Probiotics Power

As you’ve wandered down the aisles of your local grocery store lately, you may have noticed an ever-increasing array of tonics, juices, foods, powders and pills that tout the wonders of Probiotics. So, what is it about probiotics that make them so great?

Probiotics are live microorganisms that can be consumed through fermented foods or supplements, and appear to be safe for most people. An increasing number of studies show that the balance or imbalance of bacteria in your digestive system is linked to overall health and disease, and probiotics fight that by promoting a healthy balance of gut bacteria. Probiotics have been linked to a wide range of health benefits, including weight loss, digestive health, controlling diarrhea, and overall immune function. Probiotics can keep your heart healthy by lowering LDL (“bad”) cholesterol and blood pressure, as well as reducing symptoms of digestive disorders like IBS. Some studies have even linked gut health to mood and mental health, improving symptoms from anxiety, depression, OCD, memory and even autism.

If you’re looking to jump on that Probiotic train, live probiotic cultures are often found in fermented dairy products such as yogurts and milk drinks, along with fermented foods like pickled vegetables, tempeh, miso, kefir, kimchi, sauerkraut and soy products may also contain some lactic acid bacteria. If none of that sounds appetizing, you can also take probiotics as tablets, capsules and powders that contain the bacteria in dried form, but be aware that some probiotics can be destroyed by stomach acid before they even reach the gut, and you need to consume enough to make a difference. Most studies showed you need to consume dosages of 1 billion to 100 billion live organisms or CFU’s (Colony-forming units – now doesn’t that sound tasty?) per day.

Of course, you could always go to your local tavern and order up a Fermented Cocktail. Seems a lot of fancy mixologists have starting whipping up concoctions with drinking vinegars, which have billions of live probiotics, so you can have your drink and your gut health too. Cheers!

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