Probiotics—Too much of a good thing?

As of late, I find myself hooked on ginger kombucha. If you haven't tried it, you really should. It's delicious. A raw, probiotic beverage, it is thought to support (according to the label):

Digestion
Metabolism
Immune System
Appetite Control
Weight Control
Liver Function
Body Alkalinity
Anti-Aging
Cell Integrity
Healthy Skin & Hair

The main attraction to me is that it tastes really good. Oh my goodness, it's addictive. It also doesn't suck that it's packed with B-vitamins (hard to get if you don't eat meat) as well as folic acid. It also contains organic acids and antioxidants along with 1 billion Lactobacillus Bacterium and another 1 billion S. Boulardii. That's per serving, which means that each 16-ounce bottle houses 4 billion bacterium.

These little organisms are a few types of the "good" bacteria that we need in our system, and among the casualties that result from antibiotic use.

I have a friend who swears that kombucha is her hangover cure, and I can see why. B-vitamins aid in the carbohydrate metabolizing process and dilates blood vessels. A lot of people find they restore energy and stamina, as increased blood flow allows the energy to flow through the body.

Whether this is a good thing or a bad thing, this kombucha stuff is expensive! It's easy to spend three to four bucks on a 16-ounce bottle, though Chris brought one home for me last night when he went to Whole Foods, where they were on sale for $2.50.

Anyway, I just have to wonder if you can get too many probiotic bacteria from food. Supplements are a different story—I think when you're taking supplements, it easier to take too much. However, to be on the safe side, I try not to drink kombucha on a day when I drink kefir (a probiotic fermented milk drink) or eat a lot of yogurt. I've read that it's very hard to overdo it because we need billions of these bacteria, but I'm a classic hypochondriac.

Green Smoothie=Success!

So I finally gave in to my green smoothie craving today and made one! OMG this thing is good: frozen banana + 1/4 chopped apple + a little chopped pear + a big handful of spinach + 1/3 c kefir + 1/3 scoop vanilla protein powder = awesome!

The Fine Print on Priobiotics

When it comes to promoting good health and protecting against illness, many people turn to probiotics.

Probiotics are microorganisms that work by restoring the balance of intestinal bacteria and raising resistance to harmful germs. Many food companies often slap a "Contains Probiotics" label on their product without really explaining which strains are present and what said strains supposedly do.

In the Science section of today's Times, Tara Parker Pope delves into the murkiness behind probiotic health claims on food labels.

"When the label tells you the food you are buying 'contains probiotics,'" she says, "are you getting health benefits or just marketing hype? Perhaps a bit of both."

Read more here.