Probiotic foods contain cultures of live microorganisms similar or identical to bacteria found in your gastrointestinal tract. Bacteria living in your intestines are often called "healthy" because they help maintain a proper balance with other, potentially harmful microorganisms you ingest with food. Adding probiotics to your diet may help maintain these beneficial colonies, keeping your digestive system healthy and in good working order.
Benefits
In addition to keeping your digestive system in general good health, consuming probiotic foods or supplements may also help improve certain digestive disorders. For example, if you suffer from diarrhea, which can deplete healthy intestinal bacteria, probiotics may speed your recovery by rebuilding these colonies. They may also benefit patients suffering from irritable bowel syndrome or Crohn's disease, disorders often characterized by frequent bouts of diarrhea. Probiotics may also help prevent vaginal yeast infections or infections of the urinary tract, which sometimes result from a loss of beneficial bacteria.
Probiotic Foods
Food that contains live cultures of beneficial bacteria such as Lactobacillus acidophilus or L. bulgaricus is a probiotic food. Yogurt contains live active cultures and is a good example of a probiotic food. Fermented dishes also contain probiotic cultures. Kimchi, a spicy Korean cabbage dish, and sauerkraut contain probiotics. Some dishes that are common in Asian cuisines and made by fermenting soybeans are also probiotic foods. These include natto and miso, two Japanese specialties, and tempeh, an Indonesian dish. When consuming these foods, heat them very briefly or add them to other preheated foods to minimize damage to the live bacteria.
Probiotic Supplements
Probiotic supplements are come freeze-dried from most health food stores, either as tablets or capsules, or as loose granules that may be sprinkled on food. Many supplements contain Lactobacillus acidophilus colonies exclusively, while others are available as a mixture of different bacterial species. Check product labels for recommendations since some of these preparations require refrigeration to maintain their potency.
Recommendations and Precautions
Consume probiotic foods or supplements regularly to maintain your digestive health or to improve digestive upset. Supplements are labeled to provide information on colony-forming units, or CFU, per dose. The recommended consumption is between 1 and 15 CFU daily. Although probiotic foods and supplements are considered safe, they may cause some initial bloating or gas. To minimize this, add them to your diet gradually. Probiotics may interact with some prescription medications, so discuss their use in detail with your doctor before adding them to your routine.
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