A healthy gut is a vital factor that defines healthy wellbeing.
There are groups of good and bad bacteria living inside the intestine, fighting against each other to control your health. It creates a microbiome that is regulated by both of them. A balance is a must to keep the biome healthy.
If bad bacteria surpasses the count of good bacteria, then it can cause trouble to the health. This gut flora needs to be maintained, or it can become the root cause of many problems. These bacteria are the natural part of you, and the balance is sustained all by itself.
Sometimes, this balance is altered due to poor eating or lifestyle, but it can be restored naturally through probiotics.
What Are Probiotics?
Probiotics are natural live microorganisms that are generally found in fermented food. Probiotics have shown outstanding results in bringing down the number of bad bacterias in the gut.
When bad bacteria increase, they take up the nutrients and kill the good bacteria in the microflora. Probiotics are excellent in keeping up gut health by preserving the balance of the microbiome. If you have got an infection, it tells that some imbalance has taken place inside.
It’s a sign that the bad bacteria are taking over the control of your gut. Probiotics add up to the good bacteria to help them fight the bad ones. Good bacterias are found in the intestine, mouth, skin, urinary tract, and lungs.
The Working Of Probiotics
Probiotics help good bacteria strengthen the immune system and kill the bad bacteria found on the inner lining of the gut wall. Probiotics can support your health by:
- Improving the digestive system.
- Helping to sustain the balance and health of the microbiome.
- Assisting in the absorption of nutrition and medications.
- Maintaining the lining of the gut wall.
List Of Probiotic-Rich Foods
Probiotics are naturally available in the foods that you can add to your daily diet. They help by adding to the population of good bacteria and preventing ailments caused by poor gut health.
If you are searching for something that can assist you in maintaining good gut health along with weight loss, probiotics are for you.
Yogurt
Yogurt is produced from fermented milk. The fermentation activity of the lactobacillus and bifidobacterium makes it sour. Yogurt is a powerful source of probiotics.
Besides supporting gut health, it strengthens bones, treats diarrhea and blood pressure problems. Yogurt is a good alternative for people who are intolerant to lactose.
Sauerkraut
The fermentation of shredded cabbage with the live bacteria is known as sauerkraut. It is a fiber-probiotic-rich diet that is packed with antioxidants, vitamin K and Vitamin C.
The star ingredients of sauerkraut are cabbage and salt, kept for fermentation to increase its nutritional value. The bacterias that are present as a source of probiotics are leuconostoc mesenteroides and lactobacillus plantarum.
Kefir
The fermented milk that has a thinner consistency than yogurt is known as kefir. The bacteria responsible for the production of kefir are lactobacillus kefir, saccharomyces unispora, and saccharomyces cerevisiae.
Kefir is potent enough to protect the gut against bad bacteria and leverage the activity of the immune system. The fermented milk protects the blood cholesterol and sugar levels and protects against free radicals.
Tempeh
Tempeh is formed by the fermentation of soybeans and is popularly used as an alternative for high-protein meat. Tempeh works in favor of your health because it is lowered in phytic acid levels due to fermentation.
The fermented soybean with low phytic acid makes it a potent food that aids in mineral absorption.
Kimchi
Kimchi is a Korean side dish eaten along with other food and abundantly packed with probiotics. The main ingredient of kimchi is cabbage, vegetables seasoned with garlic, ginger, salt, and chili. It is rich in Vitamin K, Vitamin B2, and Iron.
The probiotic bacteria that make it beneficial to health are lactobacillus, leuconostoc, and bifidobacteria. It benefits blood glucose levels, improves metabolic rate, slows aging, lowers cholesterol and blood pressure.
Kombucha
The fermented tea is prepared by mixing green and black teas. The bacteria that intensify their nutritional content are lactobacilli, komagataeibacter, gluconobacter, and Lyngby. Kombucha has antifungal and antimicrobial properties, which are beneficial for maintaining good gut health.
Are Probiotics Safe?
Yes, probiotics are safe to use and can be taken as a part of the daily diet. As it is made up of the same bacterias present in your gut, they don’t harm your inner gut environment. People with severe health conditions are not recommended to take probiotics until prescribed by the doctor.
The Bottom Line
Just like a forest ecosystem, every individual has microflora thriving inside their bodies. Every human has a different microbiome trying to preserve its natural state.
Good bacteria are constantly fighting with the bad gut bacteria that can cause potential harm to your health. Probiotics in food or supplements can help prevent ailments by assisting the good bacteria.
Always use an unpasteurized probiotics source because the processed probiotics kill all the live bacteria, making them useless. The list of probiotic supplements and microorganisms normally found on www.healthcanal.com is best to start with.
Always look for live and active culture probiotics, anything processed is not recommended.