Five Foods Rich in Beneficial Probiotics

These days, many people realize the immense benefits of probiotics, but there are others still in the dark. Probiotics are “good bacteria” that thrive in your digestive system, especially in your gut.

This is a guest post by Ma. Josephine Unas, a writer for Mercola. We hope that you find it enjoyable and informative.

One way to obtain these beneficial probiotics, and increase your intake of healthy bacteria is to eat fermented foods. These foods are typically made by introducing a starter culture (live bacteria) into fresh food, which produces good bacteria, vitamins, and minerals. Here are five probiotic-rich foods you can make today:

1. Sauerkraut

Sauerkraut is a fermented shredded cabbage, which often has a sour taste. This highly nutritious fermented vegetable has high amounts of beneficial vitamin K.

2. Kimchi

Kimchi may be too spicy for some people, but this staple in Korean cuisine is a good choice to obtain probiotics. Usually served as a side dish, kimchi is made by fermenting vegetables like cabbage and radishes, and then blending them with chili peppers, garlic, and scallions, for a spicy and sour taste. The dish contains valuable vitamins and minerals including vitamins A and C and fiber.

3. Yogurt

Yogurt is a dairy product that has the potential to contain beneficial probiotics. But don’t be content with the conventional yogurt you find at supermarkets, because most of them contain high amounts of sugar and are deprived of beneficial components. Go for raw, grass-fed, and unpasteurized yogurt that is filled to the brim with good probiotics, minerals such as calcium, iodine, protein, and zinc, and vitamins B2, B5, B7, and B12.

4. Kefir

Another dairy product that is loaded with probiotics is organic, grass-fed kefir. Kefir is a fermented beverage with a consistency similar to yogurt. You can get beneficial enzymes, yeast, amino acids like tryptophan, vitamins like B1, B7, B12, and K, and minerals like calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus from kefir. There are also several strains of beneficial bacteria not commonly found in yogurt available in kefir.

5. Lassi

If you want a refreshing and healthy drink, try lassi, an Indian yoghurt drink usually consumed before dinner (or any time of the day). It can be mixed with fruits like mangoes and pineapples for a sweet twist, or spices like cardamom and cinnamon for a savory punch. Drinking lassi gives you calcium, protein, healthy carbohydrates, and vitamins A, B, and B2.

About the Author

Ma. Josephine Unas is a writer for Mercola. A big food lover, she likes researching healthy recipes she can recreate at home. Currently, she is looking at different food items that are packed with probiotics and how they can be incorporated in a healthy diet.

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