The Good & Bad Bacteria: But Your Products Can’t Distinguish

Science is able to distinguish between good and bad bacteria in the human body, but some products cannot. There are 100 trillion bacteria in the body, divided into good and bad.

Several daily use products cannot differentiate between good and bad bacteria, and as a result, harm the good bacteria. Here is a list of some of these products, and you may be shocked reading them because you might be using them quite frequently.

Packaged Food

You might ask, “are you mad?”, your reaction is genuine, but preservatives in some packaged food items are not genuine. Sulfite is the major component of preservative ingredients of most packaged foods.

Sulfite adversely impacts gut health by inhibiting the growth of good bacteria. It is really upsetting to know that everything from canned vegetables to fruits and soup mixes to juices may contain this harmful chemical.

You should read the ingredients list next time you buy jams, pickles, or potato chips containing preservatives.

Skin Whitening Creams

Most household shopping lists include cosmetic products, and skin whitening creams are the most common. These skin whitening creams may disturb the microbiome of our skin.

In some creams, hydrogen peroxide and bleach are major components. Bleach removes dead skin cells and brightens the skin tone, but it can harm the skin microbiome. Some creams also contain hydrogen peroxide in high concentrations, and this can also negatively impact the skin.

High-Salt Diet

Apart from packaged food, there are more edible items that harm good bacteria, and it is high-salt food. A high-salt diet can kill the Lactobacillus bacterium which helps break down the food and increases nutritional absorption. Processed meat, pizza-pasta sauces, and food items with salt seasoning are the major items to consider.

Sanitizers & Disinfectants

It is important to use sanitizers and disinfectants when it comes to killing harmful bacteria, but some of them contain harsh chemicals that negatively impact the good bacteria as well.

Some disinfectants contain alcohol, formaldehyde, hydrogen peroxide, iodophors, peracetic acid, chlorine compounds, glutaraldehyde, and many others, and high concentrations of such chemicals can harm the good bacteria as well.

Finding a disinfectant that kills bad bacteria and viruses as well as encourages the growth of good bacteria is a necessity, and HOCl-based sanitizers and disinfectants fulfill that requirement.

Antibiotics

Due to the risks of infection, the use of antibiotics is increasing, but the unnecessary dosage of antibiotics can kill good bacteria. The use of antibiotics also makes bacteria stronger, resulting in antimicrobial resistance.

Products With The “Antibacterial” Tag

Other than the above-mentioned products, there are a number of products marketed with an antibacterial tag on them. The ingredients in these antibacterial products have already been questioned by the FDA as to whether they are safe.

The majority of antibacterial products contain Triclosan, and high concentrations of it can disrupt good bacteria by interfering with their outer membranes. It also alters gut bacteria and develops antimicrobial resistance.

Many products are marketed with antibacterial properties. Soaps, shaving creams, wipes, and toothpaste are some of the basics, but even mattresses and cutting boards are being sold with antibacterial labels.

Give It A Thought!

Surely at least one of these products is in your daily routine. Do you consider the protection of good bacteria before purchasing? Tell us in the comments!

Pankaj Rai