{"id":50197,"date":"2016-06-10T07:15:43","date_gmt":"2016-06-10T11:15:43","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/?p=50197"},"modified":"2021-09-22T06:22:12","modified_gmt":"2021-09-22T10:22:12","slug":"new-probiotics-products-trend","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/health\/new-probiotics-products-trend\/","title":{"rendered":"The Truth About the New Probiotics Trend"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"The
Photo: Pond5<\/a><\/i><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Got your gut on your mind? Then you\u2019re probably up on the health benefits of probiotics<\/a>. From boosting immunity to improving digestion, probiotics have been touted as the \u201csuperhero\u201d of the gut bacteria underworld. And yet, there\u2019s a lot we still don\u2019t know about probiotics because the research is just heating up. To date, most studies that have been done on probiotics are on the Lactobacillus<\/em><\/a>, Bifidobacterium <\/em>and Streptococcus thermophilus <\/em>strains. Meanwhile, there are, oh, upwards of 100 trillion gut-friendly bacteria<\/a> out there \u2014 some of which are popping up in trendy new waters, chocolates, nut butters and more. Here\u2019s what you need to know before giving your gut the royal treatment.<\/p>\n

Not All Probiotics Are Created Equal<\/strong><\/h3>\n

“There\u2019s a world of a difference between getting a probiotic in a piece of chocolate versus a probiotic in yogurt.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

According to Bonnie Taub-Dix<\/a>, MA, RD, CDN, founder\u00a0of Better Than Dieting<\/a> and author of Read It Before You Eat It<\/em><\/a>, \u201cWe have more bacterial cells in our body than actual tissue, so you want as much \u201cgood\u201d bacteria to be on your side. But not all probiotics are alike, and how your body reacts to them will not be the same as someone else who takes them.\u201d<\/p>\n

Taub-Dix recommends taking a probiotic (whether it\u2019s a supplement<\/a>, powder<\/a> or food source) for a month, and if you don\u2019t see any changes or improvements in your digestion, you can consider trying a different one. As far as the best source, Taub-Dix says there isn\u2019t one.<\/p>\n

\u201cSince there are so many different types of probiotics, it depends on the best form that the probiotic survives in. For example, dairy forms of probiotics, like Greek yogurt<\/a> and kefir, need to be refrigerated because that\u2019s the best way for those probiotics to survive.\u201d<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>How to Choose the Best Protein Powder for You<\/a><\/p>\n

What Does Your Gut Tell You?<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The\u00a0gut has trillions of microbes, which includes \u201cgood\u201d and \u201cbad\u201d bacteria. When the balance of good and bad bacteria in your gut gets out of whack due to stress<\/a>, medication changes or lack of sleep, our digestive health suffers and our immune system<\/a> gets compromised.<\/p>\n

You may find that you have more tummy troubles, like diarrhea, constipation, bloating<\/a> or heartburn, or are prone to getting a cold when your gut flora is imbalanced.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe tend to have an imbalance of good and bad bacteria when we\u2019re taking an antibiotic, which kills the bad bacteria but also the good ones. Taking a probiotic while you\u2019re undergoing antibiotic treatment will help replace some of the good bacteria and improve your overall digestive profile,\u201d Taub-Dix explains.<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>9 All-Natural Sources of Healthy Probiotics<\/a><\/p>\n

Probiotics 2.0: From Water to Chocolate <\/strong><\/h3>\n

\u201c…many products that have \u2018probiotics\u2019 on their label don\u2019t actually have them.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Eating more foods that are naturally rich in probiotics<\/a>, like yogurt, kimchi and kefir, can help restore balance in your gut and create more \u201cgood\u201d bacteria to fight off inflammation from \u201cbad\u201d bacteria. But what about food products that have probiotics infused into them? Indeed, manufacturers are banking on a new crop of gut-friendly products. From chocolates and granola bars to juices and tonics, nut butters, bottled water and even air sprays<\/a>, you can\u2019t escape the probiotic movement.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen considering a probiotic food product, you have to look at the complete nutrient profile<\/a> of the food. Look for what else the food is providing for you. There\u2019s a world of a difference between getting a probiotic in a piece of chocolate versus a probiotic in yogurt,\u201d Taub-Dix advises.<\/p>\n

There are a lot of factors that play a role in how well probiotics survive before it actually hits your system. How long a store keeps the product in storage before selling it, the temperature at which you store the probiotic, the foods you eat the probiotic with, or the medications you take can affect the effectiveness of the probiotic. If you\u2019re buying a product closer to its \u201cSell By\u201d date, you might not reap the full benefits because that probiotic may not be as strong.<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>How to Choose the Right Probiotic for You<\/a><\/p>\n

The Problem With Probiotics<\/strong><\/h3>\n

If it sounds too good to be true, then it probably is. Taub-Dix recommends to err on the side of caution when purchasing probiotic food products that tout over-the-top claims. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) doesn\u2019t regulate probiotics as its own food group. Instead, they\u2019re regulated based on the form they take on: dairy products<\/a>, dietary supplements and powders, or medical foods.<\/p>\n

Your best bet: Look for products with the \u2018Live Active Culture\u2019 seal. \u201cProbiotics is a buzzword, and many products that have \u2018probiotics\u2019 on their label don\u2019t actually have them,\u201d Taub-Dix warns.<\/p>\n

The National Yogurt Association, who created this seal of approval, requires all yogurt manufacturers to include it on products that meet the standard of having a sufficient number of probiotics. The probiotics in store-bought yogurt need to meet this standard in order to be shelf-stable and<\/em> reach your body alive. But even then, this standard isn\u2019t all that useful in practice. The number just refers to the total number of live cultures and not<\/em> the levels for each of those microbes. It\u2019s possible, Taub-Dix says, that a product won\u2019t have high enough levels of a certain probiotic to have any effect.<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>Daily Burn Faceoff: Prebiotics vs. Probiotics?<\/a><\/p>\n

The bottom line: Stick to trusted whole food sources of probiotics if you don\u2019t know a probiotic supplement brand you trust. \u201cKimchi<\/a>, pickled beets, Greek yogurt and sauerkraut are great sources of probiotics. If you don\u2019t like them, throw them into a food you do like, like a smoothie<\/a>, and add your favorite fruit to help mask the flavor,\u201d Taub-Dix says.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Probiotics aren\u2019t just in yogurt \u2014 they\u2019re in everything from chocolate to nut butter, too. But are these trendy new probiotic products worth the hype?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":90,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[23,7],"tags":[41,51,58,71,191],"class_list":["post-50197","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-diet-nutrition","category-health","tag-diets","tag-food-choices","tag-hacks","tag-nutrition","tag-supplements"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/50197","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/90"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=50197"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/50197\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=50197"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=50197"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=50197"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}