Friendly Bacteria
It's important to understand the role friendly bacteria plays in our overall health.
Probiotics
Probiotics are live micro-organisms that help maintain the natural balance of organisms (microflora) in the intestines. Probiotics may be used to:
help with other causes of diarrhea
help prevent infections in the digestive tract
help control immune response (inflammation), as in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)
probiotics are being studied for benefits in colon cancer, skin infections, and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
Prebiotics
Prebiotics are non-digestible food ingredients that stimulate the growth of one or more bacteria in the colon. They are food for the good bacteria.
Synbiotics (or symbiotics)
Synbiotics are a combination of probiotics and prebiotics.
Resources
Reinhard, Tonia. Superfoods: The Healthiest Foods on the Planet. Buffalo, NY: Firefly, 2010. Print.
"Probiotics." WebMD. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Aug. 2013.