The Benefit of Probiotic Foods
There are a lot of recent studies revealing the benefits of incorporating probiotic foods into our diets. Specifically, probiotics support our gut health, which appears to impact a myriad of other health cascades in the body. Our intestines host many microorganisms, or bugs, that populate our digestive tract to form what we call the gut microbiome. Most of these microbes are symbiotic, or beneficial for both the microbe and the overall human body; however, some microbes promote disease.
In a healthy individual, the beneficial gut microbes far outweigh the detrimental ones. In fact, the good bacteria will literally crowd-out the bad bacteria. It’s like a battle for real estate in the intestines – most of the time, the good microbes win. A disturbance in that balance, however, will result in dysbiosis, increasing the risk of illness. In some cases, this is an acute illness. Yet a number of studies are revealing that a dysbiosis, or imbalance, of good versus bad gut microbes can impact a number of other health processes, including a propensity towards body fat creation, decreased insulin sensitivity and poor blood sugar management, increased cholesterol levels, and even mental health concerns, such as anxiety and depression.
Microbes are living organisms. As such, they actually require food to stay alive and healthy. This means that when we feed ourselves, we are sometimes also feeding our gut. The gut microbiome thrives off of prebiotic foods, including carbohydrate fibers that our body cannot digest. When these fibers reach the lower intestines, they actually ferment and produce short-chain fatty acids, which the microbes can consume. Therefore, eating a diet rich in fibrous foods, including whole grains, fruits, vegetables and legumes can support the health of your gut!
What’s more, probiotic foods themselves contain live microorganisms that also benefit the gut when consumed. These microorganisms tend not to colonize the gut microbiome permanently, but they appear to have a positive impact on the health of the existing flora. Additionally, when the health of the gut has been compromised (say, after antibiotic treatment), probiotics appear to have a sizable effect on restoring the state of the gut.
Due to the relationship between your gut and your brain (known as the “gut-brain axis”), eating probiotics can actually have an impact on your mood and overall mental health. In some cases, eating probiotic foods can help to alleviate symptoms of stress, anxiety, depression and poor moods.
Probiotic foods include yogurt with live active cultures, sauerkraut (fermented cabbage), kefir (fermented milk drink), kimchi (fermented vegetables), tempeh (fermented soybean), miso (a fermented soybean product), kombucha (fermented tea), pickles, and cheeses with live active cultures, such as cottage cheese, cheddar, or mozzarella.
Incorporating probiotic foods into your diet on a regular basis is a great way to positively impact your gut microbiome and, therefore, your overall health! Try adding sauerkraut to a sandwich or salad, using kefir in smoothies, topping rice bowls with kimchi, or enjoying yogurt (with live active cultures) as a parfait with granola and berries.
If you would like to learn more about dietary patterns that support a healthy gut and an overall healthy body, consider working with me! Schedule a FREE discovery call here.