Probiotic foods can be beneficial for your health

Bacteria are an inescapable part of our lives. Most of us think of negative things when we hear the word bacteria, but not all bacteria are created equal. Probiotics are a type of good bacteria found naturally in some foods and are an essential part of our overall health. Studies suggest that friendly probiotic bacteria could help prevent conditions such as diarrhea, indigestion, chronic inflammation and irritable bowel syndrome, eczema, and colic in babies.

Our digestive tract, or gut, needs good bacteria to function properly, and it has about ten times more bacteria than the rest of our bodies. Bacteria are necessary to aid in the digestive process, to aid in the absorption and synthesis of vitamins, minerals, and nutrients, to aid in the function of the immune system to protect against infection, and to help prevent harmful bacteria from growing out of control. . .

Many probiotic foods are produced as a result of a combination of lactic acid bacteria, yeast, or a combination of both. They break down carbohydrates and sugars in food and make them more nutritious and digestible.

Not all good bacteria are created equal, which is why it is important to consume a variety of fermented foods in our diet. Some of the probiotic foods available are natto, miso, and tempeh (made primarily with fermented soybeans), kimchi and sauerkraut (made with fermented cabbage), and kefir (made with milk).

Kefir may be the easiest to make. All you have to do is add ‘kefir grains’ (bought at many health food stores) to the milk and wait about 24 hours or until it has the texture of runny yogurt. When you are almost out of that batch, just use a little to make the next batch. That can be done 7-10 times before you need to buy more kefir grains. This produces a dairy product that is easier for people who are lactose intolerant to digest. Introduce this into your system in small doses and monitor the effects before increasing the amount you drink. Unpasteurized whole milk is best, but if necessary, use whole milk from the store. Whole milk, not skim or 2%.

I drink 4-6 ounces of kefir a day and eat my own homemade sauerkraut. I have noticed a better ability to handle other dairy products. Ice cream is one of my favorite indulgences and I am able to enjoy it so much more than I did before I started including probiotics in my diet.

There are also probiotic supplements available. As with all things, moderation is the key. Some of the side effects of the supplements are gas and bloating. Some people who have had a drastic increase in both supplements and natural food sources have experienced immune system damage. Consult your doctor; do your research before you decide to try probiotics.

Probiotics have been a hot topic of discussion in recent years, but the fact remains that they have been around for a long time. There is no direct evidence as to whether probiotics were deliberately produced or discovered by accident. I maintain that if a person is hungry enough, he will eat almost anything and that may be what happened with fermented foods. (I’ve always wondered about the trial and error process of mushroom testing. “Hey, honey. Why don’t you try this? Let me know what you think.”) But, the consensus is that probiotics are an essential part of any diet, especially since many of the processed foods people eat today may not have the nutrients needed for optimal health. Do your own research and see if this is something for you.