Probiotics, derived from the Greek
“for life”, are defined by the World Health Organization as (Pizzorno, Murray & Hawrelak,
2013). Typically, these microorganisms are lactobacilli and
bifidobacteria. Probiotics replenish the intestinal flora, which can benefit
the immune system, help create vitamins, short-chain fatty acids, and
polyamines; improve gastrointestinal function, and inhibit the colonization of
harmful bacteria.
“live microorganisms which when administered in adequate amounts confer a health benefit to the host”
Where do probiotics come from?
Due to the harsh environment in your stomach, many probiotics in foods never reach your intestine, where you need them. Probiotic supplements are made to survive digestion and repopulate the gut. It is important, however, to remember that number and strain are very important. Make sure your probiotic supplement has 10,000,000,000 active cultures per dose and that the strain is specific for the result you want it to have.
“live microorganisms which when administered in adequate amounts confer a health benefit to the host”
- Yogurt
- Kefir
- Sauerkraut
- Kimchi
- Tempeh (raw)
- Pickles (these are from Eli's Produce Market in Hutto)
- Soft cheeses
- Freeze-dried bacteria supplements
Due to the harsh environment in your stomach, many probiotics in foods never reach your intestine, where you need them. Probiotic supplements are made to survive digestion and repopulate the gut. It is important, however, to remember that number and strain are very important. Make sure your probiotic supplement has 10,000,000,000 active cultures per dose and that the strain is specific for the result you want it to have.
Prebiotics are nondigestible food
ingredients that benefit the host by selectively stimulating the growth and/or
activity of one or a limited number of bacteria in the colon. To be considered a
prebiotic, a food must be neither digested nor absorbed in the stomach or small
intestine, act a food source for probiotics, create a healthier environment for
intestinal flora, and improve the health of the host. There are multiple
prebiotic compounds that feed specific microorganisms: beta-glucooligomers and
xylooligosaccharides in oats, fructooligosaccharides in a variety of plant
foods, galactooligosaccharides in dairy, galactosyl lactose in human milk,
lacitol, lactosucrose, lactulose in UHT milk, polydextrose, and raffinose in
legumes and beets.
Pizzorno, J., Murray, M., & Hawrelak, J. (2013). Textbook
of natural medicine (4th ed.). Elsevier.
Probiotics: In Depth | NCCIH. (2011). NCCIH.
Retrieved 11 April 2016, from
https://nccih.nih.gov/health/probiotics/introduction.htm
No comments:
Post a Comment