Probiotics and Prebiotics in Food, Nutrition and Health

Probiotics are referred to as live cultures, such as those bacteria that are naturally found in the gut. These active cultures aid in repopulating or changing intestinal bacteria to maintain the balance of gut flora. These bacteria work to improve health and immunity but specially focus on gut health. Fermented dairy foods such as certain cheeses, yogurt and kefir generally comprise live cultures like Lactobacilli and Bifidobacteria. These live cultures might work as probiotics. On the other hand, prebiotics occur naturally, and are non-digestible food components, which promote the development of helpful bacteria in the gut. Prebiotics can help in enhancing gastrointestinal health and improve calcium absorption. They consist of fructooligosaccharides including galactooligosaccharides and inulin. Including health-promoting functional foods in the diet, such as foods that comprise both prebiotics and probiotics, helps in maintaining a healthy life. This book elucidates the importance of probiotics and prebiotics in nutrition and health. A number of latest researches have been included herein to keep the readers up-to-date with the usage of probiotics and prebiotics. Those with an interest in food and nutrition would find this book helpful.