Did you know that you're not alone in your body? Far from it! In fact, your body is populated by tens of trillions of bacteria and other living micro-organisms.
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Facts Our bodies contain around 30,000 billion cells and 40,000 billion bacteria, so it's easy to see why it's so important to treat them like our own cells. |
Taken together, these micro-organisms weigh between 1 and 2 kilos... Present on the surface, on your skin for example, they are best established in your gastrointestinal tract. That is, in the tube that starts at the lips and winds its way up to 7 meters long, passing through several organs, like great caverns, to emerge through an orifice located where the back looks like the moon. You get the idea.
Feeling a little cramped? Not to worry! The vast majority of these micro-organisms are your allies, and without them, your chances of survival would be very slim indeed. They're commonly known as probiotics.
They are, according to the WHO definition, "living micro-organisms which, when ingested in sufficient quantities, exert positive effects on health over and above the traditional nutritional effects"..
We are colonized by hundreds of different strains of probiotics. The term "intestinal flora" or "microbiota" refers to all the microbial populations present in our digestive system.
What are the beneficial effects of probiotics?
- They actively combat pathogens pathogens, bad bacteria, undesirable fungi, viruses etc... When they're in a position of strength, they not only prevent these pathogens from taking hold, they often even manage to eradicate them!
- In the same vein, they combat mycosis proliferation and other harmful fungi such as Candida Albican.
- They help digest foodThey help in the digestion of food, along the entire length of our intestine and colon, enabling better absorption of nutrients (vitamins, etc.).
- They promote good intestinal transitby reducing diarrhea and constipation.
- They produce certain vitamins for us from other molecules present in food, such as certain forms of vitamins B and K2.
- They play a beneficial role and complex role against chronic or autoimmune diseases.
- They support good mental health by promoting adequate levels of certain hormones such as dopamine and serotonin. A healthy intestinal flora thus helps reduce anxiety and depression.
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Fragile micro-organisms: Probiotics are fragile! Temperature treatments such as pasteurization, ultra-high temperature (UHT) and cooking destroy them very quickly. Antibiotics also destroy intestinal flora. Although sometimes necessary, it should be immediately followed by probiotic-rich foods to rebuild the microbiota. |
The effects of diet on intestinal flora
The food we eat sustains the colonies of bacteria that populate our digestive system.
When we eat an unbalanced diet, with too many sugars for example, this favors certain strains of bacteria. They can then proliferate in harmful ways, spreading to parts of the intestine or colon where they shouldn't be found in such large numbers.
This leads to imbalances in the intestinal flora.This causes imbalances in the intestinal flora, leading to various digestive disorders and poor food digestion. A balanced diet and a regular intake of probiotics can prevent this type of problem.
Probiotics in dairy products
Although present in other food categories, it is through dairy products that Europeans have most commonly consumed probiotics.
Our ancestors were quick to understand the benefits of lactic fermentations in these products, in order to make them more palatable. their shelf life, taste and health benefits..
Yoghurt cheese, kefir, etc.: all these products depend on a symbiosis between the basic foodstuff, the immediate environment and the presence of beneficial strains of micro-organisms. Each product contains its own quantities and strains.
Kefir
Kefir is undoubtedly the champion of all categories. Scientists who have studied this traditional food have been able to demonstrate the presence of a wide variety of beneficial bacteria and yeastsincluding Lactobacillus Bulgaricus, Helveticus and Acidophilus well known.
These exceptional properties give Kefir its many virtues. Home production is relatively easyonce you've obtained a strain of kefir grains. There are two main types: milk kefir and fruit kefir. The latter is made from water, sugar and fruit.
Yogurt
Yogurt contains several strains of beneficial lactic acid bacteria. As a general rule, fresh and plain yogurts are the richest in probiotics. Some commercial brands add specific strains of probiotics, recognized for their particular virtues.
Cheeses
Generally speaking, raw-milk cheeses, blue-veined cheeses and fromage frais contain greater quantities and varieties of beneficial micro-organisms. As always, choose quality products and store them properly.
Buttermilk
Buttermilk is simply fermented milk, or "curd", with a tangy taste due to the action of lactic acid bacteria. Richer in probiotics than milkit is an interesting addition to the intestinal flora, in the form of a drink.
Whey
Also known as also known as wheywhey is a residual product obtained during the coagulation of milk to make cheese. Very liquid and yellowish in color, it is low in fat and very rich in beneficial lactic bacteria. Obviously, pasteurized commercial whey protein powder no longer contains live probiotics.
How can I include these products in my diet?
These are the frequent and regular intake that offer the greatest benefits when it comes to intestinal flora. While the base of the microbiota remains relatively stable throughout our lives, a part of it, known as the gut flora, remains unchanged. "transient floraThe base of the microbiota remains relatively stable throughout our lives, but a part of it, known as "passage flora", is constantly changing, in response to meals and the vagaries of daily life.
We therefore need to integrate probiotic-rich foods on a daily basis These include the dairy products mentioned above, as well as fruit kefir, kombucha (another fermented drink), various lacto-ferments and even cured meats (in moderation, of course).
As a general rule, it is advisable to vary the sources, each providing its own range of micro-organisms:
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Plant source |
Animal source |
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Lacto-fermentations |
Milk kefir |
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Fruit kefir |
Yogurt |
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Kombucha |
Buttermilk |
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Miso |
Salami |
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Natto |
Blue-veined cheese
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Nutritionist's advice: Choose dairy products from farms that feed their animals on grass (access to pastures, hay in winter) rather than grain/millet. This guarantees better nutritional value, particularly in terms of the omega 3 / omega 6 ratio, as well as a greater wealth of beneficial molecules, such as vitamins K2, A, D3, conjugated linolenic acid (CLA) and many others. Get to know your local producers and their methods! In Switzerland, we are fortunate to have many farms that supply high-quality products. |
My digestive problems increase when I eat products rich in probiotics! Is this normal?
In individuals with maladapted microbiotait is normal that dietary changes and the introduction of beneficial bacteria cause temporary problems.
To put it simply, these freshly-arrived probiotics must "carve out a niche" for themselves in the intestinal flora. Imagine a war for territory between different colonies of bacteria.
This causes unrest until one new and better balancea new symbiosisbetween populations, be found. It's worth the effort.
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Symbiosis: The close association of two or more different organisms, mutually beneficial, even essential to their survival (symbiosis is common between micro-organisms [symbionts] and plants or animals).
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Article written by Christian Petten, ASCA-certified nutritionist at Nutrivore. |
Sources :
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3833126/
- https://www.westonaprice.org/podcast/215-kefir-a-unique-probiotic-drink/
- https://www.westonaprice.org/podcast/69-improve-your-microbiome/
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1521691813000772
- https://www.nature.com/articles/nrgastro.2014.66
