Probiotics Digest
After extensively researching probiotics, I have only one thing to say…poor consumers! Take the 14-day challenge with Activia, boost immunity with DanActive, or even chew acidophilus tablets which (apparently) guarantees one billion organisms?! Doesn’t this sound like prime time television commercials? Are these products sitting in your fridge? If so, I dedicate this post to you.
First of all, let’s define probiotics
Probiotics are live microorganisms (bacteria) which provide health benefits when consumed in sufficient amounts. They are found in foods such as yogurt and miso (fermented soybean paste), or sold in capsules and powders. According to the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organizations, the World Health Organizations, and the American Academy of Microbiology, there is no reproducible scientific evidence that shows that the alteration of microorganisms in the human body has any major, long-lasting, or positive health effects. In other words, food products such as Activia and DanActive, which claim to replace or reconstitute our gut bacteria are unfortunately a marketing ploy!
Nonetheless, I should point out that probiotics are known to treat a number of human ailments when taken after catastrophic changes to the large intestine. Examples of such instances are:
Infant diarrhea
Antibiotic-associated diarrhea
Preventing travelers’ diarrhea especially in less developed nations.
All in all, I’m not advising you to stop buying yogurt—just encouraging you to think twice before reaching for the expensive name brand 14-day challenge stuff ! I promise you that your friendly intestinal bacteria is happy with the no-name brand stuff. Of course it’s an entirely different story if you’ve been sick, so talk to your doctor.
Now why don’t you use that saved $2 to buy yourself a frappuccino treat at Starbucks.
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Image courtesy of dailynouri