As a follow up to the
recent article I posted about probiotics, I thought the topic of probiotics,
what they are, and where best to find them, was worth talking more about.
First of all, lets
talk about the article in Forbes. It outlines a study that shows there was a
small reduction in blood pressure for the participants who regularly ate
probiotic rich foods, for a minimum of two months. It went on to say that
although there was only a small reduction in blood pressure, probiotics might
help to improve insulin resistance and reduce inflammatory biomarkers, which
contribute to high cholesterol, diabetes and heart disease.
The probiotics that
appeared to have the most impact were multiple strain probiotics, meaning there
was more than one type consumed on a regular basis, i.e. lactobacillus strains,
the most well know being lactobacillus acidophilus, and bifidobacterium
strains, among others.
Now what are
probiotics? Well they can be either bacteria or yeasts that are found in foods
or supplements. There are over 500 such organisms found naturally in our guts, which
contribute to a healthy digestive system.
Probiotics have also been found to
improve immunity, help brain function, and more recently, may help to reduce
inflammation that contributes to cardiovascular disease.
Now why aren’t we
getting enough of these in our diets or why aren’t our guts rich with these
naturally occurring bacteria or yeasts that are so important to our health?
Well, the modern diet high in processed, refined carbohydrates, sugar and junk
food is one culprit, as are antibiotics, a stressful lifestyle, aging, and
inflammatory gut diseases such as crohn’s or ulcerative colitis.
The best foods to get
probiotics in good amounts are:
• Yoghurt ie Barambah Organics, Five AM,
Jalna, Margaret River and Macro Organic.
• Sauerkraut – made from fermented cabbage,
this food is rich in A, C, E & B vitamins.
• Miso soup – made from fermented beans,
rice or barley – you can add it to any soup for a probiotic boost.
• Tempeh – made from fermented soybeans –
non-GMO is best.
• Pickled vegetables - vegetables that have
been pickled have been shown to have more bioavailable nutrients than their
fresh counterparts.
• Kefir – a fermented milk drink that can be
made from cow, goat, sheep, coconut, rice or soy milk and kefir ‘grains’ - try
Nature’s Goodness Kefir Turkish yoghurt.
Here is a recipe you might like to
try to make your own pickled vegetables:
Ingredients: Your choice of
vegetables i.e. cucumber, carrots, onions, olives, mushrooms, cauliflower, capsicum.
Pickling Liquid:
2½
cups distilled white vinegar
3
cups water
¾
cup organic raw sugar
5
tablespoons sea salt
1
teaspoon yellow mustard seeds
½
teaspoon dried hot red-pepper flakes (optional) or other herbs such as oregano,
thyme, rosemary etc.
Method: Cut up the vegetables the way you would like
(smaller vegetables like onions, olives and mushrooms can be kept whole), and chill in
the fridge for a few hours. Mix together the pickling liquid and bring to
the boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Leave for 30 minutes to cool.
Blanch vegetables by cooking in a pot of boiling water for few minutes, then quic in ice-cold water, and pat dry. Then place the vegetables in sterilized
jars and cover with the pickling liquid. If sealed well, you can keep the
pickled vegetables for many months in a cool, dark cupboard, or if opened, for about
a week in the fridge.
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