Understanding the Benefits of Probiotics for your Body

Probiotics are getting popular among the masses due to their countless health benefits. Moreover, there is increasing interest of health-conscious individuals in functional foods that offer the ability to improve their health beyond nutritional value.

As people are getting more aware of ways diet impacts their overall health, they are looking for foods that are not just tasty but also ensure probiotic health. It is because probiotic foods are known for their amazing health benefits. But before discussing the benefits, let’s find out what probiotics are.

What are Probiotics?

Probiotics are live microorganisms that are known to have amazing health benefits. These microorganisms often live in the intestines and stomach to make gut microbiota that’s believed to be the key to health. Also known as good bacteria in the gut, probiotics take energy from foods that you eat and distribute it to the whole body.

And, consuming probiotic-rich foods can improve your gut health and reduce the risk of diseases.

How Many Probiotics Do You Need?

The amount of probiotics needed in your system depends on species, desired heath benefit and strain of probiotics. Different probiotics have effective results at distinct levels. Some may be effective at 50 million live cells per day, whereas others may need one trillion probiotics.

Yoghurt is known to include around 100 million to 10 billion live probiotics per serving. So, it is best for improving gut health instantly.

Benefits of Probiotics

Here are the benefits of probiotics on different body parts:

1. Probiotics and Gastrointestinal Health

Probiotics help in reducing gastrointestinal disorders. They can prevent diarrhoea associated with antibiotic intake in kids and adults. Some probiotics are also beneficial in managing irritable bowel syndrome and can also inhibit the growth of Helicobacter pylori (bacteria that causes stomach ulcers and cancer).

2. Probiotics and Lactose Intolerance

People who suffer from lactose intolerance can easily consume yoghurt because of probiotics. Due to the presence of probiotics, yoghurt helps in the easy digestion of lactose in the small intestine before it goes to the colon. So, yoghurt is best even for lactose-intolerant people.

3. Probiotics and Immunity

Probiotics play a main role in enhancing the overall function of the immune system. As per a study, adults who consume yoghurt drinks with different bacterial strains can decrease the incidences of upper respiratory infections, as well as flu.

4. Probiotics and Risk of Chronic Disease

As per surveys, the gut microbiota may get affected by foods causing obesity, insulin resistance and obesity-associated inflammation. Even obesity and type-2 diabetes are linked with alterations in gut microbiota. Whether or not such changes impact disease risk or weight issues, the potential of adding probiotics to diet is effective in managing weight and chronic diseases.

5. Probiotics and Mental Health

You’ll be surprised to know that probiotic consumption is also good for mental health. According to researchers, there is a link between the brain and the gut. It is called the “gut-brain axis,” which impacts both physical and mental health. Probiotics are known to decrease stress, relieve anxiety and improve mental outlook.

Conclusion

As you can see, there are many benefits of probiotics on your body and immunity. So, do include foods with probiotic health in your diet to have a positive change beyond just the nutrients.

Also, Read this: A Complete Guide to Probiotics and What They Do