For someone who became health-conscious only recently, probiotic beverages evoked curiosity and I picked a set of five tiny bottles from a supermarket. With a slight tinge of sweet, (there are non-sugar variants too), I hoped the live and friendly bacteria in it will work wonders for my gut. The belief was short-lived as I read how probiotics will have not much effect unless you have prebiotics! To have a healthy garden, one needs to feed the seed with enough water, fertilisers and adequate sunlight, explains Hyderabad-based nutritionist Sunita Arya. “Prebiotics are necessary to feed the probiotics which give us numerous health benefits,” she points out.
Prebiotics thrive in fibre-rich vegetables like beans, banana and apple with skin, onion, garlic, and oatmeal. When you add these to your diet and have probiotics found in fermented foods like homemade curd/yoghurt (Salt and sour kanji drinks for lactose intolerant) leftover rice soaked overnight in a mudpot and flavoured with a dash of lime, salt and curd, idly, dosa and Indian-style kimchi with vegetables, it has a positive effect on the gut health.
How does a probiotic work? The live bacteria, lactobacillus and bifidobacteria in probiotics aid digestion, absorption and assimilation of nutrients to protect our gut from harmful bacteria. “As most toxins get into the system through intestinal tract, probiotics create a good line of defence for body. They create an environment in the bowel to aid absorption and to eliminate toxins,” shares Bengaluru-based gastrointestinal surgeon Dr Chandramouli of Fortis. They are beneficial when treating a simple upset tummy or inflammatory bowel diseases like Ulcerative colitis and Chron’s disease. The doctor adds the quantity of sugar found in these beverages is less so one need not be concerned until one is a diabetic.
These probiotics work for medical conditions but what about health enthusiasts who turn to the market for probiotics? “We don’t know if the bacteria are alive and also the conditions in which they have been cultured,” says Sunita. The bacteria are also fragile and can be killed by stomach acid and heat. The best and safe way to have these are through the natural ones.
In this column, we decode health trends and decide if it’s all just ‘hype’ or actually ‘happening.’
