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The Great Yogurt (and Kefir) Conspiracy

 

_http://www.healingcrow.com/ferfun/conspiracy/conspiracy.html_

(http://www.healingcrow.com/ferfun/conspiracy/conspiracy.html)

If you're a health conscious person, you've probably seen the hype over

probiotic supplements. However, some of the literature from the probiotic

supplement manufacturers has become a little overzealous. These manufacturers

are forgetting their roots, in that yogurt, kefir, and other fermented

foods serve as the basis for their entire industry. We asked ourselves, is it

fair for a probiotic supplement manufacturer or reseller to produce

literature against yogurt, kefir, and other fermented milk products in order to

increase their market share? Here's what we found:

Claim 1. " Our product contains 15 billion bacteria at the time of

manufacture. It would take ten tubs of yogurt and a dozen bottles of kefir to

get

the same amount of bacteria. "

To answer this claim we went digging into the scientific literature. From

several different references, we were able to determine an average

concentration of yogurt. Homemade yogurt that is fermented for 24 hours, as

recommended in the book _Breaking the Vicious Cycle_

(http://bn.bfast.com/booklink/click?sourceid=9980134 & ISBN=0969276818) , will

have an average

concentration of 3 billion cfu/mL of yogurt. What does this mean? Well, if you

were to

eat a small bowl (500 ml) of 24 hour fermented homemade yogurt, you would

receive 1.5 trillion beneficial bacteria - 100 times more bacteria than a 15

billion capsule.

Furthermore, freshly made kefir can have an average microbial _count as

high as 10 billion cfu/ml._

(http://www.danonenewsletter.fr/eng/news_11/tb1nw11.html) This includes a

mixture of various bacteria and yeast strains.

This means that a 500 ml glass of homemade kefir could contain as many as 5

trillion beneficial microorganisms or even more!

Claim 2. " Our probiotics have more bacteria than commercial yogurt and

kefir. "

We wrote to several yogurt manufacturers to see what the standards were.

_The National Yogurt Association_ (http://www.yaourt.org/pressconf_rep.html)

has set the standard for commercial yogurt with live cultures as: “

Refrigerated yogurt must contain at least 100 million cultures per gram at the

time of manufacture, and at least 10 million cultures per gram at consumption

(i.e. throughout shelf life).†In their response to our inquiry,

_Stonyfield Farm_ (http://www.stonyfield.com/) stated that their yogurt far

exceeds

this standard, “Stonyfield Farm yogurt consistently far exceeds the NYA

minimum culture counts (hundreds of billions).†At a minimum, depending on

shelf life, the manufacturer, and other factors, one would receive 5 billion

bacteria in a small bowl of commercial yogurt. Because of the variability of

commercial yogurts, shelf lives, and lactose contents, we recommend

fermenting your own yogurt for 24 hours.

We were not able to find any information on commercial kefir at this time.

 

Claim 3. " Our X technology (enteric coated capsules, special matrix, etc.)

allows the bacteria to survive the trip down your Gastrointestinal (GI)

Tract. The bacteria in yogurt and kefir have no protection and will not

survive. "

Again, to answer this claim we checked the scientific literature. Do

fermented milk products have any properties that might help the bacteria

survive

in your GI tract? The answer is yes. Fermented milk contains many

substances that nourish and protect the lactobacillus species. A recent study

demonstrated the ability of calcium phosphate to protect lactobacillus

acidophilus from bile acids but had no effect on salmonella. Milk products also

serve as excellent buffering agents and will help neutralize stomach acidity. A

common recommendation from poison centers is to _drink milk when

confronted with a poison situation_

(http://www.health.ucsd.edu/poison/firstaid.htm)

.. Furthermore, the bacteria in yogurt are alive and well, not in a dormant

cycle as the bacteria in probiotic supplements are, making them more fit to

adapt to sudden changes in their local environment.

Claim 4. " Our probiotic supplements are more effective. Yogurt, kefir, and

other fermented milk products are nothing more than fancy desserts. "

All fermented milk products should be considered functional foods. Why?

Because they are foods that functions as a health promoting substance.

Probiotic supplements can only offer one thing: bacteria. Fermented milk offers

so much more than just bacteria: minerals, vitamins, protein, amino acids,

L-carnitine, fats, _CLA_ (http://news3.news.wisc.edu/051fat_fixes/cla.html) ,

antimicrobial agents, and much more! A recent study demonstrated the

ability of _fermented milk to kill H. pylori_

(http://www.timesofindia.com/270500/27hlth5.htm) infections when bacteria alone

could not. Another study

monitored two groups of people for allergy symptoms. The group that consumed

yogurt on a daily basis suffered far less allergies than a control group. In

addition, the complex microflora found in kefir have demonstrated a keen

ability to stimulate our immune systems, ward of infections from bacteria

such as salmonella, and in some cases, even fight cancer.

Conclusion:

There is little doubt that probiotic bacteria and fermented foods offer

benefits to our health. Making kefir and yogurt at home can be a nutritious,

healthy, and fun hobby. Probiotic supplements also offer health benefits

and can be very convenient, especially when traveling. However, to claim that

probiotic supplements are somehow superior to what you can make yourself

is unfounded. Fermented foods offer the same benefits as probiotic

supplements and sometimes more.

Making a Case Against FOS and Inulin

Have you heard about Fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS) or Inulin yet? If not,

you will. These are the latest and greatest refined chemicals that

probiotic and yogurt manufacturers are adding to their products for " your

health " .

It seems that only a few probiotic manufacturers are against using them,

with _Natren_ (http://www.natren.com/) leading the charge. But we like to

ask, why is this? Why would _Natren be against using FOS_

(http://www.natren.com/pages/healthyliving/beware.html) in yogurt and probiotic

supplements?

What kind of financial gain is involved in not using the latest and greatest

chemicals in your products? None that we could think of. So we decided to

investigate this matter further.

1. What is FOS and Inulin?

Fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS) and inulin are types of

fructo-polysaccharides, comprised of -(glucose-fructose)- subunits. The only

difference

between FOS and inulin is polymer chain length. Inulin/FOS also goes by the

name

of Neosugar, Alant Starch, Atlanta Starch, Alantin, Dahlin, Helenin, and

Diabetic Sugar. Inulin tastes sweet, cannot be digested by humans, and is

soluble (unlike cellulose).

2. What does Inulin/FOS do?

Since Inulin/FOS is indigestible by our bodies, it gets transported to the

large intestine where it feeds microbes and promotes fermentation.

Inulin/FOS has been dubbed a " prebiotic " , essentially serving as fertilizer for

the bacteria in your colon. Certain lactobacillus species of bacteria have

been shown to preferentially ferment Inulin/FOS. For this reason, it is being

promoted as a supplement to feed the good bacteria in our guts.

3. Inulin/FOS feeds only good bacteria, right?

Wrong. Manufacturers claim that Inulin/FOS specifically feeds only good

bacteria. The reality of the situation is much different. If you examine the

scientific literature about Inulin/FOS, you will find that this is untrue.

The best example is concerning Klebsiella. Recent studies have shown that

Inulin/FOS encourages the growth of Klebsiella, a bacterium implicated in

_Ankylosing Spondylitis_ (http://www.kickass.org/) and increased intestinal

permeability. Inulin/FOS may indeed promote the growth of lactobacillus

bacteria, but what other potentially harmful bacteria are we feeding as well?

Furthermore, we have not even addressed the issue of yeast. Many different

species of yeast are able to utilize Inulin/FOS for energy.

Historically, microbes have demonstrated the innate ability to adapt to

almost any condition and fuel source. If bacteria can adapt to break down

industrial solvents in our soil and use them for energy, it would be

irresponsible to think that they will not adapt to utilize Inulin/FOS, a high

energy

carbohydrate. There are hundreds of different species of bacteria and

several yeast strains living in our GI tracts. Studies have only looked at the

effects of Inulin/FOS on a handful of these microbes.

4. Why is Inulin/FOS being added to probiotic supplements and yogurt?

A key principle in today's marketplace is product differentiation. If a

manufacturer can sell many different kinds of " specialty " products, that are

in essence the same thing, it can make a larger profit. Think about it for

a moment. We no longer have plain old toothpaste, instead we have such

items as tartar control, sensitive, baking soda, peroxide, whitening, gum care,

and many others. Adding a new claim to an old product adds to consumer

excitement: " Brand X yogurt - now with Inulin/FOS for your health " & " We now

offer lactobacillus capsules with Inulin/FOS. " These new claims will help

fight market stagnation and lead to greater profits for the manufacturer. But

will FOS lead to greater health for the consumer?

 

5. Is Inulin/FOS found naturally anywhere?

Yes. It is found naturally in asparagus, garlic, Jerusalem Artichokes,

chicory root, and others.

6. Since Inulin/FOS is found in natural foods it must be okay, right?

Wrong. Sucrose (table sugar) is naturally found in beets, sugar cane,

oranges, and other plants. Humans have perverted this naturally occurring

substance into a refined chemical. Sucrose is arguably one of the most

unhealthy

food additives in human history. We should learn from our experiences with

sucrose and apply them to Inulin/FOS. Instead of adding refined, super

concentrated Inulin/FOS to your food, eat the foods that naturally contain

Inulin/FOS.

The body is genetically adapted to certain foods and if we continue to

mess with our food chain then our health will suffer the consequences. Of the

nutritional fibers, cellulose was the most likely to be included in a

traditional _hunter-gatherer diet._

(http://www.healingcrow.com/dietsmain/paleo/paleo.html) Cellulose is an

insoluble fiber that is slowly fermented by the

microbial population in the human colon. Inulin/FOS is a soluble fiber

that is quickly and easily fermented. The difference between cellulose (a food

we are adapted to) and Inulin/FOS (a food we are not adapted to) is like

the difference between a slow burning ember and a raging fire. Who likes

playing with fire?

7. Is it possible to be allergic to Inulin/FOS?

Yes. In one documented case, _inulin caused an anaphylactic reaction._

(http://www.nejm.org/content/2000/0342/0018/1372.asp) As the use of Inulin/FOS

as an additive in the food industry increases, reports of allergic

responses will probably increase. _ " Inulin may be the culprit behind more food

allergies than is currently recognized. " _

(http://allergies.about.com/health/allergies/library/weekly/aa051500a.htm)

8. What are the recognized side effects of ingesting Inulin/FOS?

Assuming one is not allergic to Inulin/FOS, the typical side effects will

vary depending on one’s level of tolerance. The list of known side effects

include: flatulence, bloating, cramps, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. As

Inluin/FOS permeates our food supply, the list of side effects is expected to

grow.

Conclusion -

In theory, a food additive that could specifically feed good bacteria

might prove useful for intestinal health. Given the nature of the microbes and

their ability to quickly adapt to various carbohydrate foods sources, it

seems highly unlikely that such a chemical will be developed. Inlulin/FOS has

been touted as such a molecule, but seems to fail the test as you examine

it further. Even if Inluin/FOS did display specifically for beneficial

bacteria, do we know enough about the complex microbial ecology of the human

GI tract to deem a species of bacteria better than the others? The GI tract

is much like a rain forest with a very complex web of life. What would

happen to a rain forest if, in our arrogance, we decided to spread a chemical

that fertilized one specific type of tree? Would the overgrowth of one

species be beneficial? Our GI tracts have adapted to house a variety of

microbes

and to disrupt this balance might be detrimental to our health. With these

concerns, we recommend staying far away from any product with Inulin/FOS.

References:

 

_Green, Ceri J. Fibre in Enteral nutrition, S A J Clin Nutr 2000 November

Vol 13 No 4_ (http://www.saspen.com/jcn/nov00/fibre.htm)

Nutritional and health benefits of inulin and oligofructose: proceedings

of a conference, Bethesda, Maryland, USA, May 18-19, 1998. J Nutr

1999;129:Suppl:1395S-1502S.

 

_Coussement PAA. Inulin and Oligofructose: Safe Intakes and Legal Status

J. Nutr. 1999 129: 1412_

(http://www.nutrition.org/cgi/content/full/129/7/1412S)

 

Gibson GR; Beatty ER; Wang X; Cummings JH. Selective stimulation of

bifidobacteria in the human colon by oligofructose and inulin.

Gastroenterology,

1995 Apr, 108:4, 975-82

 

_Ingeborg M. Bovee-Oudenhoven, Mischa L. Wissink, Jan T. Wouters, and

Roelof Van der Meer Dietary Calcium Phosphate Stimulates Intestinal Lactobacilli

and Decreases the Severity of a Salmonella Infection in Rats

J. Nutr. 1999 129: 607-612._

(http://www.nutrition.org/cgi/content/full/129/3/607)

 

_Lin Meei-yn and Chung-ming Young. Biosynthesis of Folates by

Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactobacillus delbruekii ssp. bulgaricus. Journal

of

Food and Drug Analysis, Vol. 8, No. 3, 2000, Pages 195-199_

(http://www.nlfd.gov.tw/jfda/content/83/07.pdf)

_

Niness KR. Inulin and oligofructose what are they? J Nutr 1999 Jul;129(7

Suppl)1402S-6S_ (http://www.nutrition.org/cgi/content/full/129/7/1402S)

 

Marshall VM & Cole WM (1985): Methods for making kefir and fermented milks

based on kefir. J. Dairy Res. 52, 451-456.

 

Mitsuoka T, Hidaka H, Eida T. Effect of fructo-oligosaccharides on

intestinal microflora. Nahrung 1987;31:427-436.

 

Roberfroid M. Dietary fiber, inulin, and oligofructose: a review comparing

their physiological effects. Crit Rev Food Sci 1993,33(2):103-48

 

Valyshev AV, Kirillov VA, Kirillov DA, Bukharin OV. The effect of inulin

on the biological properties of enterobacteria. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol

Immunobiol. 2000 Jan-Feb;(1)79-80.

 

_Van de Water J., Carl L. Keen, and M. Eric Gershwin The Influence of

Chronic Yogurt Consumption on Immunity J. Nutr. 1999 129: 1492_

(http://www.nutrition.org/cgi/content/full/129/7/1492S)

 

Wang X, Gibson GR. Effects of the in vitro fermentation of oligofructose

and inulin by bacteria growing in the human large intestine. J Appl Bacteriol

1993 Oct;75(4):373-380

 

©2001 The Healing Crow, Inc.

All rights reserved.

Please direct site commentary or questions to: _crow_

(crow)

The Healing Crow is a nonprofit corporation. Information published by The

Healing Crow is intended to expand the knowledge of the reader about health

issues. It is not meant to diagnose, prescribe, or replace medical care.

Our mission is to educate the public about chronic illnesses and

corresponding non-drug related treatments. We encourage others to critically

examine

all avenues of information pertaining to health including: naturopaths,

chiropractors, physicians, medical and scientific papers, and others; in order

to make an informed decision. We believe a patient has the right to

question a health source without taking any medical advice on faith. The best

patient is an informed one. Before instituting a major change in diet or

nutrition please consult a worthy expert in nutrition or a doctor. Although we

believe our information to be as accurate as possible, discrepancies may

arise. If you have a personal story and would like to include your testimonial

on our site, please email us at the link above.

 

 

 

 

 

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