Probiotics are live cultures of bacteria similar to those that live in the colon and are used as food supplements. You can find detailed information relating to their health benefits, as well as the foods that contain them, online. In the digestive tract there are many bacteria that constitute the intestinal microflora. They are not harmful organisms, on the contrary, they are essential, because of the roles they have: stopping harmful bacterial growth, synthesizing vitamins that the body needs, stimulating the immune system and producing immunoglobulin, which helps maintain a healthy digestive apparatus.
Where to find probiotics? - Probiotics are live microorganisms, which can be found in foods such as fermented milk and taken in a quantity sufficient enough to bring benefits to the body. The main probiotics are lactic bacteria. A good source of probiotics is yoghurt. Warning though! Not all yogurts have health benefits. Therefore, whenever you go shopping, look at the label. The bacteria used to obtain yogurt are Lactobacillus bulcaricus and Streptococcus thermophillus. The yogurt should not contain: powdered milk, reconstituted milk, flavors, colors, fruit, fattening agents, sugar and other sugary substances (glucose, fructose).
The period of validity must not exceed 10 days! Keep an eye on the expiration date. The expiration date must not be longer than 10 days. Also, give up fruit yogurt. These yogurts contain thickeners that do not have any health benefits. To stimulate proliferation of one or more groups of beneficial intestinal bacteria the consumption of prebiotics is recommended. They contribute to forming “good” bacteria in the colon. Probiotics are also found in some pickled foods. However, these are not recommended due to the high content of salt.
Health benefits of probiotics - The intestinal bacterial flora balance is very sensitive. Many factors can disrupt the intestinal bacteria: drugs such as antibiotics, contraceptives, some digestive disorders, stress. Usually, the intestinal flora needs six months to recover after a week of treatment with antibiotics. Probiotics can correct these imbalances in the intestinal flora more quickly, and their benefits do not stop there. Here are the most important roles of probiotics in the body: -increase immunity of the body; -prevent food allergies;- probiotics are able to reduce cholesterol levels;- prevent digestive tract infections;- prevents the development of pathogenic bacteria in the digestive tract.
The intake of probiotic supplementation with vitamins and essential minerals gives a synergistic effect, significantly improving the body's ability to handle current infections. A normal digestive tract contains about 400 types of bacteria that prevent the development of harmful bacteria and help maintain a healthy digestive system. In most cases, probiotics are used for prevention of diarrhea caused by antibiotics.