Probiotic Rich Foods and Why You Should Eat Them

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If you follow me on Instagram, you know I share a lot of food pics on my InstaStories. But you may not have noticed that a lot of the foods I eat include probiotics! Sauerkraut with my eggs, kombucha with lunch and jicama on my salads… and there is a reason for all of it.

Probiotics are a huge part of your overall gut health. There are billions of strains in your gut, but they are constantly under attack! Antibiotics, chemicals and processed foods are all horrible for your gut health. I know the whole probiotic trend has come under question, but after reading a book (see below) and a few studies, I was willing to hop on the bandwagon. Since adding pro and prebiotics into my diet I have had more energy, less bloating and I haven’t been sick!

I was first introduced to the importance of your gut microbiome in the book, Brain Maker. The explanations in this book are the first that really “clicked” for me on this particular subject. Many studies have found that adding probiotics to your diet can help reduce inflammation in the body, improve immunity and digestions.

Pro and prebiotics are partners in crime, so it is important to get them both. Probiotics is the “good” bacteria in your gut and prebiotics is food for probiotics. I try to eat naturally pro- and prebiotic rich foods, instead of taking them in a pill form. (since quality probiotics are expensive!)

Here’s a list of probiotic rich foods:

Kombucha: This fermented, fizzy tea drink also gives you a boost of energy.
Sauerkraut: A probiotic superfood! Just make sure you buy the kind made using a natural fermentation process and not with vinegar.
Kefir: A small glass of this yogurt drink will give you tons of healthy gut bacteria!
Yogurt: A simple, go-to for a probiotic boost.
Kimchi: This fermented cabbage mixture compliments almost any dish.
Tempeh: Fermented soy product similar to tofu.
Miso: Made from fermented soybeans. The unpasteurized kind has the most probiotics and should be sold in the refrigerated section.

Here’s a list of prebiotic foods:

Raw Dandelion Greens
Raw Garlic
Raw Asparagus
Raw or Cooked Onion
Raw Jicama
Under-ripe Bananas

Try adding a bit of probiotics to your diet and see how it makes you feel. Drink a small glass of Kefir when you wake up. I like to eat toast with sauerkraut and a fried egg. It may sound strange, but it is really good! Substitute your afternoon coffee with a Kombucha drink. Try adding some dandelion greens and jicama to your salads to give it a prebiotic boost. Once you get started, you will see it can be pretty easy to add probiotics to your diet.

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