Good Bacteria Weight Loss Diet Nutrition Tips Guide

Good Bacteria In Probiotic Products

By Tracy Kerr-Walshe

Perhaps you have heard the term "colic" before in reference to babies who scream incessantly for seemingly no reason. Recent research suggests one of the main contributing factors to colicky babies is their immature digestive systems that lack all the essential good bacteria to facilitate easy digestion.

Milk products, in particular, can be extremely difficult to digest. Probiotic bacteria in our gut flora aids in breaking down the lactose in milk and produces acetic and lactic acid when it metabolizes, which creates more balanced pH levels.

As adults, many of us still suffer chronic abdominal pain or diarrhea, possibly due to the fluctuation of bacterial levels in our stomachs. Therefore, probiotic foods and supplements can be a great natural remedy for the conditions that upset our system.

Milk Is A Good Vehicle For Good Bacteria

Fermented dairy product bacteria and human body bacteria are very similar in nature, which is the reason why probiotic bacterium is most commonly associated with milk. Additionally, milk is believed to be a "good vehicle" for good bacteria because it is difficult to digest and will help the bacteria survive the bombardment of stomach acids until it reaches the more suitable small intestines, where a plethora of other friendly bacteria live.

Refrigerating probiotic foods also helps promote stability of the culture. Dairy products are already home to vitamins, minerals, protein, calcium and low fat, which makes it an ideal "functional food" host that’s already recommended in preventing diabetes, hypertension and heart disease.

Lastly, the general public may not be ready for meat or other products containing "healthy bacteria," but the association between dairy and bacteria cultures has long been accepted.

Probiotic Foods And Probiotic Supplements

In addition to probiotic foods, good bacterium is also found in more than 100 brands of probiotic supplements. Align probiotic, Culturelle probiotic and Primal Defense probiotic are just a few of the brands to look for. Be careful to review your options and read the information on websites carefully, before subscribing to their claims.

The most well-researched benefit of probiotics is that they help "treat diarrhea" or "promote a healthy digestive system." If the manufacturer is claiming that you can cure AIDS, cancer or other serious ailments, then you should probably avoid them. Attune and Dr. Ohhirra have both been accused of making outlandish, overzealous claims that have been unsubstantiated by research.

Look for a company that’s a member of the Better Business Bureau, that provides lots of information on their website and that doesn’t over-hype the benefits of their probiotic products.

Researching Information

Before purchasing probiotic products, you may want to investigate further. Ask the manufacturer what studies have been done to formulate their products and what health benefits you can anticipate. Look for popular probiotic strains like lactobacillus gg, bifidobacterium, thermophilus or probiotic acidophilus.

If you choose to get your good bacteria via a supplement, then you’ll find there is a diverse array of patents, formulas and promises. The FDA has regulated all these probiotics supplements for safety, although the manufacturer does not need to demonstrate that the product works exactly as advertised. To find either item, you can check your regular supermarket or a whole foods store.

Please Note: All information given on this site is for general information purposes and is not to replace any medical opinion or medical diagnosis given by a qualified medical doctor, a dietitian/nutritional expert or any other medical expert, as individual circumstances may vary. Please see your medical doctor, before any action is taken to alleviate symptoms.

This Article was about Good Bacteria.

About the Author:
Tracy Kerr-Walshe is an author of articles on nutrition, healthy food, diet and weight loss including Protein Diets, Organic Foods, Healthy Snacks, Effective Weight Loss, Full Body Detox, Juice Fasting.
Keep a lookout for more of her articles coming soon.

More Facts About Probiotics...

Where can I find probiotic supplements?
The absolute best place to look for naturally occurring probiotics is in your local grocery store. Take a walk to the refrigerated section and look for yogurts that contain live cultures.

If you cannot stand the taste of yogurt or it disagrees with your stomach, you can always go to your local health food store.

They will often have live cultures for you to take. Many pharmacies and retail outlets such as Wal-Mart are now carrying supplements that contain probiotics.

The key, when looking at a probiotic supplement, is to make sure that somewhere on the label it reads "live cultures." Otherwise you are just wasting your money.