Keep Our Children’s Digestive System Happy

Unhealthy digestive systems can create lots of health issues. And if it occurs at a young age, the problems will tend to drag till they are older when it would be more difficult to manage. How to we keep our children’s digestive system healthy?


As explained in the previous blog post, probiotics are microorganisms similar to those that naturally exist in the gut. Prebiotics essentially help facilitate the effect of probiotics.

Where can we get probiotics and prebiotics in our diet?

Probiotics:

- Food as well as dietary supplements including yogurt, milk, miso, tempeh, and soy beverages.
- The largest group of probiotics are lactic acid bacteria found in yoghurt

Have a look at this blog post for home made yoghurt - its simple and quick.

Home Made Yoghurt

Prebiotics

 

Prebiotics can be derived from plants or synthesized.

- soybeans, whole grains, onions, chicory root, bananas, garlic, leeks, artichokes and raw oats.

Probioitics is commonly combine with antibiotic use. Probiotics also can be used to treat diarrhea, irritable bowel, urinary tract infection, prevent and manage eczema in children

While probiotics are generally found to be safe, side effects are typically mild (for example, increased gas or bloating). As with probiotics, prebiotics can cause gas, bloating and increased frequency of bowel movements when consumed in large quantities (i.e. you may fart and poop more). Like everything else, practice balance and moderation.

As with any supplement, always check with your doctor and choose a well-known.

The next few recipes, I hope to have those with the above ingredients. In the meantime, if you have ideas, do share. Also, get your kids to learn about eating well and prepare meals with these items and dont forget to explain why.

Going as natural as possible is always the preferred approach!

Happy Cooking and Happy Teaching.

Making Yoghurt

Today, we made yoghurt. We only probably took a few minutes for the process. It was an opportunity to explain fermentations and milk cultures.

First,‘how to make yoghurt at home’? It’s very simple, all you need is:

Full cream milk
Low fate, skim milk and such will not work well
Milk can either be in powder form or liquid. If it’s liquid, it should preferably be undiluted.

A teaspoon of yoghurt or yoghurt base or culture
You can get it from the supermarket or any Indian restaurant. Don’t get the ones which have flavoured. Get the ones that says natural yoghurt.

Prepare warm milk in a mug
I have found that yoghurt makes better in porcelain ones compared to glass or plastic. Do let me know your thoughts on this)

Ensure its not too hot, as it would kill the bacteria.

Mix the yoghurt into the milk and leave it for between 4 to 6 hours. Cover the mug lightly with a plate or a small lid

I would usually make it before I go to sleep and by morning my yoghurt is made.

And walla! You can add fruit when serving. Or prepare raita – add some cucumber and carrot slices.

What do kids learn? My kids get a kick when I explain simply that yoghurt is healthy spoilt milk!

• Yoghurt is a dairy product, made of milk.
• Yoghurt is actually sour milk
• The milk is fermented by bacteria – lactic acid bacteria - such as Lactobacillus
• Yoghurt contains
Probiotics (bacteria that are beneficial to health and the digestive system) as well as many vitamins and minerals, such as protein, calcium, riboflavin, vitamin B6 and vitamin B12
• That’s why it’s good to make it at home – natural, clean, inexpensive and no preservatives
• There are many milk products that require bacteria to ferment the milk – such as cheese, sour cream and many more
• People start making and eating yoghurt at least 5,500 years ago!
• There are lots of other things that are made by the process of fermentation – like ink, beer, wine, some teas and others
• Older children can have a look at this site for brief information on fermented milk - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fermented_milk_products#Soured_milk

In just a few minutes,

You are done with making the yoghurt and having a conversation with your kids on what is yoghurt, how its made and its nutritional value – all this without them even knowing that they have just increased their general knowledge and something that would definitely come in handy in Science Class!


Happy Cooking!