FitSugar

How to Put Good Bacteria Back in Your Gut With Food

Heather Dale — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 00:13:36 PST

A healthy gut is a happy gut. To keep your intestinal tract in optimal working order, it needs lots of "good" bacteria - no, that is not an oxymoron! There are only three types of basic bacteria in our digestive systems, so boosting the "friendly bacteria" with probiotics can help balance the pH of the intestinal tract, creating a less desirable environment for pathogenic bacteria (the bad stuff). Research has shown that probiotics can help in the battle against a wide variety of medical conditions including: allergies, cholesterol (it helps raise the good kind), colon cancer, high blood pressure, irritable bowel syndrome, and diarrhea. Probiotics can also boost your immune system, which is especially important during cold and flu season.

Today, probiotic supplements - which often contain members of the lactobacillus and bifidobacterium groups of bacteria - are popular, but unfortunately many of these supplements fall short on bacteria content. But with the help of a few common foods, we can increase the number of beneficial bacteria in our digestive tracts and skip the supplements altogether. Learn these foods when you keep reading.

Homemade Tart Frozen Yogurt With Raspberries and Dark Chocolate

Anna Monette Roberts — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 11:47:09 PDT

During Summer months, you might find yourself splurging on $5 froyo almost every day to keep cool. That's an expensive habit, especially when it's so simple and inexpensive to make homemade frozen yogurt. Additionally, you might not be aware of the additives and mysterious ingredients within the store-bought stuff that you are consuming. Instead, dig into our FitSugar original tart frozen yogurt recipe.

Why Bacteria in Your Belly Is Important

Heather Dale — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 05:00:26 PST

When I used to get sick as a kid (picture vomiting, diarrhea, fun times), my mom would serve me up bowl of yogurt while going on about the benefits of re-populating the good bacteria in my gut. Fast forward twenty-something years later and it dawned on me after a recent bad bout of bronchitis that I may be running low in the bacteria department. Here's why.

My doctor prescribed antibiotics for the bronchitis. Fine. I can handle antibiotics. But on day four I started feeling a bit off. My stomach was constantly in knots, and I knew something was up. I stopped taking the antibiotics and seemed to be progressively getting sicker (the bronchitis had cleared up, but now I was dealing with lots of new fun symptoms). I put on my Andrew Weil thinking cap and did the math - it was after the antibiotics that things went awry. My appendix was removed in 2004, and although this organ is said to be useless, it really does have a purpose - it provides a safe haven for good bacteria to hang out in the stomach until they are needed. I don't have an appendix, therefore, my appendix can't open its floodgates to my intestines when the good bacteria are needed for backup. Throw in some antibiotics that kill all of the good bacteria alongside the bad bacteria, you're intestinal flora isn't going to be happy.

I've never been a big probiotics person, but considering that they can help regulate the digestive system by managing lactose intolerance, prevent colon cancer, lower cholesterol, lower blood pressure, improve immune function, prevent infections, reduce inflammation, improve mineral absorption, and prevent harmful bacterial growth under stress, why was I so late to jump on the probiotics train?

Keep reading to learn more about my breakthrough with bacteria.

Boost Your Immune System With a Massage

FitSugar — Mon, 13 Sep 2010 03:00:14 PDT

Swedish massages are good for many things: relieving tension, destressing, taking a much-needed mind break. And now there's scientific proof that all that time you spend with soft hands and aromatic oils can be good for your health. The study compared Swedish massage to light touch only and found that just one 45-minute massage session increased white blood cell counts, which are an important part of your immune system, and had other measurable health benefits as well. With flu season just around the corner, keeping your immune system in tip-top shape is vital, but a day at the spa may not be the most cost-effective option. For cheaper doctor-tested immune-boosting alternatives,

DrSugar: Antibiotics, Probiotics, and Yeast

DrSugar — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 08:00:14 PDT

DrSugar is in the house! And she's answering your health-related questions.

Dear DrSugar,
I am on antibiotics (Clindamycin) to clear up an infected tooth before having a root canal. Good times, I know. I haven’t taken antibiotics in years, but know that they give me a serious yeast infection. I have upped my yogurt intake to twice daily and have been taking a probiotics pill twice a day too. Is that overkill? Should I be doing more? And if so, what do you recommend to keep the secondary yeast problem at bay. Thanks!
- Possibly Over-proactive

First off, I’d like to give you well wishes on a speedy recovery from your recent root canal! I’m really glad you asked this question, because antibiotics are some of the most commonly prescribed medications and for women, taking antibiotics can definitely lead to yeast infections. To see why antibiotics can lead to yeast infections and what you can do to try and prevent it, keep reading.

Blueberries and Yogurt Even Better Together

FitSugar — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 03:00:52 PDT

We've all been sharing our fave healthy food combinations, and now Prevention magazine has a duo to share too: blueberries and yogurt. These two foods bring out the best in each other. The high fiber content of the berries (almost four grams per cup) bolsters the healthy bacteria found in yogurt, aka probiotics, helping it survive the perilous journey through the digestive tract. Once in the gut, the probiotics help the body absorb the soluble fiber of the blueberries. Talk about a tasty win-win situation.

I know what I'm having for breakfast tomorrow. What about you?

Food Review: Attune Probiotic Granola Münch

FitSugar — Tue, 04 May 2010 12:00:34 PDT

I first encountered Attune via its wellness bars, which promise to deliver the probiotics of yogurt in a convenient bar. Since the bars don't really fill me up, I prefer old-fashioned yogurt. But since I love granola, I figured I'd give the brand another shot, with its Attune Probiotic Granola Münch.

This granola is designed to be eaten on its own, with milk, or atop yogurt for extra probiotic punch. The Münch comes in three flavors: chocolate granola with chocolate yogurt chips, apple cinnamon, or maple nut with vanilla yogurt chips. The chocolate seemed way too dessert-like for breakfast, so I went for the maple. To find out what I thought,

read more. This granola contains lactobacillus acidophilus, the same healthy bacteria found in yogurt that aids digestion. According to Attune, the maple nut variety contains 1 billion CFUs of probiotics per one-ounce serving. In order to earn the live and active cultures seal, a product must contain at least 10 million cultures per gram, so this granola is legit, and you don't need much. Which is good, since the serving size is pretty small. As granolas go, this one is pretty low in calories and fat. Each one-ounce serving (about 10 per container) contains 120 calories, 4.5 grams of fat (1 g saturated), and 6 grams of sugar, about the same amount of sugar as six ounces of plain yogurt. Not bad, considering that it tastes pretty sweet and, I might add, yummy and authentically maple-y. Though the product is advertised as "high in fiber," it contains just three grams of fiber per serving and a mere two grams of protein. So there are certainly cereals that pack more fiber and protein punch, but Attune has the added probiotic benefit. I'm not sure why you need that if you're eating it on yogurt, but to each her own. You can buy it online for $6 for a 10-ounce bag.

Many Probiotics Short on Bacteria

FitSugar — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 03:00:09 PST

With claims that they improve digestion, bolster immunity, and fight acne, it's no wonder that probiotic supplements are big business. Newsweek reports that sales of these supplements have more than quadrupled in the last 10 years. I will admit, I'm a fan these friendly bacteria found in yogurt and miso, but it's the quality of the supplements that's raising eyebrows.

Many popular probiotic supplements were tested by Consumer Lab, an independent agency that monitors vitamins, herbal remedies, and supplements not regularly tested by the government. The lab's findings are a bit startling. Some of the products contain as little as 13 percent of the amount of "viable bacteria" claimed on the products' labels, although most products do contain one billion organisms - the amount needed to register some health benefits.

When it comes to misleading marketing with these supplements, much of the problem stems from the fact that the term probiotics has no legal definition and can be used loosely by manufactures. Of the supplements tested, ConsumerLab ranked Advocare Probiotic Restore, GNC Nature Brand Best Super Acidophilus, and Jarrow Formulas Jarro-Dophilus as having the highest quality. You can buy a full review from Consumer Lab for $12.

What's the Deal With: Probiotic Hummus

FitSugar — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 03:00:00 PDT

Predicted to be a food trend of 2009, Probiotics, those beneficial bacteria, are being added to all sorts of foods, from dairy products to energy bars. Probiotics have been found to support both the digestive and immune systems, prevent constipation, benefit your skin, and lower blood pressure. Yogurt is naturally chock full of the bacteria, but I just found a probiotic hummus made by Wildwood Organics.

To find out if its worth buying

read more. The list of ingredients reads: "garbanzo beans, garlic, probiotic cultures (L. acidophilus, Bifidobacterium ssp., L. casei) . . ." The label, however, doesn't list the amount of cultures. Many of these enhanced products don't contain enough bacteria to provide health benefits, so they're not worth paying the extra cash. Studies show that doses between 100 million and 1 billion colony-forming units (CFU) are effective for improving immune function, intestinal infections, and digestion. So if you want the benefits of probiotics, it's best to take them separately in supplement form, such as Acidophilus Pearls.

Food Review: Yakult Probiotic Drink

FitSugar — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 09:32:49 PDT

I first said "yeah" to Yakult because I love saying the word "Yakult." I also love probiotics to promote healthy digestion. Plus, this probiotic drink comes in cute little bottles about the size of a shot glass, so it seemed like a fun way to drink healthy.

Yakult isn't a yogurt; it's a "fermented dairy drink" first produced in Japan and contains live, probiotic cultures to help boost your immune system and the good bacteria in your tummy. Sold in packs of five, the 2.7-fluid-ounce bottles can be downed as drinks, but I also enjoyed it poured over cereal in place of milk. So how does it taste?