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How probiotic foods can improve your health

By Theresa Falzone

Your mother probably never told you, but a bug a day just might keep the doctor away. We're talking about good bugs, live microorganisms known as probiotics ("for life" in Greek), and they're showing up in dairy products, cereals, energy bars, beverages and even chocolate. That's because, more and more, doctors and dietitians are recommending the consumption of probiotics for their myriad health benefits.

Registered dietitian Bethany Thayer advises getting probiotics through foods, not pills.

According to the World Health Organization, probiotics are bacteria, viruses and yeasts that, when given in adequate amounts, confer a health benefit on the host. Probiotics work, scientists surmise, by counteracting bad bacteria in the intestinal tract, which hosts 70% of the immune system and where about 400-500 types of bacteria normally live. If the bad bacteria begin to outweigh the good - stress, big meals and too much sugar can be causes - symptoms such as gas, diarrhea and bloating can result.

"Good bacteria exists naturally in the digestive tract, helping with our immune system," says registered dietitian Bethany Thayer, spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association and manager of wellness programs for Henry Ford Health System in Detroit. "But taking antibiotics for an illness kills the good bacteria along with the bad. Probiotics reintroduce good bacteria to re-establish a healthy gut." The positive effects of using probiotics to restore this balancing act include aiding digestion, treating diarrhea and boosting the immune system to prevent colds and flu, especially after a course of antibiotics.

Designer bacteria

Probiotics often are helpful for people with irregularity, says Murray Ehrinpreis, M.D., a gastroenterologist with Wayne State University Physician Group and DMC Harper Hospital in Detroit. He recommends Activia, a yogurt by Dannon that contains Bifidus Regularis, a patented probiotic culture that helps those suffering from diarrhea or constipation.

"Most people in reasonable health can use probiotics safely," Ehrinpreis says, "and it's frequently worth a try for many patients with irritable bowel syndrome [IBS]."

However, he cautions that those with suppressed immune systems should talk to their doctors before consuming any probiotic product.

There's also research from the University of Oulu in Finland that indicates women who suffer from urinary tract infections (UTIs) might find relief with probiotics. In a recent study, women who consumed probiotic dairy products three or more times per week had significantly fewer UTIs in a five-year period than those who consumed the products less than once per week.

An Irish study even found that probiotics may help prevent colon cancer. The findings reinforce other studies that have shown bad bacteria may produce substances that can lead to colon cancer

What if your gut is already good to go? Should you add probiotics to your diet to stay that way?

"If you've got a healthy gut," Thayer says, "taking additional probiotics is not going to give you extra help in the immune area."

Food or pill?

Probiotics are available as dietary supplements, but, advises Thayer, it's better to get cultured the natural way.

"Are you really getting what you think you're getting in that supplement?" she asks. "Dietary supplements aren't regulated by the FDA as drugs and foods are. And just because we have evidence that one strain of bacteria works doesn't mean all strains work that way."

Luckily for consumers, there are plenty of tasty foods readily available with probiotics, especially in the dairy case. The most commonly available probiotic is yogurt, but there's also kefir, fruit smoothies, chocolate bars and even cereal (see sidebar). Fermented foods such as sauerkraut, kimchi and tempeh also contain probiotics.

So are probiotics destined to become part of the medical mainstream?

"Good research has been started," say Thayer, "and if we continue to learn that they're helpful in treating diarrhea, promoting a healthy gut and improving the immune system, then they're probably here to stay."

Cooking With Culture

Check out Probiotic and Prebiotic Recipes for Health, by Tracy Olgeaty Gensler, a registered dietitian. The 224-page book, to be published in June (Fair Winds Press, $19.95), offers 100 recipes that battle colitis, food allergies and other digestive disorders. (Prebiotics are carbohydrate- and fiber-rich foods including barley, beans, oats, and all fruits and vegetables; they provide food for the good bacteria.) You can pre-order the book through amazon.com., barnesandnoble.com or borders.com. Here are four quick and easy probiotic recipes to try.

Walnut Berry Wrap

1 serving

Ingredients

1/2 cup low-fat fruit-flavored yogurt
1 whole-grain wrap, such as Flatout Multi-Grain
1/2 cup raspberries
1/2 cup blackberries
2 tablespoons walnuts, chopped

Directions
Spread yogurt over wrap. Fill with raspberries, blackberries and walnuts. Roll up to eat.

370 calories, 14 g fat, 1.5 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat, 10 mg cholesterol, 52 g carbohydrate, 19 g protein, 452 mg sodium, 17 g fiber

Tempeh Cubes With Ginger Vegetables

1 serving

Ingredients

1 cup water
1/2 cup tempeh
1 tablespoon light, trans fat-free margarine
1 egg
1/2 cup broccoli florets
2 scallions, chopped
1 teaspoon minced ginger
1 teaspoon minced garlic

Directions
In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, simmer water and tempeh for 10 minutes. Remove from heat, place tempeh on several paper towels to drain. When tempeh is dry, cut into cubes.

Melt margarine in a skillet over medium-low heat; add tempeh and sauté, stirring occasionally for 4 minutes. Add egg, broccoli, scallions, garlic and ginger and continue to sauté, stirring occasionally, for another 5 minutes.

324 calories, 19 g fat, 4.4 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat, 212 mg cholesterol, 9 g carbohydrates, 25 g protein, 198 mg sodium, 3.2 g fiber

Almond Yogurt Oatmeal

1 serving

Ingredients

1 tablespoon slivered almonds
3/4 cup water
1/3 cup oats
1 tablespoon almond butter
4 ounces low-fat vanilla yogurt

Directions
Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Spread almonds over a piece of aluminum foil or cookie sheet and bake for 2 minutes. Prepare oatmeal with water according to package directions. Stir in almonds, almond butter and yogurt.

349 calories, 17 g fat, 3 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat, 10 mg cholesterol, 42 g carbohydrate, 12 g protein, 147 mg sodium, 4 g fibe

Honey Blackberry Smoothie

1 serving

Ingredients

1 cup low-fat kefir
1 1/2 cups fresh blackberries
2 teaspoons honey
1 teaspoon flaxseed oil
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon fresh mint

Directions In a blender, combine all ingredients and blend until smooth.

301 calories, 8 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 45 g carbohydrate, 17 g protein, 138 mg sodium, 15 g fiber

Smooth Operators

Vital staffers tried several probiotic products and found them tasty and, ahem, effective. Here's a sample of what's out in supermarkets and health food stores, ready to try.

Important note: Do not consume probiotics if you have pancreatitis or a suppressed immune system.

Yogurt with live cultures:

Any yogurt with live cultures is considered probiotic, but check labels, as not all yogurts have live cultures. Those that do include Dannon, Yoplait and Stonyfield Farm, plus Silk soy yogurt. Available in most metro Detroit grocery stores.

Activia, DanActive, Danimals:

Special yogurts with "designer" probiotics, all by Dannon. Available in plain and various flavors. Taste is similar to regular yogurt. Dannon is so confident that Activia will regulate one's digestive system, the company offers a moneyback guarantee if you're not satisfied after consuming the product daily for two weeks (see product package for details). Available in most metro Detroit grocery stores.

Attune Wellness Bars:

Available in Chocolate Crisp, Mint Chocolate, Dark Chocolate and Blueberry Vanilla. Each bar has 100 calories. Available at Whole Foods Market and Good Food Company.

Attune Granola Probiotic Wellness Bars:

Whole grains, nuts and dried fruit with a yogurt-flavored coating. Available in Wild Berry, Strawberry Bliss and Lemon Crème. Each bar is 170 calories. Available at Whole Foods Market and Good Food Company.

Kefir:

A fermented beverage similar to yogurt, available plain and flavored. A common brand is Lifeway, which offers ProBugs, organic whole milk kefir for kids in flavors such as Goo-Berry Pie, Sublime Slime Lime and Orange Creamy Crawler. Available at Whole Foods, Hollywood Markets and other metro Detroit grocers.

Kashi Vive cereal:

A sevengrain blend with graham twigs, toasted flakes and vanilla-dipped rice crisps. At Whole Foods Market and some metro Detroit grocers.