Most people aren’t a fan of eating living things; however, it is a surprisingly necessary part of the human diet. You’ve probably heard of probiotics most likely from a yogurt label at the grocery store.
The real question is, what exactly are they and what do they do for our bodies?
What is a Probiotic?
Probiotics are micro-organisms that have a symbiotic relationship with the human body. Our bodies provide the ideal environment for probiotics to live and in turn they provide us with various health benefits.
Probiotics occur naturally in your body, but can be found in many foods such as:
- Yogurt
- Kefir
- Acidophilus milk
- Cheese
- Buttermilk
- Fermented cabbage (sauerkraut, kimchi)
- Kombucha tea
- Miso
- Pickles
- Tempeh
You can also find probiotic supplements at most grocery stores, as well as at Capsule Pharmacy.
Typically, the probiotics found in food are Lactobacillus species, Bifidobacterium species, and Saccharomyces boulardii. However, some probiotic products can also contain Streptococcus thermophilus or Enterococcus faecium.
Each one of these strains of probiotics has a use in our bodies.
What do Probiotics do?
Probiotics of different families have various types of benefits like: strengthening your immune system, maintaining a balance of intestinal organisms (promoting healthy organisms and keeping harmful ones at bay), and improve/regulate digestive health.
If you ever suffered from food poisoning you understand that your stomach is not the same for a long time after the poisoning is gone. One of the reasons for this is that the healthy flora (organisms) that live in your stomach have been disrupted.
Lactobacillus rhamnosus is a type of probiotic that helps restore balance in your digestive system. This is just one example of which type of probiotic to look for, at the end of the blog we’ve included a table of popular brands of probiotics, what they contain, and what their benefits are.
What’s the downside?
For most people, there is no downside to adding probiotics to your diet. Using the table below you can determine what type of probiotic would be most useful to you.
However, it is recommended that if you are immunocompromised or have a severe illness you should consult your doctor as it may be harmful to consume probiotics.
Otherwise they are an excellent way to help regulate any “tummy inconsistencies” you may notice in your day to day.
Of course, the best option is always to consult your friendly pharmacists at Capsule for some advice on probiotics! Enjoy the rest of your week everyone!
by Capsule Pharmacy | | Categories : Categories: Uncategorized