Probiotic Foods for keep your digestive organs functioning properly
January 15, 2016
Foodviki
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Yogurt has been known for a long time as having live and active cultures, and for the help it can bring a sluggish digestive system. These days’ manufacturers are really pushing it as a digestive aid, and have increased the amount of bacteria in it to amplify the effects in brands like Activia.
This is a Japanese staple and is made from fermented soybeans in most cases. You might find this served up with your sushi at a Japanese restaurant, but there are miso soup kits you can buy to make it at home, or you can try to make it following a traditional recipe if you’re so inclined. Since this is delivered in the form of a hot soup it is an excellent choice to have before you start your meal so that your digestive system can be nourished and ready to go for the upcoming meal.
Bananas have so many other health properties to them that it often goes unmentioned that they help with digestion by providing digestive bacteria. What’s actually happening is that they’re feeding the bacteria already present, allowing it to thrive and multiply.
Here’s another reason to switch from white bread to bread made from whole grains. In addition to the added nutrients and protein, you’re getting bread that provides your digestive system with what it needs to function at its best. When focusing on probiotics it’s good to also limit your intake of foods that can strip away healthy bacteria. There are also certain brands of whole wheat bread that you can buy that have been fortified to be a probiotic.
This is one probiotic food that might take a little getting used to because of the spiciness of it. In Korea a meal rarely goes by where some form of kimchi isn’t available as a side dish.
This might be one of the tastiest items on our list, and it’s a surprise to many to find out that dark chocolate is a probiotic food. It also contains antioxidants, something that milk chocolate doesn’t provide. When choosing your dark chocolate you can narrow it down by percentages. Opting for a higher percentage means that more of it is actual chocolate.
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We all know of the great health benefits
of probiotics, however, not all of us know how to take advantage of these
health benefits. Below is a list I put together to outline the best probiotic
foods for you to add to your diet.
Yogurt
Yogurt has been known for a long time as having live and active cultures, and for the help it can bring a sluggish digestive system. These days’ manufacturers are really pushing it as a digestive aid, and have increased the amount of bacteria in it to amplify the effects in brands like Activia.
The
claims being made on these specialty yogurts were challenged with a lawsuit and
there was a settlement made due to false advertising. You don’t have to get
fancy, just stick to your basic yogurt and enjoy the benefits it provides.
Miso Soup
This is a Japanese staple and is made from fermented soybeans in most cases. You might find this served up with your sushi at a Japanese restaurant, but there are miso soup kits you can buy to make it at home, or you can try to make it following a traditional recipe if you’re so inclined. Since this is delivered in the form of a hot soup it is an excellent choice to have before you start your meal so that your digestive system can be nourished and ready to go for the upcoming meal.
Bananas
Bananas have so many other health properties to them that it often goes unmentioned that they help with digestion by providing digestive bacteria. What’s actually happening is that they’re feeding the bacteria already present, allowing it to thrive and multiply.
These are the bacteria located in the
colon, so in addition to the fiber that bananas provide, they are also helping
to improve the health of your colon, which is a main part of your digestive
system and can cause trickle down problems if it isn't properly maintained.
Bananas have made it onto several of our lists, including being a low
glycemic food.
Whole Grain Bread
Here’s another reason to switch from white bread to bread made from whole grains. In addition to the added nutrients and protein, you’re getting bread that provides your digestive system with what it needs to function at its best. When focusing on probiotics it’s good to also limit your intake of foods that can strip away healthy bacteria. There are also certain brands of whole wheat bread that you can buy that have been fortified to be a probiotic.
Kimchi
This is one probiotic food that might take a little getting used to because of the spiciness of it. In Korea a meal rarely goes by where some form of kimchi isn’t available as a side dish.
It’s a staple of the culture and is often cited
as the reason for low rates of digestive disorders. It’s even been credited as
the reasons why SARS didn’t become widespread in Korea at the time it was
hitting other parts of Asia. You can find kimchi available in some
supermarkets, and in any Asian food mart in the refrigerated section.
Kvass
This is a
common fermented beverage in Eastern Europe since ancient times. It was
traditionally made by fermenting rye or barley, but in more recent years has
been created using beets, fruit along with other root vegetables like carrots.
Kvass uses lactobacilli probiotics and is known for its blood- and
liver-cleansing properties and has a mild sour flavor.
Dark Chocolate
This might be one of the tastiest items on our list, and it’s a surprise to many to find out that dark chocolate is a probiotic food. It also contains antioxidants, something that milk chocolate doesn’t provide. When choosing your dark chocolate you can narrow it down by percentages. Opting for a higher percentage means that more of it is actual chocolate.
The higher percentages are often used only in
cooking, and might not be suitable to the palate if you’re using it mostly for
a probiotic effect. Also, it’s best to eat your probiotic foods at the
beginning of the meal, so having dark chocolate as a dessert misses the window
a bit.
By adding more probiotic foods into your
diet, you could see all of the following health benefits:
- Stronger immune system
- Improved digestion
- Increased energy from production of vitamin B12
- Better breath because probiotics destroy candida
- Healthier skin, since probiotics improve eczema and psoriasis
- Reduced cold and flu
- Healing from leaky gut and inflammatory bowel
disease
- Weight loss
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