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Probiotics - For Life!"
Probiotics -"For Life!"
Probiotics are live microorganisms (mainly bacteria)
which
confer a health benefit to the host, when administered in adequate amounts in
foods and supplements
By improving microbial balance in the intestines and other areas of the
body they help fight illness and disease. Microorganisms
were used in the 19th century to prevent and cure diseases
and
were added to domestic animal feed to enhance growth.
Example probiotic foods:
Raw milk. Contains probiotic bacteria, pasteurized milk does not.
Live yogurt/kefir. Probiotics are destroyed during pasteurization but are sometimes added
back into pasteurized foods, such as yogurt and kefir. Some brands of yogurt
state on their label that the yogurt has been heat-treated after the cultures
were added -since the heat destroys the added bacteria, the only gain is the
tangy taste.
In the intestines microorganisms are called microflora or flora, and benefit the
host by:
Increasing resistance to new colonization of
invading bacteria and viruses, and protecting against the overgrowth of
already-present, potentially pathogenic organisms;
Aidingdigestion and assimilation of food
-of particular note is their role in increasing
phytase enzyme activity, which reduces phytate (a potent inhibitor of mineral
and trace element absorption) found in grains (especially brans), legumes, nuts
and seeds;
Stimulating the immune system
Scavenging superoxide radicals
Enhancing intestinal barrier function - by stimulating epithelial mucin
production; particularly helpful for IBS patients
Bacterial
name: includes a Genus, species and
strain.
E.g. Lactobacillus rhamnosus
ATCC531-3
Trade names of bacteria are
denoted un-italicized/bold type:
E.g. Activia's Bifidus Regularis is the marketing name for
Bifidobacterium animalis 173-010.
Probiotics are used
for food preservation
Lactic
acid bacteria, such as Lactobacillus
species, have been used for thousands of years to preserve foods and prepare
alcoholic beverages by fermenting them, which by lowering the pH level
(increasing acidity), prevents contamination by potential pathogens. In the book
of Genesis, references are made to the preparation of fermented milk. Today,
fermentation is still used globally to preserve raw agricultural materials, such
as cereals, roots, tubers, fruit, vegetables, milk, meat, and fish. As a dual
function, fermented foods impart the health benefits of their inherent
probiotics.
Probiotics vs. antibiotics
In contrast to probiotics, antibiotics are
chemical substances produced by microorganisms that
inhibit the growth of or destroy bacteria and other microorganisms.
Bactericidal
antibiotic. Kills bacteria usually by interfering with formation of bacterial cell wall or
its contents.E.g. penicillin.
Bacteriostatic.
Stops bacteria from multiplying. E.g. The probiotic bacterium
Lactobacillus acidophilus produces an antibiotic substance called
acidophilin which helps
prevent the growth of pathogenic
bacteria.
Commercial antibiotics. Produced by fermentation, where the source
microorganism is grown in large containers of liquid growth medium under optimal
conditions.The natural
wild type
microorganisms used have often been genetically modified to maximize production.
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informational, and educational purposes only and not as a substitute
for the medical advice, treatment or diagnosis of a licensed health
professional. The author of this website is a researcher, not a
health professional, and shall in no event be held liable to any
party for any direct, indirect, special, incidental, punitive or
other damages arising from any use of the content of this website.
Any references to health benefits of specifically named products
on this site are this website author's sole opinion and are not
approved or supported by their manufacturers or distributors.