The Power of Probiotics - Page 6

[MamaMonica]

Gale Force, what's the difference between "real kefir" and the freeze dried starter bacteria? Mine turned out great with the freeze-dried starter.

What is a kefir grain made out of? What advantages does it have over the stuff in the box?

[Gale Force]

Monica,

I am not really sure what the box stuff is. I assume they take the bacteria normally present in kefir and make it into a yogurt-like starter. I assume you made it much like you would make yogurt. Is that true? I also wonder how well the bacteria would actually colonize your GI tract. The real deal kefir is made with grains, the live on the sugar in the lactose and reproduce right in the milk as they culture it. You don't have to heat the milk, just put grains in the jar, pour milk over them, cover them lightly and put in a cupboard. A day or so later, you have kefir. YOu strain out the grains and start again. You get a great cultured milk product for the cost of milk.

Amanda

[MamaMonica]

Thanks, Amanda. The grains sound more cost effective, since you can reuse them.

Just curious- what are the grains? Are they actual grain? I'm wondering because I can't have any gluten-containing grains (wheat, rye, spelt, barley).

[scientist]

zanelee,

i am punkprincessmama's husband. being the yogurt maker of the family, she mentioned to me that you had some questions.

here is basically what i do:

i mix 1 gal. milk and 1 3/4 cups dry milk and bring that to boil in a pot.

immediately cool to 110 F.

i then pour this into the empty 1 gal glass yogurt jar (it's actualy a tea jar). it needs to have about a cup of the old yogurt left in it.

i place this jar over a pot of steaming hot (not boiling) water. i use the stove to keep the water hot, and the steam from the water to keep the yogurt warm.

it needs to be kept at 110 for about 5 hours. it is done when it has a custard like consistancy.

i started with a cup of the horizon organic. we like the consistancy.

i got the recipe off a website. here is the link:


http://ianrpubs.unl.edu/Dairy/g449.htm

if you have any other questions, please feel free to ask.

[zanelee]

YIPEE!
Thanks so much! I'm off to try and make yogurt!!!

[Gale Force]

Monica,

You've asked the age-old question -- what are kefir grains. Legend has it, the grains were given to the tribes of the Caucasus by Allah.

Here's a resource (which may address the starter too):

http://users.chariot.net.au/~dna/kefirpage.html

Amanda

[MamaMonica]

Thanks, Amanda!

[scientist]

that's excelent zanelee, let me know how it turnes out.

[goodpapa]

Welcome scientist...

Your monikor seems quite clear, are you in fact a scientist?

Also, could you re-do the link in your last post, I can't seem to get through.

I need to do bulk yogurt for the whey to start culturing vegs, but I'm not quite sure I get this:

"i place this jar over a pot of steaming hot (not boiling) water. i use the stove to keep the water hot, and the steam from the water to keep the yogurt warm. "

I guess you use a metal grill to suspend the jar over the steaming water? Also, is the yogurt jar then just heated as the steam rises up past the glass? The jar is itself not enclosed, correct?


Just checking.




Again, welcome,


Ray

PS Here are some new links I'll be including on page1 soon, just wanted to get them out there:

check out especially the conclusion of the first:

http://www.lib.umich.edu/taubman/res...ngDonaldYM.pdf


Also B.breve and L.casei function here:


notice anti-rotavirus, anti-flu, and with L.casei IgE modulation--- remember eczema and allergies are IgE responses.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/q...&dopt=Abstract

[scientist]

goodpapa, i am just finnishing up a double degree in boilogy and chemistry. i chose the name because that's what my wife (punkprincessmama) calls me.

i actualy use an empty metal soup can that i punched a bunch of holes in (i'm very cheap). i set the can in the water with the water level just up to within an inch of the top of the can. then i set the jar on top of that. and yes, it's just a plain glass jar with a plastic top on it. i stick a thermometer in through the top. the stem is not used to heat up the jar, rather it is used to keep it warm.

[goodpapa]

Well....

....I'm getting ready to add yogurt culture #3 to the process.


I found the Nature's Way Primadophilus Reuteri at my local conventional grocery store (don't buy much there)--- but there it was in the refrigerated section for 3 bucks cheaper than what I had seen online.

Lactobacillus Reuteri-- apparently the major bacterial constituent of healthy breastmilk. (the last link, I think)

After discovering it's power to battle Cryptosporidium parasite, a pretty potent accomplishment:


http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/q...&dopt=Abstract

I also found this info intriguing:

http://www.victusinc.com/Enterales/R...Probiotics.htm

Especially, this:

"Reuteri is reported to be a universal enterolactobacillus, being the only member of its genus found in the gastrointestinal tracts of humans and most of the animals so far examined, including cattle, pigs, mice, rats, hamsters, gerbils, chickens, turkeys and ostriches."

It's prevalence in the animal world definitely caught my eye, and it is NOT in any of the yogurts I make.


I then went on to find these:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/q...&dopt=Abstract


http://www.chichiyasu.com/e/reuteri/lactoreu02.html


I've got a bottle with 30 gelcaps (just to recount for any that might benefit) and they're kind of small so I'm going to use 8 caps per 6 oz and make only 2 of my 8 possible jars in the unit just to conserve supplies.

Then I'll eat one, and use half of the other to make a full 6oz x 8 (48oz) batch.



Procreate, Lactate, Disseminate!



Ray

[vegmom]

Let me know how the culture turns out. My L.Rueteri powder contains corn syrop and dd loves to eat it in her yogurt. I am not sure how the corn syrop will affect the culturing process.

[Ms.Doula]

Hey- Gale Force- PM me for the best time to come get my New Jar!!

[cornflake girl]

Maybe this is a silly question, but... for how long can I reuse my yogurt as a starter for new batches? I started with brand new Jarro caps about 4-6 weeks ago and my last batch of yogurt smelled a bit yeasty and tasted even more bitter than usual. Should I start over with new caps?

[goodpapa]

Yep, cornflake girl...

...time to make a new culture.

You've got to keep all objects related to the process clean--- right before you make it.

Airborne yeast can get on the surface of the jars if you wash and let them sit for awhile before culturing.

Also, if the milk is pasteurized you have to heat to 180 F first before culturing at 110-115.

If your careful about this issue the starter just keeps on going and going....

First culture of the L. reuteri worked great. It didn't seem as tart as my other two but the texture was so silky. Quite pleasureable on the tongue.

Actually the mix is L. rhamnosus and L. acidophilus as well.



Get Cultured!


Ray

[goodpapa]

This mucosal immune system....

....is what we're doing all this culturing for folks!

I haven't finished reading this yet but for all of you scientists out there (especially "scientist")...

....here ya go!

Registering is free and easy:

Please ignore, even CONDEMN any and all pro-VAX content:

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/433151_13



Get Cultured!


Ray

[Megs Mom]

http://mercola.com/2004/mar/27/bacteria_gut_cancer.htm

[Periwinkle]

Anyone worried about this issue...

From Mercola's website
Having studied 55 products labeled "probiotic," Belgian biologists conclude that in fact, not every product that claims to be "probiotic" actually contains the bacteria associated with this claim. In addition, in many cases the researchers found bacteria other than those named on the label.

"Probiotic" refers to foods that contain certain bacteria, which are said to have beneficial effects on colon flora and the immune system.

The researchers studied the micro-flora of 25 dairy products and 30 powdered products that are used as nutritional supplements. More than a third of the powdered products contained no living bacteria whatsoever - unlike the dairy products, which contained up to a billion living microorganisms per milliliter.

In identifying the bacteria, they found that only thirteen percent of the products contained all bacteria types included on the label.

Meanwhile, in one third of all the products, the researchers found other bacteria not listed on the label.

I use powdered probiotics - the regular Jarrow and also the Baby jarrow for dd and ds. I worry sometimes that it's just powdered snake oil, kwim? Anyone know of any way to test what these powders actually contain?

Anyway, just another plus for "real live" cultured dairy products and fermented foods, instead of probiotic supplements it seems.

[mountain mom]

Originally posted by TwinMommy
Anyway, just another plus for "real live" cultured dairy products and fermented foods, instead of probiotic supplements it seems.

I totally agree...I will check my supplements by culturing some yougurt with them just to be sure.

[MamaMonica]

I've been concerned about this too, after hearing many probiotics contain bacteria (bad stuff) not listed on the label since when they grow the bacteria (like we used to do in science class with petrie dishes) you can't 100 percent control what grows in the culture. There are bacteria everywhere and they will reproduce if you give them a favorable environment.

Now I only culture my yogurt with Nancy's organic yogurt as a starter or from my previous batch. I figure this is the most natural way to go.