Foods That Are Probiotic
Probiotics is a word that people are hearing more often, as researchers, such as Dr. Michael de Vrese and Philippe R. Marteau of the Institute of Physiology and Biochemistry of Nutrition, Federal Research Centre for Nutrition and Food, in Kiel, Germany and the Digestive Diseases Department at the Hopital Lariboisière in Paris, France, reveal documentation proving that "probiotics have preventive as well as curative effects on several types of diarrhea." Digestive health is important for preventing disease, so knowing more about probiotic foods will help you on your way to wellness. Does this Spark an idea?
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Yogurt
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Most yogurts are probiotic. If you are specifically shopping for probiotic yogurt, you need to make sure that it wasn't pasteurized after the culturing, which would kill the live active bacteria. Some yogurt labels specify that their product contains "live active cultures" while others do not make a distinction. You can always call the manufacturer to know for sure. Common probiotic organisms in yogurt are Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermo-philus, you may also find L. acidophilus, L. casei, L. reuteri and bifidus. Don't assume, just because the label says probiotic, that the cultures are living. The term isn't regulated in the United States and many yogurt companies are using it on their label since Dannon's Activa advertising campaign publicized the importance of probiotics.
Kefir
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Not widely available in the United States, Kefir is similar to a yogurt beverage, with a trace amount of alcohol in it. Kefir is cultured differently than yogurt, with the use of kefir grains, that are soaked in the milk and allowed to ferment, imparting microorganisms into the milk. Unlike yogurt, Kefir can also be made from soy or rice milk. Some of the bacteria present in kefir are Lactobacillus kefiri, Leuconostoc and Lactococcus. Kefir is popular in the Middle East and in Europe, but difficult to find throughout the United States.
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Fermented Cabbage
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In Korea, they call it kimchi and in Germany, it is sauerkraut. Either way, fermented cabbage is probiotic, sometimes. Proper, traditional recipes use nothing but salt as a curative, allowing the shredded cabbage to soak in a brine, so that it naturally ferments. Others use acidic vinegar and high temperatures to hasten the process, then kill off any resulting bacteria with high temperatures for canning. Still others, are cured with salt for a traditional flavor, then sodium benzoate is added to kill the bacteria, so the product can be stored on the shelf. If you are shopping for probiotic sauerkraut, look in the refrigerated section, and make sure that there is no sodium benzoate on the label.
Miso
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Miso is fermented tofu. Tofu is also known as soybean curd. Most people are familiar with miso soup, it's somewhat salty and served in Japanese restaurants. You can purchase packets of dried miso or miso paste in the grocery store. It is not recommended for frequent consumption, because it has a high salt content. It is recommended to purchase miso paste fro the refrigerated section, as the dried powder forms are more likely to have been pasteurized or treated with sodium benzoate to kill the live cultures. One cup is a serving, and it is often taken with a meal, since it is quite salty.
Foods With Added Probiotics
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Food manufacturers are trying to add probiotics into foods, since their popularity is increasing. Kashi, for example, offers a dried cereal product called "Vive" which boasts 1 billion colony forming units of Lactobacillus acidophilus in every serving. Verb GoodBelly juice, by Next Foods, is fortified with Lactobacillus plantarum 299v, a microorganism developed in United Kingdom labs to promote digestive health. It comes in three flavors, all of which are organic, and is sold in the refrigerator section of health food stores.
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