Table of contents:
- Probiotics are good bacteria in the human body
- Know the three types of probiotics
- Which probiotic is best?
- Where can I get a source of probiotics?
When looking at nutrition labels on food or beverage packaging, you may have come across the words, "Probiotics". Probiotics are microorganisms that are useful for supporting the health of the body's organs, especially digestion. In short, probiotics are the good bacteria that live in your body. So are all types of probiotics the same? Or are there certain types of probiotics that are best? Come on, see the answer below!
Probiotics are good bacteria in the human body
In fact, probiotics are a group of good bacteria that live naturally in the body of all humans. Especially in the intestines in the digestive tract. There, probiotics play an important role in maintaining digestive tract function by balancing the number of intestinal microflora.
In other words, probiotics can accelerate the metabolic work of the digestive system by increasing the growth of good bacteria and reducing the number of bad bacteria in the intestines. That is why, your risk of developing infectious and inflammatory diseases due to bad bacteria can be prevented by the presence of probiotics.
Good bacteria or probiotics in the digestive tract allow the body to absorb important nutrients in food and drink. Finally, the body's health can be maintained optimally.
Know the three types of probiotics
There are various types of bacteria that are stated as probiotics. This means that not all probiotics are the same. Launching from the Healthline page, all probiotic bacteria are grouped into 2 main species, namely Lactobacillus and Bifidobacteria.
Uniquely, it turns out that of the many types of probiotic bacteria, some of them are considered the best from a clinical perspective. This was explained by Prof. dr. Yvan Vandenplas, Ph.D., as Chair of the Children's Department of the University of Brussels Academic Hospital, Belgium.
"The best type of probiotic bacteria is Lactobacillus reuteri (L. reuteri) , Bifidobacterium lactis (B. lactis) , and Lactobacillus rhamnosus (L. rhamnosus) . Where each type of probiotic has different benefits for the health of the body, "said Prof. dr. Yvan when met by the Hello Sehat team at Hotel Ayana Midplaza, Central Jakarta on Wednesday (29/9).
“ L. reuteri useful for preventing diarrhea and colic which is often experienced by babies. While B. lactis play a role in reducing the risk of diarrhea, increasing the supply of antibodies in order to maintain endurance, increasing the body's response to vaccines, and reducing the chance of developing necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) or digestive system infections in babies with low birth weight (LBW), "continued Prof.. Yvan Vandenplas.
"Lastly, L. rhamnosus GG plays a role in helping reduce the risk of eczema, respiratory infections, and gastrointestinal infections."
Which probiotic is best?
As explained by Prof. dr. Yvan earlier, different types of probiotics, their advantages and main functions in the body also vary. So, choosing the best type of probiotic must match what your main needs are. For example, you want to strengthen your immune system so you don't get sick, it's better to choose B. Lactis .
However, regardless of the choice, probiotics are an important requirement for the body. Instead of worrying about which one type of probiotic is the best, it's better to choose various types at once.
Where can I get a source of probiotics?
If previously mentioned that probiotics are naturally present in the body, you can also get them from daily food and drink sources. In fact, now there are probiotic supplements that are produced in the form of syrup, powder, or capsule.
In food and beverage products that are sold in the market, you can find probiotic content by checking the packaging label. Products containing probiotics will post the words "probiotic" or certain types of bacteria, for example " L. rhamnosus “, In the package or in the box.
This means that the food or drink product has been enriched so that it contains probiotics in it. For example milk and yogurt.
Not only that, probiotics can also be obtained from natural food sources that can be found easily in the surrounding environment. For example, tempeh, wheat, garlic, onions, leeks, and so on.
