Did You Know? Benefits of Probiotics

By Paula Hendricks - Nutritionist on August 5, 2009

Benefits of Probiotic Yogurt Intake and Probiotic Supplementation

People have been consuming yogurt for centuries as a curative for many gastrointestinal problems and inflammatory conditions.  It has also been a diet staple in the Middle East, Russia, and many European countries as it provides a complete protein and is a good calcium source.  Not until the 20^th century did yogurt begin to gain popularity for its health benefits when consumed – most notably from the live bacteria (active cultures) found in high quality yogurts, also known as probiotics, meaning “for life.”  

Research studies suggest eating probiotic-containing yogurt or taking probiotic supplements stimulates a beneficial immune response, improving the body’s ability to ward off infections.  Maintaining a healthy immune system is extremely important today because of the prevalence of antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains and the emergence of new viral strains such as swine flu.    

Other benefits of probiotics include the relief of symptoms of irritable bowel disease and associated diarrhea, relief from constipation, and promotion of the growth of beneficial bacteria which reduces yeast and other infections.  Because of the numerous benefits from probiotics, we recommend you make yogurt consumption or probiotic supplementation part of your daily diet.   

Caution!  Not all yogurts contain probiotics.  You must look on the yogurt container label to make sure it states “Contains live active cultures.”  In addition, we recommend consuming only Greek-style yogurt which is low in carbohydrates and high in protein.  Greek-style yogurt contains twice as much protein and 400 mg more calcium than milk, cup for cup.  If you or your family is consuming milk for a good protein, calcium, vitamin D or probiotic source, we recommend you replace your milk intake with Greek-style yogurt, either non-fat or low-fat. 

Adults should not drink milk.  Milk (breast or formula) is for babies and adults have no need for it.  There are many other ways to consume protein, calcium, and vitamin D than from milk intake.  Milk from cows is higher in sugar than protein and many adults have difficulty digesting the lactose (sugar) in milk and may not even be aware of the symptoms.  Symptoms include bloating, allergies, asthma, constipation, and diarrhea.  Although yogurt is made from milk, the active cultures blended with milk turn the lactose into lactic acid which promotes friendly bacterial growth in the intestines without the digestive problems associated with milk intake.

Caution!  Not all yogurts are a high quality food.  Most popular brand-name yogurts contain high amounts of added sugar, up to 6 teaspoons per cup, typically do not contain probiotics, are not a good protein source (less than 6 grams of protein from milk per cup), and are basically a high sugar dessert.  Next time you go to the grocery store, pick up a container of Yoplait, Dannon, Activa, or Gogurt (2 grams of protein) and check out the ingredients list.  You will likely find sugar listed as the second ingredient.    

If you don’t care for the taste of yogurt but want to benefit from the probiotics, we recommend using our nutritional supplement, Pro-Flora Concentrate, which contains six live active cultures, and is formulated to survive stomach acids and promote a good balance of friendly bacteria in the intestines.  For those of you with chronic intestinal problems or are taking an antibiotic, we recommended you consume high quality probiotic yogurt and supplement with probiotics as well.

On the back page, I have put together a few yogurt recipes for you to try.  They are tasty, simple to prepare and will provide you with some alternate high-protein serving choices.  Experiment and enjoy. 

                                                By Paula Hendricks, BS, Nutritionist

Some recommended yogurt brands:  Trader Joe’s Greek Style Nonfat Plain Yogurt; Fage Total Nonfat Greek Strained Yogurt; and Stonyfield Farms’ Oikos Organic Greek Yogurt.  Always check the container label to assure you are getting the right type of yogurt.

Recipes

Chilled Cucumber &Yogurt Soup– single serving size (OK on the VLCD)

Ingredients:     1 cup non-fat Greek-style yogurt (about 20 grams of protein)

1/2 cup finely chopped cucumber or more

½  minced garlic clove

Salt and pepper to taste

1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil to drizzle on top

Dried mint (or dill) to sprinkle on top, about 1/4 teaspoon

Directions:       Mix first four ingredients together.  Put in blender and blend for 30 seconds.  If you like it thinner, add more cucumber.  Pour in a soup bowl and drizzle olive oil on top and sprinkle with mint.  You can also prepare it without blending. 

Yogurt Creamed Spinach – single serving size (OK on the VLCD)

Ingredients:     1 cup non-fat Greek-style yogurt (about 20 grams of protein)

                        4 cups packed fresh spinach, chopped

                        1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil

                        ½ minced garlic clove

                        Salt and pepper

                        Italian seasoning, about 1/2 teaspoon

Directions:       Cook spinach in a microwave-safe bowl for about 2-3 minutes.  Drain excess juice.  Add the remaining ingredients and mix well.  Eat warm.

Plain Yogurt with Sweetener – try mixing a packet of non-nutritive sweetener, 1 teaspoon of fruit-only jam, a dash of flavored extract, or sugar-free syrup into one cup of Greek-style yogurt. 

Yogurt and Berry Smoothie – single serving size (OK on the LCD or MD)

Ingredients:     1 and 1/2 cups non-fat Greek-style yogurt (about 30 grams of protein)

                        8 ice cubes

                        10 raspberries

                        1/5 of a medium banana, slightly green

                        2 packets non-nutritive sweetener (Stevia, Truvia or Splenda) or more if needed

Directions:       Place all items in a blender and blend until all ice is crushed.  Pour in glass and drink.

Dips and Dressings:

Creamed Horseradish Dip – mix 2 T. plain yogurt with 1 T. prepared horseradish and 1/2 tsp. garlic salt. 

Ranch Dressing – mix 1 cup Greek-style plain yogurt, 1 cup buttermilk, 1/2 packet Hidden Valley Ranch dressing or mix together garlic salt, dill, and Worcestershire seasoning for your own taste.  Chill.

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