Probiotic Selection

[Pat Robinson]

There are some 500-1000 different microbials which inhabit and reproduce in the gut. Some are only there transiently and therefore, to have a "healthy" gut (based upon our historical traditional cultures), we need to consume beneficial microbials regularly. Whole food probiotics more effectively remain viable until they reach the large intestine. Most bottled probiotics are denatured during transportation, and don't survive the stomach acid to make it to the gut.

*Homemade milk kefir has 56+ different beneficial microbials strains.

*Water kefir has about 30 different beneficial microbial strains.

*Commercial store-bought kefir has about 10 different beneficial microbial strains, more than most bottle probiotics.

*Kefir "starters" have about 7 microbial strains.

*Commercial yogurt has about 7 different beneficial microbial strains. (They add strains intentionally for benefit. Bifidum is one to look for, if you purchase commercial whole food probiotics.)

*Homemade yogurt strains vary, but each starter has somewhat limited different strains, usually about 5-7 different strains. Having different sources of microbials in our food is optimal.

Basically, most probiotics are not viable all the way to the gut, due to heat destruction during transportation and storage, acidity in the stomach, and low viability of powders and capsules. Commercial yogurts must have "Active Live Cultures".

I prefer whole foods which are naturally cultured or fermented: kefir or yogurt from cow, goat, coconut, almond, hemp seed milk, etc. And fermented foods. Bubbies brand sauerkraut and dill pickles are easy to add to the diet.

"Homemade yogurt that is fermented for 24 hours, will have an average concentration of 3 billion cfu/mL of yogurt. If you were to eat a small bowl (500 ml) of 24 hour fermented homemade yogurt, you would receive 1.5 trillion beneficial bacteria - 100 times more bacteria than a 15 billion capsule.

And homemade kefir has 5x that; homemade kimchi 10x that!

Dairy-free kefir, or any type of dairy could be made into kefir. And the kefir grains reproduce and you will be giving them away to friends and strangers in no time!

Here are my two favorite videos about making milk kefir:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1BdnzhNvvs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=46ocnaRViDY

And how to make water kefir:
http://heal-thyself.ning.com/video/how-to-make-water-kefir

More about probiotic selection and making homemade probiotics:
http://heal-thyself.ning.com/profiles/blogs/probiotics-pusher
http://heal-thyself.ning.com/profiles/blogs/whole-food-probiotics-101
http://heal-thyself.ning.com/profiles/blogs/homemade-probiotics
http://heal-thyself.ning.com/profiles/blogs/real-kefir-grains-vs-kefir

 

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Pat Robinson, Wellness Educator

 

 

P.S. Favorite Posts:

     •  14 Steps For Healthy Guts

     •  The Beet Test (stomach acid?) 

     •  Candida 101 

     •  Green Smoothie Challenge

     •  Healthy Poop 101

     •  Master Tonic 101 

     •  Nettle Leaf herbal infusions 101.

     •  Overwhelmed? Where to Start?!

     •  Probiotic Selection

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[Pat Robinson]

I would buy Bubbies sauerkraut (refrigerated at a natural food grocery) and give him just a bit of the juice in smoothies.

Pat