Probiotics are living microorganisms like bacteria and help intestinal issues. Issues that can be helped through probiotics are bloating, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), diarrhea, and even lactose intolerance. They help “prevent diarrhea when taking antibiotics and help to ease some symptoms of IBS” (Probiotics). For all the lactose intolerant readers, probiotics like Lactobacillus acidophilus and Lactobacillus bulgaricus help with lactose digestion (Aubrey). Ways to supplement intestinal probiotics exist through food, for example specific foods like yogurts and kefir. I would like to know if probiotics in different foods work enough to significantly improve intestinal health.
Yogurt remains a common and known source of probiotics, however not all yogurts label as probiotic. Probiotic yogurts claim their product “inhibits the growth of unfriendly bacteria, regulates bowel transit time and helps maintain a healthy gut microbial balance”( Beck). Probiotic labeled yogurt needs a minimum of 100,000 cfu in the yogurt. One would want to know if the bacteria lives long enough that it stays alive until eaten. The health of probiotics depends on many factors such as temperature, number of day within the yogurt and probiotic food source within the yogurt. Probiotic regulation lacks the intensity of regulating other foods, so “we can’t always be sure that: the product contains the bacteria stated on the label; the product contains enough bacteria to have an effect; the bacteria are able to survive long enough to reach your gut” (Probiotics). To consume the probiotic strain to help intestinal health, yogurt like Danon’s Activia has less than 25 times the needed serving proven to help (Beck). Reliable yogurts do exist, but they may be harder to find. Yoplait’s Yoptimal provides the amount of specific probiotic bacteria proven to decrease cavity-causing bacteria (Beck). Therefore, research into individual yogurt contents prove necessary if probiotics are needed rather than simply the flavor.
A balanced and healthy diet helps your intestines, but if extra help is needed here are a few food items to look for. Barley and red kidney beans are excellent sources of fiber, which is fuel for the probiotic bacteria (Cadman). Sources of probiotic bacteria like pickles made with salt and not vinegar, miso, and kefir have a substantial amount of probiotics. Cheeses that have live probiotic cultures like gouda, mozzarella, cheddar, and cottage cheese show that flavor coincides with health (Palsdottir). Cheeses fermented but not all of them have live cultures, therefore reading the label proves necessary. Fermented foods like kimchi and sauerkraut prove beneficial because they both contain a large amount of probiotics, however kimchi has more probiotics and better benefits. Throughout the world wonderful and flavorful ways of intaking probiotics remain. To maintain intestinal health, a diverse diet of these foods and other probiotic filled foods proves mandatory. If these foods do not have the amount of probiotics to help your gut, supplemental vitamins provide a more powerful source and would have large amounts and diversity of probiotics. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle and listening to your body will manifest healthy results for your intestinal tract.
Bibliography
Aubrey, Allison. “Confusion at the Yogurt Aisle? Time for Probiotics 101.” NPR, NPR, 9 July 2012, https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2012/07/09/156381323/confusion-at-the-yogurt-aisle-time-for-probiotics-101.
Beck, Leslie. “Not All Probiotic Yogurts Are Created Equal. Does Yours Measure up?” The Globe and Mail, The Globe and Mail, 21 Apr. 2017, https://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/health-and-fitness/health/not-all-probiotic-yogurts-are-created-equal-does-yours-measure-up/article34780110/.
Cadman , Bethany. “The 19 Best Prebiotic Foods Suitable for Vegans.” Medical News Today, MediLexicon International, 1 Oct. 2018, https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/323214#fruits.
Palsdottir, Hrefna. “11 Probiotic Foods That Are Super Healthy.” Healthline, Healthline Media, 6 Jan. 2022, https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/11-super-healthy-probiotic-foods.
“Probiotics.” NHS Choices, NHS, 27 Nov. 2018, https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/probiotics/.
