Atsidofilin

Dairy products have been especially popular for several centuries. Modern research either speaks about the benefits of milk, or warns against its possible side effects. While scientists are arguing with marketers, the population continues to buy their favorite drinks, on which entire generations grow up.

One of these fermented milk favorites is acidophilus. The complex name, which is more reminiscent of a potent antibiotic than a food product, was given to it by the Soviet food industry. In the former USSR, acidophilus is still consumed at the same level as milk or kefir. But what exactly is the drink, and how safe is it to consume dairy products?

General product characteristics

The word acidophilus has a very romantic origin. The term originates from two words: Latin acidus (translated – sour) and Greek φιλέω (translated – love).

The drink is made by fermenting cow’s milk, which has undergone preliminary pasteurization, with special bacteria – lactic streptococcus, kefir fungus and acidophilus bacillus.

Mass production of the product began during the Soviet Union and acquired an industrial scale in almost all 16 republics. Pasteurized cow’s milk was fermented at a temperature of 32°C for 10 or more hours.

Fermented milk products are much faster, more efficient and easier to digest by the human body compared to raw milk. This is a fact that is supported by the fermentation of lactose (milk sugar) and is recognized by absolutely all nutritionists. Thanks to this property, acidophilus has gained fame as a medicinal, dietary and even children’s product.

Acidophilus bacillus, which is involved in the fermentation process, has a high antagonistic activity against dangerous and conditionally dangerous microorganisms. It is believed that acidophilus bacillus is even capable of suppressing staphylococci (including Staphylococcus aureus). After entering the intestine, the stick starts the process of secreting antimicrobial substances (lysine / nisin / nicosine / lactalin), which displace pathogenic microflora, suppress putrefactive processes and help the body recover faster.

Acidophilus bacillus, unlike, for example, Bulgarian, is able to remain in the intestine for a long time. It regulates the secretion of the stomach / pancreas (harmonizes it and increases it in case of need) and quietly develops among the internal microflora of the gastrointestinal tract.

Along with the production of acidophilus, the companies produced special milk, pasta and yogurt using an identical method. It was believed that the line of fermented milk products has a beneficial effect on the immune system, renews the body, starts recovery processes, speeds up metabolism and normalizes the performance of the gastrointestinal tract. But is it really so?

Chemical composition of the product

What are the dangers of dairy products

Compared to all dairy derivatives, acidophilus is considered one of the safest. Thanks to technological features (fermentation with the help of special bacteria), the body manages to absorb the product much faster and more efficiently. Moreover, during fermentation, part of the lactose is fermented and at the exit it is possible to reduce its concentration to the minimum possible.

Lactose is milk sugar. At the age of 5 years in the human body, the production of lactase, the only enzyme that is capable of assimilating lactose, is sharply reduced or completely stops. Some adults develop lactose intolerance, which manifests itself in acne, abdominal pain, nausea/vomiting. In some cases, after drinking a glass of milk / dairy product, a person will need to be hospitalized.

But acidophilus is really the most “safe” fermented milk product. It contributes to the normal functioning of the digestive system, removes toxins from the body, and has a beneficial effect on the degree of digestibility and metabolic processes.

But not every acidophilus can benefit. Carefully study the composition before making a purchase and putting your own health at risk. Be guided by the rule “the shorter and more accessible the composition, the better the product.” Safe acidophilus should not contain:

• Sahara;
• preservatives;
• dyes.

A fermented milk product can bring special benefits to meat-eaters. Regular consumption of meat and other animal products leads to the formation of a specific microflora of the gastrointestinal tract. This microflora becomes an ideal home for pathogenic bacteria, infections and other not-so-pleasant microorganisms. Acidophilus contributes to the harmonization of the internal microflora and reduces the risk of developing infectious diseases.

Modern research has proven that fermented milk products contain a certain amount of ethyl alcohol. It was believed that this could be a direct contraindication to the use of the product by children, pregnant women and drivers (it reduces concentration and “relaxes” the body). Later it turned out that such a ban was unreasonable. The concentration of ethyl alcohol is minimal and simply cannot harm the human body, regardless of age.

Even breast milk contains 0,003% ethyl alcohol.

However, not all nutritionists agree with the lifting of the ban. Despite a number of advantages, kefir should not be included in the daily diet. American expert in the field of integrative medicine, nutritionist and nutritionist Frank Lipman says that it is not safe to get involved in cow’s milk products. If the desire to enjoy your favorite product cannot be suppressed, then it is best to choose drinks based on goat or sheep milk. The concentration of lactose, hormones and antibiotics in them is an order of magnitude lower than in cow’s milk, so pathogenic symptoms will be minimized.

Contraindications to the use of the product

Each person needs to reduce the consumption of dairy and sour-milk products to a minimum. Try to exclude milk from the diet for 1-2 weeks and follow the reaction of the body. Rashes (if any) will drastically decrease and become less noticeable, stools will normalize, energy will increase, night sleep and general well-being will improve. After a comparative analysis of the results, try to calculate your weekly menu. Include 1-2 liters of acidophilus (or other milk drink) in it and again track the reaction of the body. The use of milk in small doses, which are supported by a healthy and balanced diet, will strengthen the immune system, cheer up and definitely not harm the body.

A complete rejection of acidophilus is necessary for individual intolerance to the product. An additional contraindication is diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. Milk can negatively affect the course of the disease, cause an exacerbation or deterioration of the patient’s condition. A special diet and the rejection of a whole list of products are determined by the attending doctor, so strictly follow the prescribed course and do not engage in self-therapy.

What percentage of acidophilus fat is the most useful

The fat content of acidophilus directly depends on the fat content of milk and additional ingredients that are provided for in the recipe. A modern person, who is just beginning to adapt to the rules of rational nutrition, immediately tries to exclude fat and fast carbohydrates from the diet. Such tactics are extremely dangerous and usually lead to unpleasant consequences:

• violation of the hormonal background;
• a sharp weight gain or, conversely, loss;
• psychosomatic eating disorders;
• misperception of the food constitution.

Let’s break down one of the most common myths: low-fat foods are much healthier than fatty foods. Milk with 0-0,5% fat indicates its unnaturalness. Cows cannot give milk with different ratios of fat content, so the adjustment of indicators is left to industrial companies. Additional preservatives, additives in the form of sugar, harmful sweeteners, thickeners are added to acidophilus.

In such a complex multi-component composition, the value of vitamins and nutrients that were originally included in the product is lost. Assimilation of calcium (Ca) is disrupted, there is a gradual “washout” of nutrients from the skeletal system, and the absorption of vitamins is impaired. A low-fat product is much more difficult to digest by the human body: the internal organs are tense, working for wear, but they still cannot extract the benefits from the split material.

This is fraught not only with a temporary deterioration in the condition, but with the rapid aging of the brain and all systems of the human body. Choose oily, but high-quality products from a trusted manufacturer. If you do not trust industrial companies, then find “your” farmer or start production yourself. The main thing is to stop blindly believing in marketing tricks and look at your usual food from a scientific point of view.

Alternative dairy product recipes

If for medical reasons or your own priorities you decide to give up cow’s milk, then you need to find a worthy alternative for it. Always choose vegetable fat as a healthy substitute for animal fat. replacement molok can be obtained from:

• almonds;
• soy;
• rice;
• hemp;
• flax;
• hazelnut;
• coconut;
• oats;
• cashew.

Vegetable milk is easily absorbed by the body, promotes long-term saturation, enriches the body with vitamins and nutrients. Any milk made from natural ingredients can be processed to make a healthy alternative to acidophilus. It is recommended to start experimenting with coconut milk or cream. Due to vegetable fat, you will get the most similar structure of coconut acidophilus. All that is needed to prepare the drink is vegetable milk and special lactic acid bacteria (available at a pharmacy or certified points of sale).

Plant-based milk can be purchased at the nearest supermarket. Its price is 1,5-2 times the cost of a traditional animal, but your health is worth much more money. To save some money, you can create your own home production. This will require a quality grinder and a product from which milk must be extracted. Nuts / seeds / fruits must be soaked in water for several hours, thoroughly mixed in a blender with water, then wipe the resulting mass through a sieve or a special milk bag.

Nuts/seeds/fruits must be fresh. Thermally processed foods are not suitable for making milk.

Ready milk must be poured into a tight container and sent to the refrigerator. The shelf life of the product does not exceed 3 days. Now you have the main ingredient for making natural acidophilus. The resulting milk must be mixed with beneficial bacteria, fermented and left for a day until the mixture thickens. The nut/fruit/seed gives milk its natural sweetness, so there is no need for additional nutritional supplements. Choose foods that best suit your body and be healthy.

Sources of