By Corinna Richards As recently as just several years ago, consumers faced few choices when it came to probiotics, or beneficial bacteria, those “good little bugs” that keep the “bad bugs” living inside us in check. Beyond live-culture yogurt, not many people knew where to find friendly bacteria. For those who did, there were relatively few products from which to choose. Although the term probiotics was, in fact, first used in scientific literature in 1965 (in Science magazine), these days we know much more about these beneficial bacteria and how essential they are to our health. (For a good overview, read “Probiotics: An Old Story Takes On New Meaning,” Issue 44/November 2001.) At the most basic level, probiotics help maintain the proper balance and functioning […] Read More