Did you know that knocking back a dose of friendly bacteria is all you need to feel better, inside and out?
Right now, your stomach is home to billions of bacteria – not all of them bad. The good kind keep our guts healthy, but too much bad bacteria can cause health problems.
Probiotics are designed to give your gut a boost of good bacteria, healing combat digestive complaints such as bloating, constipation and diarrhea. Over time, these benefits can extend beyond the gut too. Studies show that 70 percent of our immune defence lies in our stomach, so a healthy guy also means better mood, weight control and general wellbeing.
If you want to try probiotics, start by adding some fermented foods to your diet. Or for a more concentrated dose of good bacteria, supplements are the way to go but keep in mind that capsules and powder form contain live bacteria that are very sensitive to temperature, so unless otherwise stated, store them in the fridge and avoid taking them with warm or hot foods.
Here are the best gut-friendly foods you should start putting on the menu:
Trust the Koreans to know what’s good for the health. Kimchi, a mildly spicy form of fermented cabbage, is a probiotic powerhouse. It is also a wonderful source of antioxidants, electrolytes, B vitamins and fiber.
A breakfast staple for many, yoghurt is a fermented milk product that is made from cow’s milk, soy milk, or nut milk. Look for the words “live and active cultures” on the container to ensure that the brand you’re buying packs a probiotic punch.
If you are lactose-intolerant but still want to reap the benefits of probiotics through food, try consuming more soy-based products. Soy naturally contains some probiotic benefits and contains non-dairy cultures.
Tempeh is mostly consumed in parts of Asia and is a kind of fermented soybean product. The fermentation process and the use of the whole soybeans gives tempeh a higher content of protein vitamins and minerals.
Sauerkraut is a predominantly German delicacy that consists of shredded cabbage that has been fermented. This fermentation process fosters the growth of probiotics, which keeps our insides happy and healthy.
Miso is another healthy fermented soybean product that this time originates from Japan. The biggest benefit of miso is that it’s brimming with beneficial, live probiotic cultures.
Soft cheeses are particularly ‘gut-tastic’ as they contain a number of good, gut-friendly bacteria. Look to buy cheese made from goat’s milk, sheep milk or raw cow’s milk.
This tangy yogurt-like beverage contains a wide variety of healthy gut bacteria because like most of the foods on this list it’s a fermented product. Look out for it the next time you visit a health food store in Singapore.