What Are Probiotic Foods and Why Should You Eat Them?
Category: Healthy Living
What are probiotic foods?
Even though you might not know the answer to this question (yet), they aren’t as much of a mystery as you might think. There’s a good chance you’ve been eating probiotic foods all your life. In fact, you probably even have some stored away in your kitchen right now.
But what do these foods do and why should you eat them? We’ve put together this guide to help you understand what probiotics are, how they work, and how they can benefit your health.
Make sure you keep reading below to learn more!
What Are Probiotic Foods?
Probiotic foods are packed full of live microorganisms, otherwise known as healthy bacteria. Eating these bacteria can benefit both your mental and physical health in a number of ways (which we’ll breakdown below).
Most types of probiotic foods are fermented, such as things like sauerkraut or pickles, but you can also consume probiotics through supplements.
How to Introduce This Food into Your Diet
If you don’t like the taste of fermented food, an easy alternative is taking a probiotic capsule supplement. Make sure you read the directions on the packaging to learn the right dosage for your particular product; however, in most cases, you can take these supplements every day.
Want to avoid supplements?
Get creative with your meals and try to eat a new probiotic food at least once a day. Experiment with recipes until you find something you like.
One of the easiest ways to eat probiotic foods (especially if you’re a picky eater) is to have a serving of yogurt for breakfast. Yogurt isn’t expensive, and you can find all different flavors and add things like fruit or granola until you find a mixture you’re excited to eat when you wake up.
Different Types of Probiotic Foods
We’ve mentioned a few probiotic foods already, but there are a number of options out there you can try. These foods include things like:
- Beat kvass
- Cottage Cheese
- Certain types of cheese, such as cheddar, mozzarella, and Gouda
- Green olives
- Kefir
- Kimchi
- Kombucha
- Miso
- Natto
- Pickles
- Sauerkraut
- Tempeh
- Traditional buttermilk
- Yogurt
These are a few of the most common types of probiotic foods, and you may already be eating some of them on a normal basis. All you have to do is make a sandwich full of the right cheese, some pickles, and olives to reap the benefits of these foods.
How Much Probiotic Food Should You Take a Day?
You should do your best to take anywhere between 1 billion to 10 billion CFUs (or colony-forming units) every day. This might sound like a lot, but you can get that amount quickly and easily through supplements or through a meal or two.
Again, remember to always follow the directions on your supplement bottles. This will ensure you aren’t taking too much or not getting enough.
But you have to take this amount every day for an extended period of time to see any results. Just eating a bowl of yogurt every once in a while (though still good for you) won’t give you all the benefits that come from eating probiotics in your normal diet.
How Probiotic Foods Can Benefit Your Health
Your body is full of bacteria, both good and bad. If there are more good bacteria in your body, your systems are often healthy. But if there are not enough good bacteria in your body, your health can start to suffer (you can develop digestive issues, obesity, allergies, and mental conditions).
Since probiotics are good bacteria, they help balance out the bacteria in your body, which can keep you healthy.
But you’ll see the effects of this in a number of different ways. Here’s a quick breakdown of some of the most common.
Gives Your Immune System a Boost
Because probiotics fill your body with healthy bacteria, it can help your immune system fight off any harmful bacteria. On top of that, probiotics have also been shown to produce natural antibodies, which is an important part of staying healthy.
Reduces Digestive Disorders
If you suffer from certain digestive disorders, you may benefit from taking probiotics. These healthy bacteria have been shown to reduce the symptoms of some of these conditions, including:
- Crohn’s disease
- Ulcerative colitis
- Irritable bowel syndrome
Probiotics may also be able to prevent and treat frequent diarrhea.
Helps Control Allergies
Taking probiotics may also reduce symptoms of allergies. While probiotic foods may not get rid of your allergies altogether, they can make the condition much more manageable.
Lowers Symptoms of Mental Conditions
Tired of living with anxiety or depression? Probiotics can work as natural remedies for these conditions. Eating this food or taking supplements can limit these types of mental health problems, which can help improve your quality of life.
Improves Weight Loss
If you want to lose weight in a fast, healthy way, you should introduce probiotics to your diet. These types of foods prevent your body from storing some types of fat, meaning less work for you later.
Change up Your Diet Today
Are you ready to start taking probiotics every day? Try adding some of these probiotic foods to your normal meals or, if you prefer, taking supplements.
Not sure where to find probiotic supplements?
We can help! Make sure you take a look at some of the products we offer, and if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us today!
Works Cited:
https://www.health.harvard.edu/press_releases/benefit_of_probiotics_should_you_take_a_daily_dose_of_bacteria
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14557292/
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