Hug A Probiotic

I'm not going to lie. In high school I used to roll french fries up in my square slice of pizza and it eat. Damn tasty! I also enjoyed putting fries on my chicken sandwich. This was not only yummy, but saved time as I didn't have to eat the items separately. I could then use the extra time to groom my mullet, or make sure the peg in my jeans was rolled tight enough to stick, yet allow some circulation to my legs. Ah, good times.

Now that I'm older, don't have a mullet, and wear boot cut jeans, I have more time to think about what I eat. Since eating is a must, (unless you are Kate Moss) it leaves A LOT to think about. The information available is overwhelming, so I'm trying to process it in small doses.

Today I read about Kefir vs. Yogurt. I had never heard of it until Mrs. Leslie arrived. I went to work, she went shopping, I came home and was handed a glass and told, "drink it, it's good for you." Those words alone made me think I would hate it, and I wasn't a huge fan at first, but it grew on me. Now I actually like it. Oh, and if you care, kefir wins the nutritional battle over yogurt:

"Both kefir and yogurt are cultured milk products...

...but they contain different types of beneficial bacteria. Yogurt contains transient beneficial bacteria that keep the digestive system clean and provide food for the friendly bacteria that reside there. But kefir can actually colonize the intestinal tract, a feat that yogurt cannot match.

Kefir contains several major strains of friendly bacteria not commonly found in yogurt, Lactobacillus Caucasus, Leuconostoc, Acetobacter species, and Streptococcus species.

It also contains beneficial yeasts, such as Saccharomyces kefir and Torula kefir, which dominate, control and eliminate destructive pathogenic yeasts in the body. They do so by penetrating the mucosal lining where unhealthy yeast and bacteria reside, forming a virtual SWAT team that housecleans and strengthens the intestines. Hence, the body becomes more efficient in resisting such pathogens as E. coli and intestinal parasites.

Kefir's active yeast and bacteria provide more nutritive value than yogurt by helping digest the foods that you eat and by keeping the colon environment clean and healthy.

Because the curd size of kefir is smaller than yogurt, it is also easier to digest, which makes it a particularly excellent, nutritious food for babies, the elderly and people experiencing chronic fatigue and digestive disorders."


Still with me? No, I didn't think so. That's ok, Lactobacillus Caucasus, Leuconostoc, Acetobacter, and Streptococcus will be your friends anyway.