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The "good bacteria," or probiotics, that fill the pomegranate drink are everywhere these days, in pills and powders marketed as super supplements. Probiotics are said to improve digestive and immune health. They're touted as potential treatments for conditions ranging from inflammatory bowel disease to eczema to tooth decay. Some marketing campaigns even hint that they can prevent the flu.
Scientific evidence, however, does not necessarily support those claims.
Studies in rodents and small groups of humans point to possible health benefits of consuming probiotics. But there have been only a few large human trials — in large part because Food and Drug Administration rules have dissuaded food companies and federally funded researchers from conducting the types of studies that could confirm, or refute, the proposed benefits of consuming "good" microbes.
http://www.statnews.com/2016/01/21/probiotics-shaky-science/
(Score: 3, Informative) by Thexalon on Wednesday January 27 2016, @10:54PM
And the funny thing about all that is that it's really not all that complicated. Unless you have a medical reason for doing so, the rules come down to:
1. If you aren't gaining or losing weight by doing this, eat when you're hungry. (If you are, then
2. Eat a variety of different things.
3. Make sure you can easily pronounce the ingredients of everything you eat.
4. Ideally, understand the steps from "part of something that's alive" to "on my plate".
Yes, the above set of rules means that a steak once a week and a cake on your birthday is probably OK.
Do that, and something else will probably kill you before your food does. And in the meantime, you'll have actually enjoyed your food, which is not a bad thing. Seriously, when I walk into health food stores and vitamin stores, I see a lot of miserable people nervously worrying about whether quinoa or couscous is better for them - don't be like that.
The only thing that stops a bad guy with a compiler is a good guy with a compiler.
(Score: 2) by TheReaperD on Wednesday January 27 2016, @11:26PM
There is still hopefully be some benefit to those of us that can't follow the standard advice for good health due to past and current medical conditions. Of course that's not why the companies are doing the research but, hopefully people like me will benefit anyway.
Ad eundum quo nemo ante iit