1. Yogurt: probiotic source
Yogurt is the most familiar source of probiotics. “Good” bacteria like lactobacillus or bifidobacteriathat keep a healthy balance in your gut. Studies suggest that probiotics can help ease lactose intolerance. They may also help tame gas, diarrhoea, and other digestive problems. You can pay extra for special digestive yogurt brands, but any with “live and active cultures” listed may help.
2. Sauerkraut boosts digestion
Sauerkraut contains the probiotics leuconostoc, pediococcus, and lactobacillus. Choose unpasteurised sauerkraut because pasteurisation (used to treat most supermarket sauerkraut) kills the helpful bacteria. Sauerkraut and the similar but spicy Korean dish, kimchi are also loaded with vitamins that may help ward off infection.
3. Miso soup for active digestion
A popular breakfast food in Japan, this fermented soybean paste really can get your digestive system moving. Probiotic-filled miso reportedly contains more than 160 bacteria strains. It’s often used to make a salty soup that is low in calories and high in B vitamins and protective antioxidants.
4. Soft cheeses fight bacteria
While potentially good for your digestion, not all probiotics can survive the journey through your gastrointestinal tract. However, research finds the lactobacillus strains in some fermented soft cheeses, like Gouda, are hardy enough to survive. In addition, cheese may act as a carrier for probiotics, which may boost the immune system.
5. Kefir: probiotic-filled drink
According to legend, kefir dates back to the shepherds of Eurasia’s Caucasus mountains. They discovered that the milk they carried had a tendency to ferment into a bubbly be-verage. Thick, creamy, and tangy like yogurt, kefir has its own strains of probiotic bacteria, plus a few helpful yeast varieties.
6. Sourdough bread aids digestion
The next time you make a sandwich, pay attention to what’s holding your cold cuts and cheese.
7. Milk with probiotics
One of the easiest ways to get probiotics in your diet is by adding acidophilus milk. This is simply milk that has been fermented with bacteria such as lactobacillus acidophilus.
Sometimes it’s labeled sweet acidophilus milk. Buttermilk, generally milk that is cultured with lactic acid bacteria, is also rich in probiotics.
8. Probiotics in sour pickles
When looking to pickles for probiotics, choose naturally fermented varieties where vinegar wasn’t used in the pickling process. A sea salt and water solution encourages the growth of beneficial bacteria and may give sour pickles some digestive benefits.
9. Try tempeh for probiotics
Made from a base of fermented soybeans, this Indonesian patty produces a type of natural antibiotic that fights certain bacteria. In addition, tempeh is very high in protein. Its flavour has often been described as smoky, nutty and similar to a mushroom.
Tempeh can be marinated and used in meals in place of meat.
10. Prebiotics vs probiotics
While probiotic foods contain live bacteria, prebiotic foods feed the good bacteria already living in your digestive system. You can find prebiotics in foods such as asparagus, Jerusalem artichokes, bananas, oatmeal, red wine, honey, maple syrup and legumes.
Consider eating prebiotic foods on their own or with probiotic foods to perhaps give the probiotics a boost.
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