as with an infection, or going on a course of antibiotics (which, as the name suggests, kill biotics – even good ones) can diminish the supply of these important bacteria in the stomach, so it is important to replenish these in the diet.
As well as specially produced probiotic drinks, yoghurts and products, there are also many food items that have these bacteria naturally occurring in them. Some examples of these include cottage cheese, miso, soy sauce, sauerkraut, as well as buttermilk. They can also be taken daily in the form of a supplement.
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