The human body is a natural habitat for millions of microorganisms. Some of them are unimportant to us while others are essential for our wellbeing. Why we need probiotics?
Lactobacilli and bifidobacteria consumed with fermented milk products are very important for the digestion and overall health. That is why they are called “probiotics” which, in Latin, means “for life”.
The first to discover the health benefits of lactic acid bacteria was the Russian scientist Ilya Mechnikov who researched microbes and the immune system at the end of 19th to the beginning of 20th century. He found that lactobacilli were able to suppress harmful bacteria in the intestines. He also observed that people who regularly consumed fermented milk had better health and lived longer.
Since then, there has been a lot of research on probiotics. Here is an incomplete list of the health benefits provided by probiotics:
- They reduce risk of diarrhea and inflammation in the bowels.
- They help people with lactose intolerance to digest milk products.
- They prevent indigestion caused by taking antibiotics.
- They support the immune system and help to prevent some viral and bacteial infections.
- They may reduce cancer risk.
- They are good for women’s health.
The most popular fermented milk products in Russia are prostokvasha and kefir. Prostokvasha is produced by natural fermentation of milk in the presence of lactic acid bacteria. A more complex, double fermentetion (lactic acid and alcohol) process is used for production of kefir. Another Russian fermented milk product, ryazhenka, is made from baked milk and has a distinctive delicate taste. You may find a wide selection of fermented milk products on the site RussianFoodUSA.com. Be healthy!
