So, you’ve heard all the buzz about probiotics and are ready to prioritize your gut health. Well, you’re in the right place – we are probiotics’ #1 fans. Probiotics are a great place to start when you’re aiming to improve the health of your gut. Then the question becomes, how do you get these probiotics into your belly?

The answer is pretty simple. Eating fermented foods, taking probiotic supplements, or eating probiotic-rich foods are all ways you can begin integrating probiotics into your diet, supporting the health of your gut. 

If you’ve got some time, keep reading to learn a little more about probiotics & the easiest ways to include them in your diet.

What Do Probiotics Do?

You’ve got a big world in your gut – a community of 100 trillion microorganisms that do way more than just digest. Your gut plays a role in your mood, energy levels, and immune function. Kind of a big deal, right?

Your gut does a lot of heavy lifting, but it needs your active support. One way to support your gut is with probiotics. Probiotics are living organisms similar to the trillions naturally existing in your body, but they’ve proven to impart a health benefit when consumed. You can nourish your gut by regularly replenishing the type of probiotics that help you feel your best.

Better gut health will help you feel better, and not just in terms of digestion. If your gut is not functioning optimally, your entire body can be affected, from your cardiovascular system to your immune system. 

What Foods Have Probiotics?

One amazing way to get probiotics to your gut is by incorporating fermented foods into your diet. Fermented foods are a natural source of some probiotics and other beneficial compounds that develop during the fermentation process.

Fermenting is one of the oldest techniques for food preservation. Foods that go through “Lacto-fermentation” create an environment where bacteria feed on sugar and starch, creating lactic acid. This process preserves food and yields beneficial enzymes, some B vitamins, and healthy acids. This environment also allows bacteria to flourish – hello, probiotics! 

So, what do we mean when we say “fermented foods”?

Bubbly Probiotic Tea

Bubbly probiotic tea (AKA kombucha) is a tangy, slightly sweet fermented beverage. Kombucha is home to living cultures and is rich in probiotics and healthy detoxifying acids. And it happens to taste delicious too!

At Health-Ade, we make the best tasting, highest quality kombucha you can buy. We ensure that each bottle has the World Health Organization’s recommendation for a daily dose of living probiotics and have a wide range of healthy acids that gives Health-Ade our unique flavor and health benefits. We do our part to support your happy gut!

You may already start your morning with yogurt and don’t even know its gut health benefits. 

Yogurt is a popular option when it comes to fermented foods. The content of probiotics in yogurt products can range from 90 billion to 500 billion CFU per serving (CFU stands for colony-forming units).  However, the number and type of bacteria will vary depending on the brand. 

Yogurt is super easy to add to your breakfast or as a snack too. Add some granola and fresh fruit to make it even more of a treat. Keep an eye out for “live and active cultures” on the label to ensure you’re investing in the real deal.

Add Sauerkraut

Sauerkraut is an easy addition to any savory dish. Sauerkraut is fermented cabbage that originated from Northern China among the Mongols but became popular in European diets through migration. Sauerkraut is an excellent source of probiotics from its fermentation process.

Get creative with kraut! Throw it on burgers or hot dogs when you’re grilling or add it to your salad. You can even serve it as a side to most of your main dishes for a consistent dose of probiotics. 

Probiotic Supplements

If you aren’t into the fermented foods route, you have other options than just grub. Probiotic supplements are usually sold over the counter and serve to treat specific issues. The many different types of probiotic supplements can make your decision overwhelming. If you are interested in trying a probiotic supplement, we suggest speaking to your doctor to find which probiotic can meet your unique needs. 

Pro-Tip: In any probiotic diet - ensure you are consuming live & active cultures. Remember that not all fermented foods contain probiotics. Beer and wine go through baking and canning, making the probiotics inactive. Canning or heating a probiotic food can kill the bacteria.

A good rule of thumb is to look in the refrigerator section for all probiotic foods and only invest in refrigerated probiotic supplements. 

Variety Matters

You’re already one step ahead if you eat probiotic-filled foods, but did you think about eating a wide variety of them. Diversity in fermented foods and probiotic supplements is key to reap even more benefits from probiotics, exposing your body to different bacteria strains. You can do this by mixing up the most popular fermented foods, including yogurt, kimchi, sauerkraut, and kombucha!

When adding probiotics to your diet, remember you’ve got options. Follow your gut, trusting in what makes your body feel good. The best way to get probiotics in your diet is entirely up to you! 

When is the best time to take probiotics? That’s up to you too. Explore different ways of incorporating probiotics into breakfast, lunch, dinner, or snack time, then decide what makes you feel the best. 

Pair It With Prebiotics

Prebiotics are food for probiotics and the native bacteria in your gut. You wouldn’t want them to go hungry, right? Prebiotics are specialized plant fiber that stimulates the growth of healthy bacteria. 

You can nourish your probiotics and native bacteria by eating the prebiotics found in most fruits and vegetables. Foods with prebiotics typically contain complex carbohydrates (fiber and starch). 

If you have a relatively balanced diet, you probably already get a good amount of prebiotics. Here are a couple of ways to eat to add even more: try adding banana to your yogurt, DIY some overnight oats, and always add a side of veggies to your dinner. 

Power of Probiotics 

If you have been feeling a little off, it might be your gut talking. Follow your gut and find the best foods with probiotics that work within your lifestyle. 

If you choose kombucha, Health-Ade hopes to support your healthiest gut. We created yummy flavors to make a probiotic-filled diet refreshing, energizing, and simple. 

Check out our various flavors made with all-natural, organic ingredients. Try Passion Fruit-Tangerine for a tangy and tropical burst of flavor or Cayenne Cleanse for an extra kick. 

Today's blog is written by our very own Daina Trout, MS, MPH

Daina is not just our Co-Founder, she is also a nutritionist that has spent her adult life dedicated to finding and sharing health and wellness through food. With 2 masters' degrees in nutritional biochemistry and public health, Daina has called upon her education often while leading the way at Health-Ade - from how we make every batch of kombucha, to how we talk about gut health to consumers, to even how healthy our employee workplace is! She even writes a few blogs here and there. Happy reading! :)