Is Greek Yogurt Better?

Why all the fuss about Greek yogurt? Is it healthier than regular yogurt? How do the two compare nutritionally?

The most obvious differences between Greek yogurt and the yogurt we’ve been accustomed to over the years are taste and consistency. Greek yogurt is thicker, tangier and less sweet than common supermarket brands (although national brands with familiar names are getting into the Greek yogurt act).

Greek yogurt is thicker than regular yogurt because it is repeatedly strained to remove the liquid whey (a protein that constitutes about 20 percent of total milk protein) as well as some of the lactose and sugar. 

Because lots of water is removed, it also much higher in protein – about twice the amount you would get from other yogurts, and it has only half the sugar content (but about the same number of calories).

Six ounces of Greek yogurt gives you 15 to 20 grams of protein, compared with nine grams in regular yogurt. The protein in Greek yogurt is about what you would get from two to three ounces of lean meat.

Greek yogurt is lower in carbohydrates than regular yogurt – only five to eight grams per serving compared to 13 to 17 grams. And because some of the lactose is strained out, people who are lactose intolerant may be able to eat it without ill effects. Greek yogurt is also lower in sodium than the regular kind – only 50 mg, which is about half the amount in regular yogurts. 

However, it is also a bit lower in calcium than regular, giving you only about 20 percent of the recommended daily allowance as opposed to 30 percent for regular yogurt.

This should not pose a problem because you don’t need to rely on dairy foods for better digestive health. You can get all you need from collards, broccoli, mustard greens, kale, and bok choy; canned salmon and sardines (with bones); tofu that has been coagulated with a calcium compound; calcium-fortified soymilk, fruit juice and cereals; and blackstrap molasses.

I no longer recommend choosing only low-fat dairy products, so go for full-fat Greek yogurt. 

My thinking on this issue has evolved as scientific studies have shown that some forms of saturated fat do not play the harmful role we thought it did in coronary heart disease and as evidence mounts that nonfat and low-fat dairy products may cause problems.

When buying Greek yogurt, choose plain, unsweetened forms that contain only milk and active cultures as ingredients:  always check the label.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                source: Dr Weil

 

5 Ways To Boost Your Gut Health & Fight Inflammation

Whether you're struggling with stubborn belly fat or the starting twinge of knee pain, you're likely dealing with low-level inflammation's effects upon your body.

Inflammation is a necessary part of our immune system — without it, we would not heal. Acute inflammation is the response in your body you might notice when dealing with a cut on the finger or a sprained, swollen ankle. The best part about acute inflammation is that it goes away.

However, our immune system can go a bit haywire and create low-level inflammation that not only stays but spreads throughout the body. Low-grade inflammation is associated with many chronic diseases as well as faster ageing and weight gain. 

A critical component to cultivating optimal health is to reduce low-level inflammation in the body. And what research is now showing is that our gut is the core centre of optimal wellness. The health of our gut flora is crucial if you want to live a healthy, vibrant life.

Here are five key steps that will help you create optimal gut health to reverse inflammation in the body and put you on the path to wellness:

1. Plant your gut garden with probiotics.

We have roughly 100 trillion bacteria in our gut. Unfortunately, because of the types of unhealthy foods, the majority of people are eating, our gut bacteria balance favours the harmful microbes that are promoting inflammation and weight gain.

Adding cultured and fermented foods or as a supplement, also called probiotics, actually "plants" healthy, friendly gut microbes to help create optimal health and reverse inflammation. Probiotics are cultured or fermented foods that colonise our guts with health-boosting micro-organisms. Add a probiotic or cultured and fermented food to your daily diets such as yoghurt (without sugar), kefir, natto, kimchee, sauerkraut, pickles, and cheeses.

2. Fertilise the gut garden with prebiotics.

Our gut garden needs fertiliser for optimal results. That fertiliser is called prebiotics. Prebiotic foods contain different nondigestible plant fibres such as inulin and oligofructose that help your healthy bacteria flourish.

Foods that are high in prebiotics include garlic, beans, bananas, artichokes, oats, jicama, avocado, leeks, onions, chicory root, asparagus, or any green leafy vegetables. Friendly bacteria need these particular foods to thrive and help reverse inflammation.

3. Enrich the gut garden with nutrients.

Further support your gut garden with nutrients like omega-3 fatty acids, which are powerful in reversing low-level cellular inflammation. Add anti-inflammatory herbs and spices to meals or smoothies such as turmeric, rosemary, quercetin, and ginger.

4. Pull the weeds in your garden by removing toxins.

Unhealthy gut bacteria require refined foods such as sugar (especially sugar), junk foods, sodas, white rice, and white bread to flourish and promote inflammation. Gut microbes outweigh our cells 10 to 1 — so imagine the power they wield in our food choices and our cravings. These unhealthy gut bacteria need these foods, extract more calories from these foods, and store them as fat. Remove these refined, unhealthy foods from your diet to create optimal health, lose weight, and reverse inflammation.

5. Add digestive enzymes.

Enzymes are critical to every cell and every physiological process in your body, including digestion. Unfortunately, our natural enzyme production begins to decline by age 20, so by the time you reach middle age, your body is operating with much lower enzymatic activity. 

And what is more, even the healthiest of foods are of little use if they are not digested and assimilated properly. Digestive enzymes not only help promote optimal digestion and health, but they also help avert inflammation. Add a digestive enzyme supplement between meals to help reverse inflammation, or before a meal to aid in digestion.

Taking care of your gut, and the friendly bacteria that reside there may be one of the single most important things you can do for your health. Remember to plant, fertilise, and enrich your gut garden to reverse inflammation.

                                                                                                                                                                                                      source: HealthyTips365Days

Gut bacteria spotted eating Brain Chemicals for the first time.

By Andy Coghlan

Bacteria have been discovered in our guts that depend on one of our brain chemicals for survival. These bacteria consume GABA, a molecule crucial for calming the brain, and the fact that they gobble it up could help explain why the gut microbiome seems to affect mood.

Philip Strandwitz and his colleagues at Northeastern University in Boston discovered that they could only grow a species of recently discover gut bacteria (<<Click) called KLE1738, if they provide it with   GABA  (<<click) molecules. 

“Nothing made it grow, except GABA,” Strandwitz said while announcing his findings at the annual meeting of the American Society for Microbiology in Boston last month.

 GABA  (<<click) acts by inhibiting signals from nerve cells, calming down the activity of the brain, so it’s surprising to learn that a gut bacterium needs it to grow and reproduce. Having abnormally low levels of GABA is linked to depression and mood disorders (<<click) and this finding adds to growing evidence that our gut bacteria may affect our brains.

Treating depression

An experiment in 2011 showed that a different type of gut bacteria, called Lactobacillus rhamnosus, (<<click) can dramatically alter GABA activity in the brains of mice, as well as influencing how they respond to stress.

In this study, the researchers found that this effect vanished when they surgically removed the vagus nerve – which links the gut to the brain – suggesting it somehow plays a role in the influence gut bacteria can have on the brain.

Strandwitz is now looking for other gut bacteria that consume or even produce GABA, and he plans to test their effect on the brains and behaviour of animals. Such work may eventually lead to new treatments for mood disorders like depression or anxiety (<<click).

“Although research on microbial communities related to psychiatric disorders may never lead to a cure, it could have astonishing relevance to improving patients’ quality of life,” said Domenico Simone of George Washington University in Ashburn, Virginia.


                                                                                                                                                                  source: GutBacteria

What Are Probiotics?

Probiotics are live bacteria and yeasts that are good for your health, especially your digestive system. We usually think of bacteria as something that causes diseases. But your body is full of bacteria, both good and bad. Probiotics are often called "good" or "helpful" bacteria because they help keep your gut healthy.

Probiotics are naturally found in your body. You can also find them in some foods and supplements.

It's only been since about the mid-1990s that people have wanted to know more about probiotics and their health benefits. Doctors often suggest them to help with digestive problems. And because of their newfound fame, you can find them in everything from yoghurt to chocolate.

How Do They Work?

Researchers are trying to figure out exactly how probiotics work. Here are some of the ways they may keep you healthy:

• When you lose "good" bacteria in your body (like after you take antibiotics, for example), probiotics can help replace them.
• They can help balance your "good" and "bad" bacteria to keep your body working like it should.

Types of Probiotics

Many types of bacteria are classified as probiotics. They all have different benefits, but most come from two groups. Ask your doctor about which might best help you.

Lactobacillus. This may be the most common probiotic. It’s the one you’ll find in yogurt and other fermented foods. Different strains can help with diarrhoea and may help with people who can’t digest lactose, the sugar in milk.

Bifidobacterium. You can also find it in some dairy products. It may help ease the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and some other conditions.

What Do They Do?

Probiotics help move food through your gut. Researchers are still trying to figure out which are best for certain health problems. Some common conditions they treat are:

• Irritable bowel syndrome
• Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)
• Infectious diarrhoea (caused by viruses, bacteria, or parasites)
• Antibiotic-related diarrhea

There is also some research to show they help with problems in other parts of your body. For example, some people say they have helped with:

• Skin conditions, like eczema
• Urinary and vaginal health
• Preventing allergies and colds
• Oral health

In general, probiotic foods and supplements are thought to be safe for most people, though some people with immune system problems or other serious health conditions should advise your doctor first! 

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source: Probiotics