Probiotics are ‘friendly’ bacteria for our gut that can theoretically be used to improve our overall health by helping to improve the balance between good and bad bacteria and fauna in our bodies.
While the jury is still out on just how effective probiotics in our diet can be at improving our health (the European Food Safety Authority has rejected most claims and states there is insufficient evidence to show they are worthwhile) it still certainly can’t hurt to get these probiotics in us just in case and there is some evidence to suggest they can help improve gastroenteritis, lactose intolerance and high cholesterol. And particularly as many of them are tasty and largely natural snacks that make a good alternative to puddings.
Here are a few to choose from to add to your diet…
Probiotic Drinks
Bearing in mind what I just said – that there is insufficient evidence that probiotics are effective – it is sometimes hard to justify the hefty price tag on things like Yakult. However that said, these do include larger amounts of probiotics than many other food items, and personally I find them rather delicious and comforting. So if you aren’t strapped for cash then they might be a nice thing to add to your morning routine.
Cheese
Cheese is high in the probiotics thermophillus, bifudus, bulgaricus and others. Seeing as cheese is rather delicious and very useful in all kinds of meals, this is an easy and pleasant way to increase your probiotic count. Mmm cheese…
Yogurt
Yogurt is well known for its probiotic properties, but will only be effective if you have ‘live cultured’ yogurt. It’s also worth looking for yogurt made with goat milk – as this is infused with extra probiotics such as lactobacillus and acidophilus.
Sauerkraut
Sauerkraut is made from fermented vegetables and is rich in live cultures of friendly bacteria. Sauerkraut is also just generally good or you being high in vitamin B, A, E and C. Look up the ingredients for Bigos for a delicious way to enjoy sauerkraut.
Kefir
Kefir is a fermented dairy product very similar to yogurt that is made from goat’s milk and fermented grains. It’s also high in antioxidants meaning it can fight ageing and cancer too.
Dark Chocolate
Who would have thought that you could improve your stomach cultures by eating something as delicious as chocolate? Well the good news is… you can! As long as it’s dark chocolate that is – which has four times the amount of other dairy.
Milk
All dairy contains some probiotics, and while milk isn’t the highest in probiotics it is something that it’s easy to get lots of on our cereal and in our tea. At the same time certain types of milk will contain more probiotics than others. For instance acidophilus milk and buttermilk are both particularly good options.
Microalgae
Microalgae are small ocean plants that are generally considered to be super foods high in all kinds of good stuff – including probiotics of course – and providing the highest energy return per ounce of any food.
Miso Soup
Miso soup is a favourite Japanese comfort food and is great for your digestion. It’s made from fermented rye, beans and rice with a tablespoon of miso and is high in probiotics lactobacilli and bifidus.
Pickles
Next time you’re in a pickle, take solace in the fact that they are high in probiotics. And if you want to impress guests then you can even make them yourself.