Functional Foods - what do you think of probiotic and cholesterol reducing products?

[gemmiegoatlegs]

The supermarkets are chock full of various products that make some sort of health claim.
You know the ones,
Probiotic yogurts - help support your body's defences
Vegetable fat spreads - rich in heart healthy omega 3 and 6
Yogurts - reduce the level of 'bad cholesterol'

Do you buy these? Do you believe the health claims on the packaging? Do you think its all a big marketing scam?

i am writing an assignment on consumer opinion of functional food products and thought it would be good to see what real people actually think.

ok you can all shoot me - but i find morrisons own probiotic drink actually works for me! (Actimel doesn't!)
I used to have terrible digestion, bearing in mind i do eat healthily including wholegrain and fruit n veg.
(miss next bit if you are squeamish - but generally poo was very soft to almost liquid - yuk )
Digestion is 'normal' now but will regress if I don't have yoghurt drinks prob 2 or 3 times a week

that's interesting cuppa, I am looking for all perspectives not just a "We hate probiotics" united front!

hey - glad to be of service.

must admit i used to pooh pooh (no pun intended ) the idea of probiotics but was driven to desperate measures to try to solve digestion rather than going to doctors!

Ladies, if you want to waste your money on probiotic drinks, go right ahead.

"At least butter is natural and you know what is in it!"

I know what you're trying to say ProvincialLady but if we're being specific, the very fact that it IS natural means we DON'T know exactly what's in it, it's variable. With marg we have a list of ingredients(but of course the natural ones in it will also have a degree of variability)so really we have more of an idea about what it contains than with butter.
Eating butter is no use if you need to reduce cholesterol - it's saturated fat and as such extremely bad for your heart so the natural is best argument on that isn't the right way to go and just because something is "natural" doesn't make it healthy.

I agree with you that probiotic drinks are often full of sugars - which is why live plain yoghurt is a preferred option.I guess they appeal to those who might otherwise not try that sort of thing and need the extra sweetness to make them palatable.It's a matter of choice.

I'll buzz off now but will watch with interest though, Gemmie, as keen to know your findings at the end of all this!Interesting stuff.

Frank I was referring to knowing what ingredients are in butter rather than its exact chemical breakdown! But I take your point. And of course if you need to cut down on cholesterol then butter would be one of the first things to go. I still think that for most people, eating Benecol etc is like drinking diet coke with a McDonalds extra large cheeseburger and fries...fine if you like the taste but kind of missing the point if you are hoping it is going to make a difference to your health. IF you are one of those rare people who eats really healthily but still has a problem with cholesterol AND these products do what they say they will then great. But for most people - like my parents, sadly - it is just an easy, albeit expensive, thing to do that makes you feel better about your less than ideal diet. So you do that instead of the basics of eating lots of fruit and veg, lean protein, get some exercise etc etc. In my opinion.

I'm with you on that TheProvincialLady - I suspect an awful lot of people are feeling relieved that they're doing the right thing by adding these "beneficial" items to their trolley but then also adding the other usual suspects that have hidden fats and dangers lurking!
I do find it annoying that GPs just blithely suggest Benecol when in fact there are other alternatives and it's only having experienced side effects from consuming Benecol that I have found out other people I know have experienced the same. I have a family history of cholesterol problems and my cholesterol had risen despite being a stone lighter and not being someone who eats fry ups or cream teas etc so if cholesterol levels continue to rise despite taking measures to reduce them, it suggests a need for statins but even then I think GPs are possibly a bit too quick to prescribe them....bit of a lose lose situation really...
Like the diet coke comment too - never quite understood why people think drinking diet coke is healthy - have you see the ingredients in THAT? My SIL even buys the caffeine free, diet coke????!!! (not that I'm judging of course..

Ah now you see diet coke is my one treat - I have one every day. But I don't drink anything else except water and the occasional fruit juice. I know it is rubbish but I enjoy it so much. It is the first thing I have in the morning (before my muesli and fruit...probably cancels out all the benefits)

Oh dear, TheProvincialLady - I'd better get myself a spade to dig myself out of that one! Apologies (she says as she tucks into American hard gum no 4 - no gelatine, don't you know) !

Has anyone else experienced the following?

I started taking Benecol soya dairy free drink some months ago and have had a series of sore throats and a cough. I was recently on holiday and did not have any Benecol. My sore throat and cough disappeared. Now I am back and taking Benecol again, the sore throat and cough have all returned.

Is this a coincidence or is there a link?

My cholesterol is 5.3 but the GP wants is lower as I am diabetic.

I think they a re bollocks.

Just eat proper good food

frank, what on earth do you mean 'at least we know the ingredients of marge'? What is so sinister about butter?

Do you distrust food that much that it is automatically not so good if there isn't a list of ingredients? What ingredients list do you want for butter?