• Question: What are some of the good types of bacteria

    Asked by Moloney 66 to Chloe, NULL on 10 Nov 2015. This question was also asked by jessie.
    • Photo: Chloe Huseyin

      Chloe Huseyin answered on 10 Nov 2015:

      Awesome question 🙂 A lot of people think all bacteria are germs and will make you sick but that isn’t true.

      Bacteria like Lactobacillus are really important for making foods like cheese and yoghurt (yum) and some Escherichia coli strains have been genetically modified to make insulin for people who have diabetes!

      We need bacteria like Bacteroides which live in our guts and can produce enzymes that break down the cell walls of vegetables and other plant-based foods so we can release and then use the energy in these foods. Humans can’t make these enzymes themselves so without the bacteria we wouldn’t be able to use most of the energy in this kind of food. Bacteria in our gut can also make vitamins for the body to use.

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