Packing a probiotic punch that tastes great!
It’s no secret we’re a fan of probiotics, and we’re sure you can already guess what our number one suggestion is going to be to add more to your diet – but what else could you do to improve your gut health?
Yoghurt is often the food option that first comes to mind for people when they think about probiotics, but because store-bought yoghurts vary so widely in their sugar content and additives, it can be a tricky one to rely on. It’s important that your probiotic intake includes beneficial bacteria like those from the lactobacillus bacteria family. If your yoghurt option is high in sugar and there is no lactobacillus bacteria listed then it might be time you start looking elsewhere.
If you’d like more information about probiotics in yoghurt we highly recommend these articles:
However, we’re getting a bit ahead of ourselves! If you’re new here then you might be wondering what probiotics are. Dr. Group describes them as “beneficial forms of gut bacteria that help stimulate the natural enzymes and processes that keep our digestive organs functioning properly”. Quite a mouthful – but essentially he’s saying that it’s the feel good bacteria that keeps your gut in ship shape. Because the gut is now being described as the second brain, you can probably imagine why it’s so important to keep it healthy!
To make sure your second brain stays in optimal shape, we recommend including a healthy amount of probiotics in your diet – and today we’re going to show you how!
#1. Sauerkraut and other select fermented vegetables
We’re sure nobody’s surprised that our number one suggestion for including more probiotics in your diet is to eat more sauerkraut! Since the very beginning we’ve been huge advocates for the health benefits of sauerkraut, with our co-creator Peter experiencing first hand how it can improve gut health. Sauerkraut is not only packed full of good bacteria, but is rich in other nutrients and key vitamins. It comes in many different forms, flavours, and colours and can be a really fun and tasty addition to your meals.
#2. Kimchi
Another one of our favourites – kimchi isn’t just a delicious addition to meals. It’s also a great source of good bacteria! The list of health benefits from kimchi is truly endless, and we encourage you to have a read about it here. But really, what more convincing do you need to go grab a delicious bowl of Bibimbap?
#3. Chocolate
Whaaaat? Chocolate can be good for your gut?? Before you go grabbing for the nearest Snickers bar, we recommend opting for an organic dark chocolate featuring at least 70% cacao. Is it the highest volume of probiotics on offer? No of course not – really it doesn’t have any! But we couldn’t resist making chocolate our third pick, because it’s, well… chocolate!
#4. Kefir
You may or may not have heard of this powerful fermented milk drink. It’s a traditional beverage from parts of Eastern Europe and Southwest Asia, and it’s been used for centuries in these cultures as part of a healthy diet. Kefir not only is a fantastic source of good bacteria, but also protein, calcium, magnesium, and other great nutrients. If the sound of fermented milk is a little off-putting for you, don’t worry! There’s an amazing NZ company that makes coconut kefir check them out at The Kefir Company.
#5. Kombucha
Kombucha is more than just a hip drink to enjoy while leaving the gym – it’s been used as a source of probiotics since, well, ages ago! But as with the yoghurt, keep an eye on the sugar levels in your drink, as well as the other ingredients. As it becomes a more popular drink, there are more and more bottles cropping up that take the taste and popularity more seriously than the probiotics!
A good rule of thumb with all of these however, is to always check the labels!
So tell us, what’s your favourite way to add more probiotics to your diet?