Do you know enough about probiotic foods?

Good afternoon, dear readers and guests! There are many articles on the blog about probiotics. Still, it is better to eat foods that contain “friendly” bacteria that are beneficial to the body. Today I will focus your attention on the topic: probiotics in foods. Let's look together at what foods contain these bacteria and how to use them correctly.

Why should you look for probiotics in food?

Today everyone is talking about probiotics - thanks to our advertising, it is impossible not to know about them: these are not only preparations containing live lactobacilli - colibacterin, bifidumbacterin, etc., but also many food products that are very rich in probiotics and are no less beneficial for the intestines than pharmaceutical products.

Vegetable diet for weight loss

Probiotics help our body maintain normal digestion, prevent the development of infections and inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract, and protect us from many dangerous diseases.

The most famous and most effective probiotic is considered to be Lactobacillus Bulgaricus, a bacterium discovered in 1905 by Bulgarian medical student S. Grigorov. Scientists believe that the properties of this bacterium were successfully used by the ancient inhabitants of what is now Bulgaria - the Thracians, and this was about 9,000 years ago. Then people had already learned to obtain yogurt, cheese and feta cheese from milk - the oldest probiotic products, and therefore their health was good, and they themselves were strong and resilient - many historians believe that the famous Spartacus, who led the most famous uprising in ancient history, He was also a Thracian, and diseases of the digestive organs were unknown to them.

Today, people living in Bulgaria continue to eat these foods - they eat them almost every day, and continue to remain active and energetic. In the famous Bulgarian yogurt, in symbiosis with Lactobacillus Bulgaricus, another useful and well-known bacterium lives - Streptococcus Thermophilus - these are the cultures that should be bought at the pharmacy if you want to make natural yogurt at home.

Among the industrial yoghurts that our stores are full of, there are a lot of pasteurized and sterilized products - they can be considered “dead” and useless for health, although they are tasty and contain a lot of calories, so they are quite suitable for satisfying hunger.

You need to look for products with real probiotics - live bacteria - there are also plenty of them in stores, and eat them every day if possible, cold, or warmed to room temperature - heating above 40°C is detrimental for them.

Friends and enemies within us

From childhood, many people know that germs are dangerous. They can cause various infectious diseases and other ailments. This statement is true only to some extent - it does not need to be extended to all representatives of the microcosm. Someone will be surprised to learn that a person cannot do without bacteria, that they are extremely useful and significant for the body. It is these invisible tiny creatures that are at the forefront of the fight for health. The largest number of them live in the gastrointestinal tract, a unique system that provides the body with everything necessary for life.

Composition and importance of microflora

The “population” of the intestines is very diverse - about 500 species of bacteria, fungi, and protozoa coexist here. In this accumulation, called microflora, beneficial, neutral and pathogenic microorganisms coexist. The latter, under certain circumstances, can manifest their evil character and cause damage to health. To prevent this from happening, all inhabitants of the digestive system must be in a certain equilibrium - balance.

The “good forces” of the microcosm in the human body are:

• bifidumbacteria;

• lactobacilli (acidophilus, reuteri and others);
• bacteriodes.

These microscopic helpers make it possible for the body to absorb what we eat. They break down dietary fiber, help absorb essential microelements, produce some vitamins, hormones, and remove toxins. In addition, they can increase immunity by synthesizing globulins and interferons.

Potentially evil forces include:

• coli;
• mushrooms;
• staphylococci;
• proteas.

These “residents” do not show their aggression as long as they are in balance with beneficial groups of microbes. If there are too many of them, the functions of the gastrointestinal tract are disrupted. In addition, “strangers” are constantly trying to penetrate the body: enterotoxins, salmonella, shigella, viruses and allergens. These uninvited guests eat the cells of the mucous membrane of the intestinal tract, secrete various toxins, cause putrefactive processes, which can cause inflammation, erosion, and ulcers.

Advance Defense Unit

To ensure that microorganisms dangerous to humans do not feel at home, there is an entire system in the intestine to counteract aggressors, where each participant performs its own tasks.

Lactobacilli are at the forefront of pest control. Why they are needed, what role they play and where they are kept has now been thoroughly studied.

Lactobacillus (translated from Latin as “living in milk”) is a generalized concept for many microorganisms capable of producing lactic and other acids. Thanks to this property, an environment is created in which many pathogens die.

Sometimes lactobacilli are compared to the body's orderlies. They do different jobs depending on the species. Some of them neutralize toxins and allergens that enter the digestive system, while others, called lactobacilli acidophilus, break down complex carbohydrates and milk. Still others are capable of producing bactericidal substances that are destructive to pathogenic microorganisms.

These include Lactobacillus reuteri, which lives throughout the gastrointestinal tract. It produces reuterin, which effectively fights “foreigners” in the intestines, reduces the likelihood of food allergies, and helps strengthen the immune system.

Imbalance: causes and consequences

Everyone knows that a person’s physical and mental development directly depends on nutrition. Food must contain the “building blocks” necessary for the construction of our body: vitamins, microelements, acids, fats, proteins and much more. However, if the digestive system lacks the necessary bacteria, the body cannot extract the necessary substances. This happens when the fragile peaceful coexistence of microorganisms is disrupted and friendly flora is in the minority.

Almost every person has experienced stool upset or abdominal discomfort. According to scientists, 90% of all inhabitants of the planet suffer from one or another ailment associated with a deficiency of beneficial intestinal microflora.

The following factors contribute to this development of events:

1. Water and air pollution.
2. Poor nutrition: dry food, fast food, low-quality foods, carbonated drinks.
3. Parasites in the body.
4. Unjustified use of medications, especially antibiotics.
5. Stress.
6. Sedentary lifestyle.

The consequences of a bacteriological imbalance are manifested by bloating, abdominal pain, nausea, belching and poor health of a child or adult. In many cases, weakened immunity, chronic fatigue, and food allergies are also associated with this phenomenon.

Excellent product kefir

A wonderful and familiar product containing probiotics is regular kefir, made from whole milk. Kefir grains contain more than 10 types of beneficial bacteria - they are obtained in a natural way, and so far it has not been possible to recreate them artificially. Kefir, yogurt and other dairy products help maintain the health of adults and children who cannot tolerate milk - unfortunately, there are quite a lot of such people today.

There are also products on sale such as bio-yogurt and bio-ryazhenka - they are obtained using a starter containing lactic acid bacteria - mesophilic and thermophilic, capable of surviving even at 70°C, as well as bifidobacteria, acidophilus bacilli, etc. Such products are stored even less than kefir and some yoghurts – no more than 5-7 days.

Sweetened acidophilus milk and buttermilk are also probiotic products worth paying attention to - they contain acidophilus bacilli and lactic acid bacteria.

Bifidobacteria

These microorganisms were first isolated in 1899. Today, more than 30 species of bifidobacteria are known. These gram-positive, curved rod-shaped microbes are up to 5 microns in size and colonize the large intestine. Located on the walls of the intestine, they play the role of a shield and prevent pathogenic microflora from contacting it. The total number of these bacteria can normally reach 10 8 – 10 11 per 1 g of feces.

Being the dominant microflora in a healthy person, they ensure the processes of protein and fat metabolism, participate in the regulation of mineral metabolism, and the synthesis of vitamins B and K.

In addition to their main duties, these microorganisms are active against pathogenic strains, producing specific organic acids with antimicrobial action. A reduced number of bifidobacteria can cause enzymatic, metabolic and antitoxic dysfunction, as well as impaired colonization resistance and the immune response to pathogenic microflora. Bifidobacteria improve food fermentation, enhancing protein hydrolysis, and participate in the saponification of fats, the fermentation of carbohydrates, and the resorption of fiber. Their merit is in normal intestinal motility, and this is the timely and stable evacuation of digestive products.

Probiotics in sauerkraut

Sauerkraut contains many beneficial probiotics for the intestines - scientists believe that it contains no less than kefir, but does not contain a single percent of alcohol. As for artificial probiotics, there is no need to talk about them: cabbage is superior to them, although the most modern technologies are used to create them - artificial probiotics often die under the influence of gastric juice, and sauerkraut is an ideal probiotic product. It freely enters the lower parts of the intestine, activates digestion and strengthens the immune system.

Protect yourself

Ideal conditions for bacterial growth are:

• moisture is a prerequisite for life;
• heat - develops well at room temperature;
• time – the number doubles every 20 minutes.

Food left at room temperature for long periods of time is an ideal environment for microbes to feed and multiply. Heated dishes can be consumed within 2 hours without harm to health, but reheating them is not recommended.

Spoilage of dairy products is indicated by a bitter taste and increased gas formation. If storage rules are violated, putrefactive microbes actively work to decompose the protein. Do not consume spoiled products, and especially do not risk giving them to children.

To protect yourself from serious illness, store raw and prepared foods separately in the refrigerator. Don't forget that food should be stored in special food containers with lids. In the absence of such containers, you can simply cover the finished dishes with cling film.

Be sure to wash your hands before preparing food. Treat work surfaces and equipment with special disinfectant solutions or boiling water.

Food must be defrosted until completely thawed. Otherwise, they will not undergo complete heat treatment. This means that pathogenic bacteria can multiply unhindered.

Leftover food can be stored for no more than two days. And only in the refrigerator. When preparing salads, it is strictly forbidden to add yesterday's surplus to them.

Soy contains probiotics

Miso soup is also considered a healthy probiotic dish: we didn’t know about such dishes before, but today Japanese cuisine has become popular. Miso is a fermented soybean product that contains not only live bacteria - about 160 types of pure cultures, but also many vitamins, minerals, amino acids and other substances necessary for health. In Japan, miso is often eaten - it is believed that this soup can remove radioactive substances from the body.

Other probiotic products made from soy are also useful: tofu - soy cheese (cottage cheese), and soy sauce - you just need to look for a high-quality one, preferably Korean or Japanese.

A more rare soy product in our country is tempeh: it is produced in Indonesia and sold in the form of briquettes - vegetarians probably know about it. Tempeh is high in protein, vitamins, and beneficial bacteria, and is used in soups, stir-fries, stews, or served on its own—its flavor can be reminiscent of mushrooms, nuts, or meat.

Mustard wraps for weight loss and cellulite

Sourdough bread is useful as a probiotic product: it can be prepared at home using rye flour, rice, raisins, hop cones and other natural ingredients.

Foods such as artichokes, onions and leeks are rich in probiotics, so it’s worth taking an interest in the simplest dishes of French cuisine: a bowl of ordinary onion soup with grain bread croutons contains a lot of beneficial bacteria.

Main characteristics of lactobacilli

Lactobacilli is the general group name for microorganisms that are capable of producing lactic acid (lactate). Today, representatives of two genera are of particular interest to humans: lacto and bifido.

Despite the fact that these lactobacilli produce the same product, they differ in their morphology.

Lacto bacteria themselves are characterized by the following characteristics:

1. Representatives of the Bacilli class, that is, like all Bacilli, are rod-shaped. But there are exceptions here too. They are explained by the fact that lactobacilli were systematized not according to external similarities, but according to the information contained in the RNA molecules of bacteria. If the study of RNA revealed the relationship of lacto bacteria, they were combined into one genus, regardless of external characteristics.
2. Gram positive. That is, the cell wall of lactobacilli consists of one homogeneous (homogeneous) layer of polymer molecules.
3. Chemoorganotrophs (heterotrophs) - food is obtained from organic substances by chemosynthesis.
4. Facultative anaerobes. They can live in the presence of oxygen, but energy is obtained by phosphorylation, without access to oxygen.
5. Lactobacilli are immobile and do not form spores.

The most studied lactobacilli are: Lactococcus lactis, Lactobacillus bulgaricus (Bulgarian bacillus), Latobicillus acidophilus.

How to enrich your diet with probiotics

To provide your body with a sufficient amount of probiotics, you need to plan your daily menu so that it always contains foods with them, as well as with prebiotics - substances that probiotics feed on. For example, for breakfast you can eat natural yogurt, oatmeal and a banana; for lunch - artichoke and onion soup, whole grain bread and a little more yogurt; for dinner - stewed beans with garlic and fresh vegetables - tomatoes and green onions.

Probiotics are often represented by dietary supplements and drugs - biologically active food additives, which can be sold in pharmacies, health food departments, and online stores; they can also be purchased from companies offering Wellness products - products for health and beauty. In any case, when purchasing such products, you should be sure of their quality and buy them from trusted manufacturers - this applies not only to dietary supplements, but also to regular food products.

You should always find out whether the product contains probiotics and living microflora, or whether this is just written on it - unfortunately, in most cases this is not so easy to do, and manufacturers know this very well: not all products called probiotics contain ingredients indicated on the package. The composition of the product itself also matters: often probiotics simply do not survive among flavoring additives, dyes and stabilizers.

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Dysbacteriosis, symptoms

Signs of intestinal dysbiosis are quite varied and largely depend on the stage of development of the disease. Dysbacteriosis of the large intestine is divided into four stages according to the complexity of microflora changes. Symptoms in adults for each stage have their own characteristics. Let's look at them for clarity in table form:

Stage	Symptoms of dysbiosis	Remedies and possible consequences
First stage	At this stage of dysbiosis, symptoms are practically not observed. Non-systemic rumbling in the abdomen may occur.	Dysbiosis of the large intestine of the first stage occurs by changing the diet or type of water consumed. Elimination of the cause leads to independent normalization of the microflora.
Second stage	In the second stage of dysbiosis, symptoms include constipation or diarrhea, decreased appetite, unpleasant taste in the mouth, nausea and vomiting.	When the intestinal microflora is disrupted, such symptoms arise due to a significant change in the composition of microbes, which is provoked by taking antibiotics or mild food poisoning.
Third stage	Pain in the intestines occurs, intestinal absorption is impaired and undigested food is excreted in the feces, and the symptoms characteristic of second-stage dysbiosis intensify.	Intestinal dysbiosis at this stage leads to the development of inflammation of the mucous membranes of the intestinal walls, disturbances in intestinal motility and the digestive process. To avoid serious consequences, drug intervention is required.
Fourth stage	Symptoms of dysbacteriosis of the fourth stage include signs characteristic of the previous stages. In addition, insomnia, apathy, and depression increase.	With an almost complete change in the composition of the intestinal microflora, anemia and vitamin deficiency develop. If qualified treatment is not carried out, intestinal dysbiosis of the fourth stage can lead not only to digestive disorders, but also to serious infectious diseases.