As science begins to take a deep dive into the importance of gut bacteria and stomach health, there’s a good chance you’re also beginning to take a look into the benefits of eating probiotics and prebiotics. 

These are compounds that are found in a number of foods and can make your stomach flora blossom, resulting in a microbiome that is healthier, stronger and affects everything from your ability to process food through to being more mentally resilient and happier in your everyday life. 

Added to this, gut bacteria is now tightly linked to the ageing process, and research has begun to shine a light on the lifespan of humans and how quality gut health can add years to your life. 

All that said, if you’re considering eating more probiotics or interested in switching up your diet, we have a list of the five benefits of eating probiotics below. 

Bacterial Balancing 

One of the most obvious benefits of eating probiotics is that they are able to help balance out all of the different types of bacteria in your stomach. 

As you might already know, our stomach is filled with a tonne of good and bad bacteria, which often comes from poor diet choices, and it is important to combat these ‘bad’ bacteria with good bacteria that you can encourage to grow through your consumption of probiotics. 

If you’re experiencing an imbalance of gut bacteria, leaning toward the ‘bad’ side, you could experience everything from stomach pains, poor digestion and more. 

Probiotics Can Manage Diarrhea

Another key benefit to eating probiotics is that you’re often able to rely on these great little bacteria cultures to set your stomach straight and get you on track to tackling issues such as diarrhea. 

Because your stomach is becoming more balanced and you’re digestive tract is filled with all of the essential bacteria to help out with digestion, you’re on track to reducing your chances of diarrhea. 

One big point we have here for you is that if you’ve recently undergone a cycle of antibiotics, you could combat the ‘damage’ done to your stomach flora by taking probiotic supplements. 

Mental Health Improvements are Expected

As we mentioned in our introduction, probiotics have the ability to help balance mood and strengthen mental health, making these probiotics an integral part of a happy lifestyle for many people. 

Studies have outlined that everything from anxiety, depression, stress and even OCD and autism symptoms were reduced when probiotics were taken on a routine basis over the course of two months, placing the benefits of eating probiotics high on our list of essentials for a more balanced life. 

The good news here is that probiotic foods don’t have to be tasteless and bland either, and with yoghurts coming into play, for example, you can still get your sweetened delicious foods and a probiotic hit too. 

Heart Health is Linked Too

In line with mental health and digestion, stomach flora and probiotics are linked to improved heart health too, which is good news for everyone looking to reduce their risk of heart-related issues in their old age. 

Studies have outlined that lactic-acid creating bacteria have worked to cut down cholesterol in the gut, and this helps to stabilise heart health and reduce the risk of things such as high blood pressure and all problems associated with the issue. 

Research has also revealed that cholesterol levels can be lowered by 2 to 4 per cent simply by consuming probiotic-focused yoghurts and increasing the body’s levels of probiotic bacteria. 

Digestive Disorders Can Be Lessened 

We all know that issues such as IBS can be a painful and impossible-to-treat issue for many people, and though there may not be any surefire cure to the issue just yet, help can be found in the careful curation of the benefits of eating probiotics into the diet. 

One such strain of bacteria, the Bifidobacterium, has shown to reduce a number of symptoms related to digestive issues in research participants. This has resulted in fewer stomach pain bursts as well as an improved digestive tract. 

When it comes to taking a look into stomach health and digestive disorders, considering a colonoscopy in Sydney or any other major city might be something to keep in mind. There are few things you can do that are more helpful than a colonoscopy when it comes to gut health, and so keeping this in mind is integral to a stable gut. 

The Takeaway

With all of those excellent benefits above in mind, it’s clear to see that the world of probiotics is looking increasingly more promising when it comes to balancing our mood, stomach health and also reducing our risks of ageing,