Although you might think that all bacteria are harmful, many different species of beneficial bacteria live in your digestive tract, where they perform a number of functions that help protect your health. Eating certain foods can help keep these colonies of good bacteria healthy and can also replenish them when an illness or other condition reduces their numbers.
The beneficial bacteria that live in your digestive tract are mostly located in your large intestine, or colon, and are collectively called your normal flora. About 100 trillion microorganisms from more than 500 different species normally inhabit your colon if you are healthy, according to the Harvard Medical School Family Health Guide. These bacteria help keep growth of pathogenic bacteria you ingest with your food in check, preventing them from growing out of control and making you ill. They also help support your immune system, aid in absorption of minerals from your diet and produce vitamin K, an important clotting factor.
Probiotic foods contain live bacterial colonies that are similar or identical to those that normally live in your digestive tract. Consuming these foods regularly can help support your normal flora by adding new, live microorganisms to your intestinal tract. They can also help replenish these colonies when they are damaged by an illness or when you take antibiotics, which can injure these healthy bacteria. Yogurt containing live bacteria and milk with acidopholus bacteria added are probiotic foods that can support or replenish your normal flora. Check product labels to confirm that the product you choose contains live cultures. Kefir is also a probiotic dairy food, made by adding yeast and bacteria to cow, goat or sheep's milk. Because these microorganisms break down lactose as they grow, kefir is lactose-free and a good choice if you are lactose-intolerant.
Foods that have been fermented by adding live, beneficial bacteria are also probiotic foods. Examples include natto and tempeh, made by fermenting soybeans, and miso, which is a combination of soybeans, barley, rice or other grains fermented with a type of fungus. Several fermented cabbage dishes also contain colonies of healthy bacteria that can support or replenish your normal flora. Two common examples are sauerkraut, made by fermenting cabbage and salt, and kimchi, a spicy, pickled Korean dish containing fermented cabbage, radishes, carrots, garlic and several spices. The healthy microorganisms in these fermented dishes vary somewhat depending on how they are produced, but usually include members of the genera Lactobacillus, Aspergillus, Rhizopus and Pediococcus.
How To Use
If you are unaccustomed to consuming probiotic foods, add them gradually to your regular diet to minimize possible side effects such as gas and bloating. Replace regular milk with milk containing acidophilus and choose yogurt or kefir as part of your breakfast or lunch, or as a substitute for milk with cereal. Add natto to rice or other cooked grains; use miso in soups or as a spread on bread or a condiment on cooked vegetables or meats. Avoid adding probiotics to hot foods, since high heat can destroy live bacteria. Rather, heat the dish first and allow it to cool slightly before adding the probiotic food. Talk to your doctor or a registered dietitian about the possible benefits of probiotics before consuming them regularly.
Articles For Your Diet
- Southern Illinois University: Normal Flora
- The Harvard Medical School Family Health Guide: Health Benefits of Taking Probiotics
- The Conscious Life: Top Probiotic Foods You Are Not Eating
- National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine
- MayoClinic.com: Is It Important to Include Probiotics and Prebiotics in a Healthy Diet?
- Lancet: Gut Flora In Health And Disease
- EMBO Reports: The Gut Flora As A Forgotten Organ
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Lactobacillus Acidophilus
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