You might have heard of probiotics before, but you may not know what they do. Adding probiotics to your diet may provide many health benefits. Before we go into detail about what foods contain natural probiotics, it’s important to know what probiotics are, and what they do for our bodies.
What are Probiotics?
Probiotics are a combination of good live bacteria and/or yeasts that naturally live in your body. We typically view bacteria as something negative and as something that makes us sick, but that’s not always the case. We have both bad and good bacteria in our bodies.
Probiotics are made up of good bacteria that help keep your body healthy and working well. This good probiotic bacteria helps you in many ways, including fighting off bad bacteria. Having too much bad bacteria in your body throws you off balance and makes you sick. Probiotics can rebalance you and make you feel better.
What are the Benefits of Probiotics?
As stated earlier, probiotics can help keep your body healthy. But there are many specific benefits to probiotics and good bacteria:
- Improves digestive health by helping your body digest food
- Creates vitamins
- Helps support the cells that line your gut. This prevents bad bacteria from entering your blood
- Helps breakdown and absorb medication
- Promotes heart health and gut health
- Reduces depression
- Can improve the immune system
What Foods are Sources of Probiotics?
Yogurt
Yogurt is perhaps the most well-known source of natural probiotics. It is made by fermenting milk with live bacteria cultures, such as Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus. The fermentation process increases the number of good bacteria in the yogurt, making it a great source of probiotics.
Kefir
Kefir is a fermented drink that is similar to yogurt, but it has a thinner consistency and a tangier taste. It is made by fermenting milk with kefir grains, which are a combination of bacteria and yeast. Kefir is a fermented dairy drink that contains several strains of good bacteria, including Lactobacillus kefiranofaciens, Lactobacillus acidophilus, and Bifidobacterium bifidum.
Sauerkraut
Sauerkraut is a German dish made from fermented cabbage. The fermentation process increases the number of beneficial bacteria in the cabbage, making it a good source of probiotics. Sauerkraut also contains vitamin C and vitamin K, as well as other nutrients.
Kimchi
Kimchi is a Korean dish made from fermented vegetables, typically cabbage. Like sauerkraut, the fermentation process increases the number of beneficial bacteria in the vegetables. Kimchi also contains vitamins A, B, and C, as well as other nutrients.
Miso
Miso is a Japanese seasoning made from fermented soybeans, rice, or barley. It is commonly used in soups and stews. Miso contains several strains of good bacteria, including Lactobacillus plantarum and Lactobacillus brevis. All those times you’ve been enjoying miso soup before a Japanese meal, you’ve been consuming probiotics!
Tempeh
Tempeh is a fermented soybean product that originated in Indonesia. It is a popular meat substitute in vegetarian and vegan diets. Tempeh contains several strains of beneficial bacteria, including Rhizopus oligosporus and Bacillus subtilis.
Kombucha
Kombucha is a fermented tea that has become very popular in recent years. One of the main reasons is that it provides probiotics! It is made by fermenting sweetened tea with a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast (SCOBY). Kombucha contains several strains of beneficial bacteria, including Gluconacetobacter xylinus and Lactobacillus.
Enjoy Probiotic Options at 3Natives
There are so many great ways to enjoy the health benefits of probiotics. As you might have noticed, most probiotics are found in fermented foods. At 3Natives, we have delicious acai bowls and smoothies, such as The Calypso bowl and The Sunrise smoothie, on our menu that include probiotics.
You can also add yogurt to any acai bowl or smoothie so you can enjoy your favorite items with added probiotics. Check out our full menu to see what else we have!
Whether you want a fresh acai bowl or a fruit smoothie, we have something for everybody. Stop in at your local 3Natives in Florida or Oklahoma and enjoy delicious and nutritious dishes.
