Can a bacteria be beneficial for the health? Maybe you are to ask if this question is real or not, but I tell you, it is! There are this bacteria that may be good for the health. And I am talking about probiotics. Probiotics are live bacteria and yeasts, which are good for the health, most especially for the digestive system. Furthermore, probiotics are also known as the helpful bacteria because of their amazing effect on the gut. Well, this is not the only health benefits of probiotics. If you want to know more about these health benefits, feel free to give this article a read.
What are Probiotics?
As stated earlier, probiotics are a good type of bacteria that are very similar to the bacteria that are already present in the body. furthermore, the lower digestive tract alone abounds with a diverse and complex community of these bacteria. In the actual fact, there is a number of bacteria in the intestines than there is in the cells of the body.
However, not all of the bacteria in the body can do good things. There is some research that suggests, having many bad bacteria and not having enough of the good bacteria may bring about some sort of destruction on the systems of the body. Furthermore, this imbalance may lead to weight gain, diarrhea, constipation, skin diseases, and some other chronic illnesses.
If you are to ask if you should consider taking probiotic dietary supplements, well it actually depends. Remember that a probiotic dietary supplement may help your health with a lot of help. Furthermore, there are various types of bacteria that are used in the probiotic dietary supplement products. Furthermore, these include Bacillus coagulans, Saccharomyces, Bifidobacteria, and Lactobacillus species. Each of these types of probiotics and each of the strain of each type may work in various ways. The bottom line here is that not all the probiotics are the same, as well as not all of them have the same effect on the body.
How can probiotics affect the body? Well, the right kind and the right amount of probiotics may help in various ways, including:
- Prevents intermittent constipation or diarrhea.
- Supports program on weight management.
- Promotes healthy immunity.
Probiotics are present in:
- Kimchi
- Sauerkraut
- Some cheeses
- Various types of yogurts
- Some other dairy products, which contain probiotics, just like lactobacillus milk.
Types of Probiotics
There are many types of bacteria, which are classified as probiotics. These types all have different benefits but most of these come from two different groups.
- Saccharomyces Boulardii: this is actually a yeast that is present in the probiotics. Furthermore, t helps in fighting diarrhea and some other digestive problems.
- Bifidobacterium: this particular probiotic can be found in some of the dairy products. This is beneficial in easing the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome as well as some other conditions.
- Lactobacillus: this is the most common type of probiotics. It is actually the one that you may find in yogurts and some other fermented foods. There are different strains that may help with diarrhea and may also help those people who cannot digest lactose.
Nutritional Facts of Probiotics
One (1) bottle or 100 grams of probiotics has:
| Nutrient | Amount | % Daily Value |
| Principles | ||
| Calories | 50 | – |
| Total lipid | 0 gram | – |
| Sodium | 20 milligrams | 1% |
| Carbohydrates | 12 grams | – |
| Sugar | 11 grams | – |
| Fiber | 0 gram | 0% |
| Protein | 1 gram | |
| Vitamins and Minerals | ||
| Calcium | 20 milligrams | 2% |
Health Benefits of Probiotics
Here are some of the best health benefits of probiotics:
- Helps in boosting the immunity: probiotics may help in giving the immunity a boost as well as inhibit the growth of any harmful bacteria in the gut. Furthermore, some types of probiotics also have shown to promote the creation of natural antibodies in the body.
- Helps reduce the symptoms of various digestive conditions: various types of probiotics have improved the symptoms of various people who have mild ulcerative colitis. Nonetheless, one of the health benefits of probiotics is for various bowel disorders. In fact, it has been shown to help in reducing the risk of some severe necrotizing enterocolitis by about 50%.
- Help reduce the severity of various eczema and allergies: various strains of probiotics may help in reducing the severity of eczema in infants and in children. Furthermore, one study also found that the symptoms of eczema have improved for infants that are fed with the probiotic-supplemented type of milk, in comparison to those who are fed with non-probiotic milk.
- Helps in keeping the heart healthy: probiotics are proven to be beneficial in keeping the heart healthy by lowering the levels of LDL cholesterol as well as the levels of blood pressure.
- Helps improve mental health illnesses: both in animal and in human studies, they found out that probiotics are beneficial in improving various mental health problems.
- Help prevent and cure diarrhea: several studies show that the use of probiotics may help in reducing the risk of diarrhea associated with antibiotics.
Probiotics truly are beneficial for the health. So what are you waiting for, grab your probiotics now and be much healthier!
