The Power of Probiotics - Page 3

[MamaMonica]

I have an allergic child- I started him on yogurt and he can now have cheese as well- I rotate between cow and goat cheese. I don't know if all kids outgrow the allergy, but some do.

(He also outgrew his almond allergy- it used to give him a huge eczema flare)

[Megs Mom]

monnie - how old is s/he?

[MamaMonica]

Meg's mom- he's 23 months.

[looloo]

i just made my first batch of yogurt. for the next batch, made with this yogurt as a starter, how much yogurt do i add to the milk?

also, if i use store bought yogurt as a starter, must it be unpasteurized?

thanks.

[goodpapa]

When using yogurt for starter....

...whether it's storebought or homemade, 3 oz / 48 oz is good.

As long as storebought has "live cultures" on the label it's good to go-- all milk is pasteurized. IMO if you're goig to go to the trouble to culture why not get a high quality powder. Find a friend who's interested and split the cost of the intial container.

For any using jarro gelcaps for starter, 6 caps/ 6 0z container is good, but do only two containers so you can keep the rest for backup (it's good for a long time)

Of the two containers, use one to eat and half of the other to make the next (full) batch.

My soy milk culture just didn't take, my next move when I can find it here in central NC will be to culture raw milk. No heating to 180, just to 110 and culture. this will preserve the cow enzymes that are apparently good for us as well.


Procreate, Lactate, Disseminate!



Ray

[jordmoder]

Thanks, Ray!

[MommyCat]

I recently came across an article that stated: Well I just looked for it again and cant find it but essentially it said that most yogurts and pills were no good because they contained the kind of probiotics found in animals and not in people.....
Is this the case???
They did give the names of 2 yogurts so I wonder if they were plugging them. I think Presidents favorite and maybe something that started with an E????
Anyway i am pretty sure that Ive never seen either of them around here anyway.

[goodpapa]

Thanks for the chuckle MommyCat..

..".because they contained the kind of probiotics found in animals and not in people....."


We ARE animals (LOL)!

Trust me, you've seen the ones I recommend, I'm sure. I truly can attest to their health giving benefits. Try them-- I am positive you will like them.


Get Cultured!


Ray

PS HEY, I just noticed something.

What's that under my monikor?!?!?

RAGING LACTIVIST!!! LOLOLOLOL

I didn't do that!!!! Would the resident genius please step forward?

That's FANTASTIC

[punkprincessmama]

Goodpapa-

My dh and I have just started reading about probiotics. We are big yogurt eaters but also enjoy kefir. I have read that kefir is easier to culture and also has tons of health benefits. I was wondering what your opinion is. Do you culture kefir as well as yogurt? Do you feel one has more health benefits than the other?

My husband is taking this on as his next project. We figure we spend about $6 a week just on yogurt so this would be a great way to save money. Plus no more trips to the store just for yogurt/kefir.

Thank you for all the links you posted above. We have saved them and will start reading through them soon.

[Ms.Doula]

I am culturing REAL Kefir. Have been for a month now... Am loving it & its benifits! (I have crohn's disease)
It is simple, and we all love it (as a smoothie, blended w/ fruit of course!) :LOL

I am also curious to hear your oppinion goodpapa on kefir.....

[MamaMonica]

Ms. Doula, how does homemade Kefir compare to the store stuff? We get terrible sinus and chest congestion from store kefir, which is a shame since it is supposed to be a health food.

Not sure why we can tolerate yogurt, not kefir. Maybe because it's not fresh...???

[goodpapa]

I just kicked up the Kefir thread...

....that I started awhile ago.

Could we keep the probiotic and kefir stuff separate?

You'll see one link in that thread, I had more that I was going to start the discussion with, but my computer crashed and burned-- I lost those links.

BTW, the new computer is great and I'll be finding and sharing more webinfo as I find it again.

Check out my thoughts on the other thread, I had an initial anti-kefir reaction to the info because the sites were so anti-yogurt-- unnecessarily so.

It seems to me that both can coexist--- I just need more info about what these somewhat mysterious grains contain.

Most important to me is anecdotal evidence from people saying they "feel" the benefits.


I know I do when I eat the yogurts I make, that is in part the reason for my enthusiasm-- that as well as the links to research.


Ray

[Ms.Doula]

Umm goodpapa... Kefir *IS* a Probiotic!!

[goodpapa]

Well Ms. Doula,

even in the yogurt research that I've read clear distinctions are made between "probiotic" strains and typical yogurt strains, ie, the Bulgaricus ones.

In fact, Amnesiac (wish she were still here...oh well) sent me a great article that outlined how, in fact, the probiotic bacterium are antagonistic and vice versa to the yogurt type in cultures.

This is why I titled the thread "The Power of Probiotics" and not "The Power of Yogurt" because as of yet I do not believe that the typical yogurt cultures (Bulgaricus, Streptococcus Thermophilus, etc) are as beneficial to the body. Simply because what I culture is found in human bodies in permanent residence.



But this is just a hunch--- the research continues.

I want to see that kefir is truly "probiotic" (for myself)

Ultimately I don't care where the info goes between these two threads.

I'm just happy to be getting all of this--- yogurt, probiotic, kefir-- on the front page here-- generating interest...

....and good health for all, no matter what "culture."

I did post some discussion stuff on the Kefir thread--- some quotes from links that Quirky gave--- that have my analytical mind sparked.

I sure would like to hear more about your Kefir process, from where, when, why and how?

I said it before and I'll say it again, 90% of the illness, ill health problems that I see here would be cured by consuming some type of cultured food. So far we're just dealing with the dairy ones.


Ray

[goodpapa]

Looks like "the word"...

...on probiotics is getting out.


http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article...990512,00.html


Ray

[jordmoder]

oh, help!

I'm in the process of trying to make my own yogurt using the Jarro caps ...

I have a Salton 5 cup thingy and I just put milk and probiotic powder , warmed up, in it ... 4 hours later and I still have liquid.

*sigh* the powder didn't seem to dissolve very well, no matter how I stirred.

Any suggestions on what I did wrong??

thanks

Barbara

[goodpapa]

Did your maker come....

....with a thermometer?

I'm assuming you've never used this maker before.

I wish you'd mentioned that you were about to try before you did, cause the first time I'm culturing from the powder I only make two cups and use about 6 jarro gelcaps/cup.

Also, I don't know what type of container your using, does the lid seal?-- are there threads on the lid and jar top (glass or plastic).

Again, when I'm working from the powder I put in and tighten the lid and shake quite a bit. Stirring is only for when you're working with actual yogurt starter.

Also, you have to heat to 185- 190 F first, and then cool to 110-115 F, not just warm it.

Hang in there, it will work, just get me more details.


Ray

[EBM]

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NOTE: To view the article with Web enhancements, go to:
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/468412

Probiotics Well Tolerated, Safe in Infant Formula

[goodpapa]

Thanks EBM...

...it's nice to start getting "official" recognition.

"To our knowledge, this is the first careful documentation of intake of live bacteria over any extended period of time in any population. The intakes studied can be used as a benchmark for well-tolerated, safe intake of these bacterial agents," the authors write. "Long-term consumption of formulas supplemented with B. lactis and S. thermophilus was well tolerated and safe and resulted in adequate growth, reduced reporting of colic or irritability, and a lower frequency of antibiotic use."

This is the gist of it for those that aren't registered (though it's free and easy)


Ray

[jordmoder]

Hey, Ray

Thanks for the info. After about 10 (!) hours I did get a soft gel.

I do have the thermometer, although not the instructions! for the Salton. The lids for the cups are the snap on kind.

I used 12 oz whole milk, and added 12 caps of Jarro probiotic when the thermometer was at the "add starter" stage - I have no clue as to what the actual temperature was, as there is no calibration... Perhaps my error was in not shaking the powder more fully into the milk?

Further insights would be most appreciated. Can this soft yogurt be used as a starter for the next batch?

thanks a lot; I'm really looking forward to incorporating probiotics into our diet.

Barbara
and Miller
and Noah
and Nathaniel