Probiotics: Your Ally for Indian Gut & Glow
While walking through a grocery store aisle, you must have found a few products as probiotics, claiming their role in gut health. You will be glad to know that there are healthy bacteria too. Do you think they are effective? Will they work for the Indian gut issues? Want to know how? Let’s dive deep to know more.
What are probiotics?
When it comes to improving digestive health, Probiotics take all the limelight. Probiotics are live microorganisms that have remarkable benefits on gut health. They are also referred to as ‘Good Bacteria’ or ‘Gut Friendly Bacteria’. Yes, not all micro-organisms are harmful; some are beneficial probiotics, too. You can find them in fermented food products, yogurt, kimchi, sauerkraut or can consider supplementation.
Indian food habits and Gut issues:
India celebrates different cultures and traditions and has a diversity of cuisines. Traditional and local Indian food options are healthy, considering the way of cooking and the proper use of herbs and spices. But sometimes, overdoing spices, fried food, and processed food options might go wrong, causing digestive discomfort.
Frying, to be precise - deep frying, is a cooking practice commonly found in Indian kitchens. Fried food items mostly become a part of your intake as a go-to snack (samosa, fried farsan, pakora, etc.). It can put your health at risk as they come with trans fats and can simply double your calorie intake. Though fried foods give a feeling of fullness but they are hard to digest, cause inflammation and disturb gut microbiome, and can cause digestive discomfort, burps, bloating, etc.
Indian cuisine is all about using the right spices, and it goes well with almost everything from drinks to sweets. Using spices in correct quantities will surely impose its benefits - anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antimicrobial, digestive benefits, and the list goes on. Overdoing spices might show negative effects, causing digestive issues, acidity, stomach pain, diarrhoea, nausea, etc.
Most of the Indians are also moving towards processed and fast food options, which are heavily loaded with refined flour, salt, sugar, trans fats, and other additives. This will ultimately increase the risk of health concerns (obesity, diabetes, etc.) along with gut issues.
Probiotics to your Rescue
Probiotics, when taken in the right form, will help to improve your digestive health and overall well-being. Indian meals, which consist of fried foods, simple carbs, and heavy spices/masalas, might aggravate digestive concerns. Here, probiotics will take a lead role to improve digestive health.
Let us look at the benefits of taking probiotics:
- Restore gut health: Faulty eating habits, certain medications, and lifestyle factors can deteriorate healthy bacteria. Incorporating probiotics will increase gut-friendly bacteria, leaving less room for harmful bacteria and reducing the chances of stomach pain, diarrhoea, constipation, vomiting, and nausea.
- Improves digestive health: Probiotics enhance enzyme activity that aids in smooth digestion and assists in nutrient absorption. Hence, ease digestive issues like acidity, burping, and flatulence.
- Boosts immunity: Probiotics inhibit harmful bacteria and inflammation. They are effective in strengthening gut lining to prevent invading pathogens, boost natural antibodies and immune cell response, and altogether help to improve immune functioning.
- Promotes Mental health: Probiotics also work on the gut-brain axis, showing positive benefits on mental health by improving mood, reducing anxiety, stress, and depression.
- Glowing Skin: Probiotics are known to be effective on skin health as they help to strengthen the skin’s protective barrier, reduce inflammation, ensure a healthy gut, while some probiotics also help in collagen production. This promotes healthy and glowing skin, reduces acne and redness.
Probiotics, these gut-friendly live micro-organisms, have so much to offer beyond gut health. They are naturally occurring through food or can be supplemented to get their optimum benefits. Make sure to add a daily dose of probiotics to your meal to support your gut flora.