There are billions of beneficial bacteria that inhabit the digestive system. Also known as probiotics or microflora, these bacteria aid in the digestion of dairy products, manufacture B vitamins, enhance immune function, and help to regulate bowel movements. They are easily destroyed by antibiotics, alcohol, stress, sugar, and nutrient-devoid diets. However, regular consumption of cultured and fermented foods and foods rich in the prebiotics inulin and fructooligosaccharides helps to support the health of these good bacteria.
Cultured Dairy Products
Of all foods, cultured organic dairy products such as yogurt and kefir provide the highest amounts of beneficial bacteria to the digestive tract. By restoring important microflora into the gut, the probiotics in yogurt and kefir help to combat the "bad bacteria" responsible for intestinal problems such as irritable bowel syndrome, chronic diarrhea, constipation, and bloating. Cultured dairy products also restore enzymes destroyed during pasteurization, namely lactase, which helps to digest a milk protein called lactose. The lactase produced during the culturing process makes it possible for those who are sensitive to milk to tolerate yogurt and kefir. Look for the "Live and Active Cultures" seal on yogurt and kefir containers, which indicates that each gram of the product has at least 100 million bacterial cultures.
Fermented Vegetables
When vegetables are preserved through the process of lacto-fermentation, lactic acid is used, which promotes the growth of healthy bacteria in the digestive system. The lactobacilli in fermented vegetables produce enzymes in addition to antibiotic and anticarcinogenic substances. Sauerkraut is popular example of a fermented vegetable that benefits good bacteria in the gut. Today, though many brands of sauerkraut are pasteurized, which kills the original probiotic strain, some companies make unpasteurized sauerkraut with high probiotic content. Look for labels reading "raw," "unpasteurized" or make your own. Other examples include Korean kimchi, which is a lacto-fermented condiment of cabbage, and other vegetables, and fermented daikon radish, also known as "takuan," which is prized as a digestive aid. Tests have confirmed it to be especially high in lactobacilli.
Inulin and FOS Rich Foods
Inulin and FOS, short for fructooligosaccharides, are prebiotics, sugar molecules that are about half as sweet as table sugar. Studies have found that prebiotics stimulate the growth of good bacteria, including bifidobacteria and lactobacilli, while reducing disease-producing bacteria including salmonella. In the colon, these prebiotics produce a compound called butyrate. Butyrate is imperative for the protection of the mucosal lining, which helps to prevent leaky gut syndrome. Foods that contain FOS and inulin include Jerusalem artichokes, onion, garlic, leeks, chives, eggplant, asparagus, burdock root, chicory root, bananas, raw apple cider vinegar, soybeans, and legumes. Many people experience gas and bloating when they introduce FOS and prebiotics. This can be caused by the die-off of bad bacteria, and these side effects will diminish after a couple weeks.
References
- "Nourishing Traditions"; Sally Fallon and Mary G. Enig Ph.D; 2001
- "Digestive Wellness"; Elizabeth Lipski Ph.D.; 2005
- "Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine"; Michael Murray N.D.; 1998
