{"id":4468,"date":"2016-09-05T11:07:00","date_gmt":"2016-09-05T15:07:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thatorganicmom.com\/?p=4468"},"modified":"2022-06-29T16:21:55","modified_gmt":"2022-06-29T20:21:55","slug":"powerful-truth-probiotics","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thatorganicmom.com\/powerful-truth-probiotics\/","title":{"rendered":"The truth you might not know about yogurt and probiotics"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The food industry uses the word “probiotics” liberally in marketing.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I get a little miffed at the food industry when someone tells me they\u2019re eating yogurt for the \u201cgood bacteria\u201d it provides while holding a brightly colored cup of deception. Mostly because I know that people are being misled by less than truthful marketing and that bugs me. Often,<\/span> what I find people eating \u201cfor health\u201d is stuff like Activa which has about 8 teaspoons of sugar per 6 ounce container or Yoplait which has not only high fructose corn syrup and sugar but also artificial colorings and flavorings. Most are highly sugared and colored varieties like <\/span>Trix<\/span><\/a> or Gogurt \u201cthe junk in a tube\u201d which are just a chemical concoction.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Can I help save you some wasted money, a few pounds and possibly improve your health over the long run? Listen, if you're “doing this for your health” you don\u2019t need colorful yogurt, you need probiotics. Leave the Dannon fruit on the bottom right there on the shelf and head over to the supplement section instead. If you just really want to eat yogurt<\/strong>, I\u2019ll provide some healthy suggestions at the end of this post.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

What\u2019s in yogurt that is beneficial?<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Probiotics<\/b> are live bacteria and yeast that are often referred to as \u201cgood bacteria\u201d because they help promote a healthy digestive tract and immune system.  There are literally dozens of different probiotics, some are categorized as Lactobacillus and others as Bifidobacterium. Each category has different strains.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Probiotics are measured in colony forming units (CFUs)<\/strong> and there are many different \u201cstrains\u201d of bacteria, with the most popular being L. Acidophilus and B. bifidum which help keep the microflora of the small intestines balanced. This is especially useful to offset the effects of antibiotics.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another popular strain of probiotic is L. fermentum which is found in some of my favorite foods: fermented foods like kimchi<\/a>, sauerkraut and sourdough. This lactobacillus strain also helps promote a healthy level of gut bacteria<\/strong>. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Probiotics are essential for maximum digestion of food and absorption of nutrients<\/strong>. Probiotics also aid in the elimination of toxins<\/strong>. For example the strain L. rhamnosus is perfect for carrying when traveling as it can help prevent traveler\u2019s diarrhea<\/strong>. A good combo to carry when traveling is <\/span>charcoal<\/span><\/a> and probiotics. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

When I am traveling and get a bout of stomach woes, I alternate the two every hour until I feel better. It\u2019s a lot easier to carry than Apple Cider Vinegar, which is my number one treatment for food related stomach problems. I carried probiotics and charcoal all across China<\/a> with me and believe me, I was so glad I did.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s important to choose your probiotic supplement based on your health issues<\/strong>, as there are many strains which have varying benefits so it is likely that a probiotic supplement that I take for my health concern may not have much of an impact on your health problems. If you\u2019re not certain which strain to take, look for a broad spectrum probiotic, also sometimes labeled as multi-probiotics. Look for products that contain 50 CFUs or higher<\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Tips when selecting a probiotic<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n