Probiotic Liquids
and Foods versus Probiotic Supplements: Which Is Better?
Did you know that many probiotic supplements on the market don't actually
contain all the beneficial microflora they claim to contain? Find out
how to be SURE you get the probiotics you need to build your immunity.
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If you look at the shelves of your local health food store, you may be confused
by the vast array of probiotic supplements.
Probiotics are the buzz word in health these days for a good reason. With
benefits ranging from boosting your immunity to easing Irritable Bowel Syndrome,
treating autism and ending cravings, it's no wonder we want our probiotics.
But how can you be sure that these probiotics contain all the friendly microflora
necessary to populate your gut, build your immunity, and help you digest and
assimilate your food?
The Business of Probiotics
Probiotics are big business, and sales of probiotics topped $243 million
in 2005.1
In a lucrative market, it's no surprise that supplement manufacturers would
want a piece of the probiotic pie. Often, in the race to create a product
with so many millions of beneficial bacteria strains and with little FDA regulation,
one thing is becoming clear: not every supplement manufacturer understands
the true nature of healing your inner ecosystem.
So while we know probiotics absolutely have nutritional value, what you see
on the label may NOT be what you get.
In fact, two researchers at Bastyr University in Washington recently tested
a wide variety of probiotic supplements and found that in four out of twenty
products no sign of living friendly bacteria was present.2
The unfortunate truth is that too many probiotic supplements vary widely
in quality and potency. Here's why:
- Many probiotic supplements cannot survive harsh stomach acid in order
to get to your intestines.
- Manufacturers talk about number of CFUs (colony forming units), but don't
always offer the types or combinations of probiotics that are ideally suited
to human intestines. So while they have some value, they do not help re-colonize
your inner ecosystem, which is the overall goal.
Just like the Earth has ecosystems that strive for balance, your body has
it's own "inner ecosystem." At the heart of your inner ecosystem
are probiotics, the beneficial microflora that keep you healthy and strong.
Products containing these beneficial microflora are called probiotics.
After decades of studying exactly which microflora allow your inner ecosystem
to thrive, Donna Gates developed the Body Ecology system with probiotic-rich
fermented foods and drinks as one of the mainstays of health and healing.
Best Probiotics?
Fermented foods and drinks can be your best solution to ineffective
probiotic supplements!
Here are some reasons that fermented foods and drinks are superior:
- Beneficial bacteria and yeast in fermented foods and drinks are live
and active! Whether you purchase fermented foods and drinks or make
them at home, you are getting active bacteria.
- Fermentation pre-digests vital nutrients for you. Packed with B
vitamins, minerals and enzymes, fermented foods and drinks are whole foods
full of nutritional value in their own right. On top of that, the microflora
increase the bioavailability of the nutrients in all the foods you eat by
hundreds of times.
- Fermentation does not use heat. Your fermented foods and drinks
retain their vital amino acids that can be destroyed by heat.
- You get a variety of live cultures supplied by nature in fermented
foods and drinks. Lab produced probiotics are often a single strain
of bacteria, like Lactobacillus acidophilus.
- Supplements contain bacteria only while fermented foods and
drinks also contain "food" for the microflora to help promote
their growth. It's like sending the good guys down into your digestive
tract with a lunchbox of goodies to sustain them on their long and perilous
journey down under. Once they reach their destination (and IF they reach
their destination) the microflora in a supplement need up to 6 hours
to colonize in your intestines. The microflora in fermented foods
and liquids are so hardy they start working at once.
- Fermented foods and drinks are acid-resistant and are viable in
your system from the time they touch your lips all the way down into your
gut.
Body Ecology is on the cutting edge of using probiotics to impact your health,
and because we believe in the healing value of beneficial bacteria and yeast,
we have created several different ways for you to get daily doses of high
quality, potent microflora in your diet.
(If you are just starting to use probiotics, be sure to read Is
It Possible To Get Too MUCH Fermented Food In Your Diet? by Dr. Leonard
Smith.
Our probiotic liquids and culture starters fit every lifestyle and every
taste to populate your gut with a variety of nature's beneficial bacteria
and yeast.
Dong Quai is a potent probiotic drink that gives your body beneficial
bacteria and healing herbs at the same time. Try
Dong Quai today!
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Dong
Quai is one our newest probiotic drinks that not only supplies your body
with four active cultures but also gives you fermented dong quai, a prized
herb known for its hormone stabilizing properties.
Our fermented Dong Quai contains all four of these live probiotics, uniquely
designed to re-colonize your intestines:
Besides being a potent probiotic drink, Dong Quai is an herb known for its
ability to:
Also be sure to learn about our
top-selling probiotic drink "star," Coco-Biotic.
Make Your Own!
You can also make your own fermented foods and drinks at home with Body Ecology
fermented food and drink starters.
Our starters are carefully formulated so that you can reap the health benefits
of probiotics at home by making cultured vegetables, cultured butter, Young
Coconut Kefir and milk kefir.
Try these fermented food starters and have fun doing it yourself:
- Kefir
Starter is perfect for homemade milk kefir and Young Coconut Kefir.
- Essential
Duo has high levels of two essential bacteria and can be used for
delicious fermented drinks.
- Culture
Starter makes delicious vegetables and whipped cultured butter or
crème fraiche (aka sour cream). Try it today!
To learn more about each starter, read Which
Fermented Food Starter Should You Use For What?
Probiotics The Easy Way
Until a supplement exists that delivers the beneficial bacteria and yeast
you need for a healthy inner ecosystem, you can rely on our probiotic
liquids, like Dong Quai and fermented foods and drinks that you can make
yourself.
You'll be sure that you're getting potent probiotics every time!
Sources:
Condor, Bob, "Living Well: 'Friendly' probiotics have some cons, too,"
Seattle P-I, 18 Dec, 2006. http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/health/296142_condor18.html.
2 Condor
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