Happy Gut Summer: The Magic of Probiotics Explained
No matter what “summer program” you’re subscribed to -- be it “Hot Girl” or “X Dose” -- we’d like to add a unique contender to the mix: Happy Gut Summer. Your gut microbiome is a pretty big deal. These trillions of tiny bacteria that live within us may go unnoticed, but are working their magic nonetheless. These hard-working microorganisms in our gut work silently to break down the food we eat and produce by-products that influence our health on a daily basis. Want to feel your absolute best this season? You need to take care of your microbiome, and probiotics will help you get there.
What Are Probiotics?
Probiotics are members of your larger microbiome community and are a combination of live beneficial bacteria or yeasts that naturally live in your body (4). Together with eating a variety of fruits, vegetables, and fibre-rich whole-grains, probiotics will help your microbiome to thrive.
You might be thinking, ‘Wait, isn’t bacteria bad for me?’
Not these guys! Probiotics are made up of the good kind of bacteria that keep your body healthy and functioning like a well-oiled machine. This beneficial bacteria helps you in many ways, including fighting off other harmful bacteria by acting as its competition. The good bacteria crowds out the bad guys, stealing away their resources and preventing them from taking over. Probiotics also promote a diverse microbial environment, one of the keys to good gut health (1).
Probiotic Benefits
Once they reach your gut, probiotics produce substances with positive effects; and that’s when the real magic starts to happen. Probiotics’ main output are short-chain fatty-acids, which help to support the cells that line your gut, preventing any bad bacteria you may have ingested from leaking through into your bloodstream. Other powerful effects include lowering cholesterol levels in your blood, destroying disease-causing cells, producing B vitamins, and helping you rebound after infections (3,4).
Different types of probiotics come with unique benefits. Greenhouse probiotic lemonades contain a vegan probiotic called Bacillus coagulans GBI-30 6086. This strain of probiotics is able to withstand the highly acidic environment of the stomach (5), ensuring that it’s not broken down before it can reach your small intestine and take action.
Once active in the small intestines, Bacillus coagulans aid in the digestion of carbohydrates and proteins, so your body can break down and use these nutrients more effectively. With regard to protein specifically, it has been shown to maximize absorption, amplifying the effects of protein intake from food or supplements (5).
By creating a healthier microbiome environment, Bacillus coagulans also reduce the occurrence of gas and bloating after eating and eases symptoms of common digestive health disorders linked to bacterial imbalance like Irritable Bowel Syndrome (5).
What About CFUs?
One thing to take note of when looking for probiotic-containing foods or supplements is the number of CFUs on the label. CFU stands for ‘colony-forming units’ which indicates the number of viable bacteria cells in the product (3). Your microbiome is dynamic and changes quickly, so regular intake of probiotics will help to maintain a healthy gut in the long-term. Greenhouse lemonades contain 1 billion CFUs per 250 mL serving, helping you maximize the benefits of your daily fluid intake without having to remember to take a supplement.
Why Greenhouse Probiotic Lemonades Are the Best in the Game
Greenhouse Probiotic Lemonades are a winning summer beverage of choice for several reasons. Lightly sweetened with maple syrup, they contain just 3 grams of sugar per 250 mL serving, making them a light and refreshing choice on hot summer days. The vibrant colour of the Blue and Lavender Lemonades adds oomph as a low-sugar mixer for cocktails or mocktails (PS. Our Kombuchas are great for this too!).
In addition to a small amount of carbohydrates for refuelling, Probiotic Lemonades also contain sodium and potassium, which are important minerals for re-hydrating because they help to draw water into your cells. Whether it’s an extra-sweaty game of doubles or a day at the beach, the all-star team of probiotic hydrators has you (and your microbiome) covered.
This season, show up to the park picnic with delicious and good-for-you probiotic hydrators for the best. summer. ever.
- Laura Jeha, RD, MHSc for Greenhouse
References
1. New Frontiers in Probiotic Research 2. Probiotics: What you need to know 3. Probiotics Fact Sheet 4. Probiotics 5. Probiotic Bacillus coagulans GBI-30, 6086 Improves Protein Absorption and Utilization
