By Cabrina Buckman, MA, RD, LD Family & Consumer Sciences Agent Washington County Extension Service WHAT ARE PROBIOTICS?

Probiotics – live microorganisms, mainly and some yeast; used in production of fermented products, vegetables, and soy products

For a product to be a , it must be: 1. Live 2. Present in sufficient concentrations 3. Beneficial to the person consuming it HOW PROBIOTICS WORK IN THE BODY

Healthy Gut  Harmful Bacteria  Good Bacteria balance of good & harmful Harmful bacteria can  Bacteria in probiotic bacteria .by use of antibiotics foods/drinks help to .after some surgeries  good bacteria .in some diseases POSSIBLE HEALTH EFFECTS OF PROBIOTICS

 treat diarrhea, especially following use of antibiotics   symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome & inflammatory bowel syndrome  promote regularity   lactose intolerance  improve cholesterol levels Take Away Point: Probiotics can help your   risk of certain cancers gut & immune system  modify gut immune response & improve its barrier functions function properly!  control or  development of certain allergies   or shorten risk of certain intestinal infections WHAT’S IN A NAME?

Genus L. rhamnosus L. reuteri Species L. casei L. acidophilus Lactobacillus Species acidophilus L. acidophilus La-1 Lactobacillus Strain casei Lactobacillus acidophilus 1 or La-1 Genus: Lactobacillus  on the front, you may see claims of “live culture” or “live and active culture”  check the ingredients for yourself READING THE LABEL  the above contains species S. Thermophilus (Streptococcus Thermophilus), L. Bulgaricus (Lactobacillus Bulgaricus), L. Acidophilus, Bifidus, & L. Casei Natto Paste Tempeh SOURCES OF PROBIOTICS

Cultured Dairy Products Fermented Vegetables Fermented Soy Products Others

Buttermilk Kimchi: a Korean fermented Miso: a Japanese food Beer (microbrew) dish made of vegetables made by fermenting rice, with varied seasonings barley and/or soybeans with salt & fungus Cottage Pickled ginger Natto: fermented soybeans Kombucha: a fermented drink made with tea, , & probiotic bacteria & yeast : a cultured or Pickles (brine-cured, without Shoyu &Tamari: types of soy Wine fermented beverage vinegar) sauce similar to yogurt Sour & Yogurt Sauerkraut Tempeh: made from Yakult: a Japanese milk-like partially cooked, fermented product soybeans IDEAS FOR ADDING  Yogurt PROBIOTICS INTO YOUR DIET . yogurt with fruit & granola . smoothie . sample recipe: apple cranberry waldorf salad  Sauerkraut . topping on sandwiches . topping for baked pork chops   Kefir . drink by itself . add to smoothies . make popsicles  Kombucha tea SOURCES

Adams, Ingrid. “Probiotics” Retrieved from http://www2.ca.uky.edu/agcomm/pubs/fcs3/fcs3555/fcs3555.pdf www.pixabay.com