Friendly Flora

Gut Flora? 100 trillion bacteria in our body Most are not harmful Why do we have bacteria in our gut? –Digest food –Protect against illness

What are Probiotics? “For Life” Health benefits to humans “Cultured” or “Fermented” foods Found in yogurt, kefir, some cottage cheese “Live and Active Cultures” Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium

Benefits of Probiotics Health benefits Different types of bacteria have different health benefits May help with: –Healthy digestive tract –Immune system

Health Benefits -Replenish “good bacteria” in gut - Immunity –Most of our immune system in our gut –More “good bacteria” = less sickness - Antibiotic-related diarrhea –Prevent or reduce length and severity - Inflammatory and irritable bowel conditions –Relieve constipation

Other Potential Benefits H. pylori Cancer Allergy (Milk) Cholesterol High Blood Pressure

Where Can I Get Probiotics? Yogurt Yogurt drinks Frozen yogurt Cultured soy products Kefir Cottage Cheese Sweet Acidophilus® milk

Lactose Intolerance Difficulty digesting sugar in milk (lactose) –Nausea, cramps, bloating, gas, and diarrhea Bacteria in fermented dairy digests lactose If you are lactose intolerant: –Introduce fermented foods slowly –Allergy is NOT the same as intolerance Those with milk allergy should not try any dairy products

Yogurt Must be made with starter cultures –Lactobacillus bulgaricus –Streptococcus thermaophilus Improve lactose digestion Additional cultures often added Not all yogurt created equal –Different amounts of live bacteria Look for yogurt with added bacteria *with L. acidophilus and B. bifidum Caution: High Sugar

Yogurt Drinks

Frozen Yogurt Some brands add live bacteria Not as many bacteria as regular yogurt Good alternative to ice cream ½ cup Frozen Yogurt 130 calories 1.5 grams fat ½ cup Ice Cream 240 calories 16 grams fat

Cultured Soy Cultured soy yogurt, smoothies, frozen yogurt made from soy milk High quality protein, B-vitamins, calcium usually added Good alternative for milk allergy

Kefir Cultured drink –With “friendly” bacteria and yeast Helps improve lactose digestion Can be made from any type of milk –Cow, goat, sheep, coconut, rice or soy Kefir has many nutrients: –Protein, calcium, magnesium, and others –Lifeway Foods ® adds inulin

Cottage Cheese Some brands add probiotics Low in calories High in protein Nutrition Facts ½ cup of low-fat cottage cheese: 80 calories 1 g fat 14 g protein 300 mg sodium

Sweet Acidophilus Same nutritional value as milk from which it is made “Friendly” bacteria Lactobacillus acidophilus added Tastes and looks like regular milk Helps ease digestion and symptoms of lactose intolerance

How Much? Clinical studies show that at least 1 billion to 10 billion bacteria per day are needed –4 cups of acidophilus milk Health benefits of drinking smaller amounts have not been proven Problem: most food products don’t list the amount of bacteria they contain Consume probiotics regularly

Safety Generally recognized as safe Not recommended for people with delicate or compromised immune system Increasing probiotics may cause intestinal discomfort at first –Incorporate fermented foods into your diet slowly

The Bottom Line Daily consumption is beneficial Health effects depend on the type of bacteria –Health benefits must be proven with more research Supplements are questionable Moderation