Food Made With Lactobacillus

You may already eat yogurt, the most common food made with Lactobacillus. Mehmet Oz, M.D. says, "Yogurt that hasn't been pasteurized contains Lactobacillus acidophilus---a healthy bacteria that makes milk become yogurt. It also fights off fungus-related infections, which is one of the reasons why yogurt is good for you. It works by helping to prevent the overgrowth of fungus that shouldn't be able to grow in your body." Explore yogurt and other foods made with Lactobacillus---your taste buds and body will thank you. (See Reference 2)

Definition

• Lactobacillus is a "friendly bacteria" or probiotic, which produces lactic acid when milk sugars are fermented. The word "probiotics" was first used in 1965 and defined as "organisms and substances which contribute to intestinal microbial balance." According to Andrew Weil, M.D., "Probiotics are an effective treatment for diarrhea, lactose intolerance, irritable bowel syndrome, vaginal yeast infections, oral thrush, Crohn's disease, and ulcerative colitis." He also includes eczema and autism as conditions that are effectively effectively by probiotics. (See Reference 1 and Resource 2)

History

• Ellie Metchnikoff, a Ukrainian scientist, drank fermented milk and yogurt until he died at the age of 71. He enjoyed health throughout his life. Metchnikoff won the Nobel Prize for medicine in 1908 for discovering and demonstrating how beneficial the Lactobacillus bacteria can be when introduced into the human body to improve health.
  The March 2001 issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reveals there are various types of the Lactobacillus bacteria that appear in your mucous membranes from your mouth to your rectum, such as "L plantarum, L rhamnosus, L paracasei, L acidophilus, and L salivarius." Eat foods containing these bacteria to heal your body.
  (See Reference 1 and Resources 3)

Foods

• Acquaint yourself with some foods containing the probiotic Lactobacillus. These foods increase the good, healthy bacteria in your digestive tract, treating a variety of diseases and illnesses. These foods include: Miso, a Japanese seasoning made from fermented grains and beans. Use miso paste in soups or anything dish you want to season. Tempeh, which are fermented soybeans and are a staple in Japan. Use tempeh as a meat substitute in meals. Sauerkraut is another probiotic food made of fermented cabbage, originating in Germany. Kimchi is a popular Korean side dish also made of fermented cabbage, but spicy. Kefir, a creamy, fermented cow, sheep or goat's milk, popular in Russia, is another probiotic. If you're just getting started with probiotics, Anna Dvorak, nutrition and wellness consultant, suggests you start out with unsweetened yogurt. Add honey to it and spoon it over your cereal or fresh fruit. Pour kefir over your cereal. Make a smoothie with it. Anna also says miso "was the world's first instant soup" and a quick cure for a cold.

  (See Resources 2)

Purchasing

• You can buy probiotic foods in natural health food stores and many regular grocery stores. Yogurt, kefir, miso, tempeh, and kimchi are in refrigerated sections--check the expiration dates for freshness. Sauerkraut is also sold on shelves, sometimes canned.
  You can learn to make foods with Lactobacillus, such as sauerkraut, kimchi, yogurt, and kefir at home.

Tips and Warnings

• Buy yogurt with the words, "live cultures" or "active cultures" on the label. If the label says "heat treated," don't buy it---it means the bacteria you need in it is dead. According to Dr. Weil, there are no risks to eating too many probiotic foods. (See Resources 1 and Resources 3)