Supplement Sunday - Probiotics and Prebiotics
Welcome to this week's supplement Sunday! Labor Day brain fog to blame for being a day late! We are diving into the world of Probiotics and Prebiotics. Read below!
Your body is full of trillions of bacteria, viruses, and fungi. They are collectively known as the "microbiome." While some are associated with disease, others are actually extremely important for your immune system, heart, weight and many other aspects of your health.
Most of the microbes in your intestines are found in your large intestine, and they are referred to as the "gut microbiome." Our gastrointestinal tract has "good" bacteria that are carefully balanced in health but can be disrupted by certain medical conditions, such as antibiotic usage and infections. The skin has its own microbiome, and it is important as well.
Probiotics are defined by the World Health Organization as "living microorganisms from food or supplements that provide benefits when ingested in sufficient quantities."
Probiotics can help maintain or restore the beneficial bacterial balance. (The best studied probiotic species are Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, and the yeast Saccharomyces boulardii.)
There are two ways to get more good bacteria into your gut: fermented foods and dietary supplements.
1. Fermented foods: These are the most natural source.
There is no recommended daily intake for probiotics, so there is no way to know exactly which fermented foods or what quantity is best. Therefore, the general guideline is to just add as many fermented foods to your daily diet as possible.The most common fermented foods that naturally contain probiotics, or have probiotics added to them, include yogurt, kefir, kombucha, sauerkraut, pickles, miso, tempeh, kimchi, sourdough bread and some cheeses. You may want to start with some more familiar ones and then get adventurous. I am working on this second part myself. I have always liked yogurt and sauerkraut, but I am slowly adding some of the others.
Food sources of Probiotics:
Yogurt - Yogurt is a semisolid, sourish food prepared from milk fermented with added bacteria, often sweetened and flavored. Greek yogurt is traditionally obtained by straining normal yogurt, which gives it a thicker texture. French yogurt is the set style yogurt with added fruits, sugar and flavorings. Drinking yogurt is stirred yogurt with a low total solids content and which has undergone homogenization to further reduce the viscosity. Sweetener, flavoring and coloring ingredients may then be added and the product is packed in bottles. (You do need to watch the sugar and additive content in all yogurts.)
The lactose in yogurt is digested more efficiently than other dairy sources of lactose because the bacteria inherent in yogurt assists with its digestion. Yogurt has the particular characteristic of being well tolerated by individuals who find lactose difficult to digest. It allows them to get all the nutritional benefits of milk. It is therefore a useful alternative to milk to meet daily calcium needs and to help prevent osteoporosis. There are also many non-dairy yogurts on the market as well.
Kefir - Kefir is a drinkable yogurt. Kefir has a thick and viscous texture that's closer to a smoothie than it is to milk. It has an acidic, tart flavor similar to unsweetened Greek yogurt. Traditionally, kefir is made with cow's milk, but kefir brands also use goat milk and even dairy-free liquids like coconut milk and water.
Here is a great review with some brands to try.
Kombucha - Kombucha tea is a fermented drink made with tea, sugar, bacteria and yeast. Although it's sometimes referred to as kombucha mushroom tea, kombucha is not a mushroom — it's a colony of bacteria and yeast. Kombucha tea is made by adding the colony to sugar and tea and allowing the mix to ferment. I admit I am working on liking the taste of this, but it is so healthy for you. If you really get where you like it, you can make your own. One of my partners at work and his wife make their own all the time.
Sauerkraut - Traditional sauerkraut preparation uses water, salt, and cabbage. Then, very little heat is applied to the final product in order to prevent killing off beneficial microbes. The sour taste comes from lacto-fermentation, the breakdown of lactose by the probiotic bacteria native to the cabbage. A serving gives you a powerful dose of healthy probiotics. Be sure to purchase raw sauerkraut, or if you are just LOVE it, make it yourself with organic cabbage and Himalayan salt. (OK, that is ambitious!!)
Pickled foods - Raw pickles, much like sauerkraut, are a great introduction to fermented foods. Most Whole Foods and natural food grocery stores have a whole section of pickled raw foods. My husband was amazed.
For you really adventurous people here are some more:
Natto - Natto is prepared with soybeans and is fermented, so it forms the beneficial bacteria Bacillus. It is a Japanese food, and you either love it or hate it. It is quite stinky, but those that love it - really love it.
Kimchi - This spicy Asian fermented cabbage, similar to sauerkraut, provides you with loads of probiotics.
Tempeh - This Indonesian "cake" has a nutty flavor and chewy texture, and because of this, it is often used as a replacement for meat in many vegan recipes. Traditionally made from soybeans and a yeast starter, it undergoes controlled fermentation that makes it a great source of probiotic bacteria.
Lassi - Lassi is made by combining yogurt and milk (or water) and sometimes fruit and spices to create a great probiotic-rich drink. Like yogurt, lassi digests quickly, helps restore friendly gut bacteria, and soothes the gut. If you are going to drink lassi, it's best to find a product using grass-fed, free-range goat milk. Goat milk tends to digest more easily. If you're vegan, try finding or making lassi with organic coconut or almond milk yogurt.
2. Probiotic Supplements
Probiotic supplements, which are typically sold over the counter, are reserved to treat specific ailments as suggested by your doctor and not recommended for everyday use. Plus, supplements do not have the same FDA oversight as medications do. Choosing and recommending probiotic supplements can be tricky. While some conditions respond to probiotics regardless of the strains used, others have been shown to respond to very specific strains. There is so much research being done in this area.
Finding the right strain species and dose is key, and it should be discussed with your health care provider.
Make sure to read the label, as some need to be refrigerated. Get one that has at least 30-50 billion organisms per dose, that includes Lactobacillus rhamnosus and Bifidobacterium, and from a reputable source.
I usually take a probiotic if I am traveling abroad (before COVID) or taking antibiotics. I try and eat as many food sources for probiotics as I can the rest of the time. ( I love yogurt and sauerkraut!!!)
They can be beneficial in a variety of conditions, particularly those that involve the gastrointestinal and genitourinary system. They are generally considered safe, except in certain circumstances such as compromised immune systems or on chemotherapy.
Your health care provider may consider them if you are:
- Taking or recently took antibiotics
- Gastrointestinal issues (like Irritible Bowel Syndrome or Inflammatory Bowel Disease)
- Have certain female issues, like frequent yeast infections or recurrent bacterial vaginosis
- Allergies or Eczema
Prebiotics are the fuel of the probiotics. They are the non-digestible parts of foods and go through the small intestine undigested. They are fermented when they reach the large colon. This fermentation process feeds the beneficial bacteria colonies and helps increase the number of desirable bacteria in our gut.
Some food sources:
Chocolate
Underripe bananas
Legumes
Onions
Spinach
Oats
Jerusalem artichokes
Blueberries
Garlic
Leeks
Asparagus
Apples
Whole grains
Chia seeds
Flax seeds
Do you see another reason why eating whole, real food is part of the health picture?
Synbiotics are products that contain both pre- and probiotics in combination.
I prefer a more natural approach and until more research is conducted on synbiotics, so consider sticking to swallowing a probiotic supplement or eat probiotic-rich foods in addition to prebiotic foods.
I will go much more into our gut microbiomes in future post. It is a fascinating area, and more and more research is being done on its importance!!!!!
All material gathered and researched through my amazing fellowship program, The Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine.
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