Nowadays, there are many kinds of lactic acid bacteria drinks, and consumers are dazzled by various brands of "probiotics" and "lactic acid bacteria".
What is the relationship between probiotics and lactic acid bacteria? What is the difference between active lactic acid bacteria and inactive lactic acid bacteria? Can the "0 fat" advertised by the merchant really lose weight? For this kind of "exotic protrusion" drink, let's ask the expert to talk to us.
Invited expert: Mao Xueying
College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University
Associate Professor, PhD Supervisor
First, it is important to select the right strain
Different brands of lactic acid bacteria drinks in supermarkets are dazzling, and the strains marked on the products are different, and they are "rich in tens of billions of active lactic acid bacteria" at every turn.
Are these drinks really useful?
We have to be clear that not all lactic acid bacteria are "probiotics." Only lactic acid bacteria that reach the intestine alive, have a sufficient number, and play a beneficial role in human health can be called probiotics.
Compared with ordinary lactic acid bacteria, probiotics have a stronger ability to tolerate stomach acid and bile salts, can tolerate a variety of unfavorable environments, and colonize in the human intestine, playing a beneficial role:
Inhibits the growth of harmful flora;
Regulates the balance of the intestinal flora;
Improves the body's immunity.
At present, the common strains in probiotic products are mainly bifidobacteria, Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus acidophilus and so on. These strains are highly acid-resistant and can reach the intestines alive, which has the effect of promoting the health of the body.
Second, no matter how much it contains, "activity" is the key
Whether it is "accelerating intestinal peristalsis" or "promoting intestinal detoxification", whether the active lactic acid bacteria beverage is powerful or not, the most important thing is to see the activity and quantity of bacteria contained in the product.
Live probiotics can colonize the intestines and are the basis for their efficacy. Although the number of live bacteria in some lactic acid bacteria beverages can reach a certain "huge" number when walking off the production line, after a long process of storage and sales until it reaches the consumer's stomach, the number of live bacteria will inevitably be consumed.
From the research reports of probiotics, it is necessary to reach the 7th power of 10 or even more than 8 of 10, that is, millions to tens of millions of probiotics, in order to ensure sufficient activity. However, everything should be moderate, and the amount absorbed by the human body is not as much as possible, as long as the number of live bacteria can reach a certain order of magnitude when drinking.
At present, many lactic acid bacteria beverage packaging will indicate that the product is a combination of multiple bacteria. Experts say that the specific drinking effect depends on the symbiosis between the strains, and the overall number of live bacteria can reach a certain number and play a role.
Therefore, consumers do not need to simply pursue the number of bacteria in lactic acid bacteria beverages.
3. How to choose a probiotic drink?
1. Look for the name: "Lactic Acid Drink" ≠ "Lactic Acid Bacteria Drink"
Don't look at the difference between the two with only one word, in fact, it is not a commodity at all.
There is no lactic acid bacteria in the blended lactic acid drink, and it does not go through the most important "fermentation" process in the lactic acid bacteria beverage, which is actually a "sweet water" made of raw materials such as water, milk, and sugar.
As for whether it has been "fermented", when consumers buy, in addition to looking at the product name, they can also peek at the ingredient list: if the name of the added strain is not indicated in the product, it is definitely not a lactic acid bacteria beverage.
2. Choose to store at low temperature
It is not difficult for consumers with a heart to find that lactic acid bacteria drinks are also placed in the normal temperature area of supermarkets. They are relatively small in packaging, and compared to the price, they are also cheaper than the "big ones" in the refrigerator.
In fact, lactic acid bacteria drinks are divided into active and inactive two categories, although the taste of the two is similar, but the products stored at room temperature are sterilized, and the drink does not contain live probiotics.
Therefore, although it is also a lactic acid bacteria beverage, if we think of the role of regulating the balance of the intestine, we still have to buy an active lactic acid bacteria drink that is refrigerated at low temperatures.
For both, the easiest way to distinguish is to see if it is clearly marked that it needs to be refrigerated.
Moreover, once the product goes off the production line, the active lactic acid bacteria in the beverage will begin a gradual decay process, and the low temperature refrigeration of 4 to 6 degrees Celsius can effectively delay the death rate of live bacteria and ensure the number of live bacteria in the product.
We often see some supermarkets that require refrigeration of active lactic acid bacteria drinks at room temperature in order to carry out promotions. Once such a situation occurs, it is still decisive to give up and buy it from another family.
3. The shorter the shelf life, the better
When we buy milk, we all know that the shorter the shelf life of milk, the better the nutrients are preserved.
In the same way, because when we buy lactic acid bacteria drinks, the most important thing is a "living" word. Even if it is refrigerated, the longer it is stored, the lower the number of surviving strains.
In order to ensure the quality of live bacteria, it is recommended that you also choose fresh products that are closer to the production date.
4. How to drink probiotic drinks?
1. Drink in moderation: "0 fat" does not actually lose weight
Some women who love beauty have taken a fancy to the "0 fat" of lactic acid bacteria drinks and use it as a weapon for weight loss, and feel that they can drink it at will.
I don't know if you have noticed that although the fat content in the ingredient list is zero, the value of energy is not low.
For example, a brand of 400 ml of active lactic acid bacteria beverages called "0 fat" has an energy value of 292 kJ per 100 ml and a nutrient reference value of 4%. If you drink the whole bottle, a small bottle of drink provides more than 16% of the energy of the whole day. How's that shocking?
In fact, it is not only fat that provides energy, but also carbohydrates that cannot be ignored. If you just look at the "0 fat" and drink it, you will drink more and more fat!
2. Not a substitute for milk/yogurt
Many parents feel that lactic acid bacteria drinks are sweet and sour, which also contains milk ingredients, which should be similar to yogurt, and even use it to replace milk, yogurt and other dairy products.
As everyone knows, this is very detrimental to the growth and development of children. Children need a variety of nutrients such as protein, fat, and minerals to grow up, and the main role of lactic acid bacteria drinks is to balance the intestinal flora, which generally has a protein content of only 1%.
Yogurt should not have a protein content of less than 2.3%, milk can reach a protein content of 2.8% or more, and also contains other nutrients such as calcium, which cannot be compared with other milk drinks.
If milk drinks are used instead of milk and yogurt for a long time, it is very easy to cause protein and calcium deficiencies in children.
3. Do not drink hot
When the weather is cold, some people will put the active lactic acid bacteria drink in the microwave, or soak in hot water and heat it before drinking.
In fact, for lactic acid bacteria drinks, the most important point is not to heat and drink, because once heated will lead to the death of live bacteria, drinking will not play a role in balancing the intestinal flora.
4. Do not drink on an empty stomach
Because the pH in the stomach is low on an empty stomach, it is not suitable for lactic acid bacteria to survive.
5. Avoid taking with antibiotics
Antibiotics inhibit the activity of lactic acid bacteria and probiotics, so try to avoid taking them together.
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