.After food is ingested into the body, there are two pathways by which it is broken down or digested. Either it is acted upon by digestive juices in the upper area of the alimentary canal or it gets settled down further into the lower abdominal area where it is stored for a considerable period, acted upon by various enzymes or different bacteria present in the body, which ferment the food and finally the essential nutrients are absorbed by the body.
The alimentary canal of any individual has a definite concentration of microbial flora , which can help the body in numerous ways. These are generally termed as 'good bacteria'. They are essential in carrying out various functions in the body and if the level of such bacteria gets lowered by a high dose of medicines that oppose them, then the concentration of harmful bacteria increases to a substantial amount.
The good bacteria present inside the body, act mainly in the digestive system and aid in the breakdown of several food products in order to extract essential nutrients. For instance, they help in the solubilization of certain fibrous food products in order to obtain from them certain essential 'fatty acids'. The fatty acids thus obtained act by reducing the inflammation in various parts of the body and also help to reduce the body's susceptibility to diarrhoea. They are also useful in protection against a lot of skin disorders like eczema and help in the destruction of several unwanted pathogenic microorganism.
One of the most widely used commercial product, Probiotic yogurt, is a very rich source of obtaining such healthy bacteria. They contain certain healthy bacteria which settle down on the alimentary tract and aid in the process of digestion. The type of food ingested also determines and plays a definite role in the existence of these bacteria in the body.
Since these bacteria are present in the form of colonies, they have specific requirements or conditions in which they can thrive in. These bacteria are pH specific and if there is consumption of highly acidic food products or there is the consumption of oily food stuffs, then they can significantly result in the reduction of such microbial colonies in the body.
Good bacteria or probiotics have become very essential in the recent times. The unhealthy eating habits of people nowadays have propelled the consumption of food products containing healthy bacteria. They have also been found to have a variety of therapeutic effects and come in handy in the treatment of a lot of ailments.
