When I was growing up, we usually thought of all bacteria as the bad guys; microscopic organisms that cause disease and symptoms and therefore should be avoided. Times have changed as experts have uncovered the worlds of beneficial and harmful (bad) bacteria, intestinal flora, and the impact they have on our overall health.
Probiotics 101
Probiotics are live bacteria that have been shown to be beneficial for our health. These good bacteria can be consumed through various foods (generally fermented) and supplements. Fermented foods are foods transformed by microbial means or acted on by beneficial bacteria. Fermented foods may have probiotics. Where probiotics are very specific bacteria known to have a benefit to human health, prebiotics are healthy plant fibers that feed these beneficial bacteria. Prebiotics and fermented foods are part of a healthy diet, where supplements are a more concentrated form of probiotics.The most common types of bacteria classified as probiotics belong to one of two groups: Lactobacillus or Bifidobacterium. Species in the former genus are more common and found in fermented foods and can help with the management of diarrhea and lactose intolerance. Those in the latter group also can be found in some dairy foods and can ease the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome and other conditions.
