Probiotic foods are causing a real revolution. Years ago the great population was unaware of the properties and benefits of these foods, but today we know that they have the ability to significantly improve our health.
Probiotics help us to improve our intestinal health, and in turn, the health of our entire body.. The intestinal flora has a very high impact on the overall well-being of the person. Thinking about the ones you can surely find in your market, we have prepared a list of the 8 most recommended probiotic foods to buy.
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What are probiotic foods?
Probiotic foods have in their interior live microorganisms of a type and in quantities that benefit our health.. The capacity of adaptation that these microorganisms show to live inside our organism is amazing. Specifically, they have adapted to live inside the intestine, where they live in conditions to which they have adapted very well.
In order to go from living in the probiotic food in question to our body, obviously, we have to eat them. So they make a journey through the digestive system from the time we swallow them by mouth until they arrive in the intestine.
When we have this type of microorganisms in the intestine, their metabolic action benefits us. They reinforce our defenses and compete against other pathogenic microorganisms so that they cannot stay there. In addition, they improve the digestive pH, the absorption of nutrients, and promote the synthesis of important neurotransmitters such as serotonin.
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Top 8 probiotic foods that are recommended to buy and consume.
Given the great benefits that probiotics have for our health, our advice is that in each weekly shopping we add one of these foods. It is especially recommended in the case of people who suffer from intestinal problems, as these living beings help us to have a better gastrointestinal health.
Below we will find the most recommended probiotic foods that can be found in the market. Some of them are just beginning to be known in our gastronomy, since a significant part of the most interesting probiotics come from Asian countries. Here we have added the most relevant ones.
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1. Cheese
Some cheeses are excellent probiotic foods because they contain these microorganisms.but not all cheeses are. It is important to check labels to see if they contain cultures of these microorganisms and if they are active.
Cheese is obtained from the fermentation of milk, but in some cases the milk is pasteurized and the potential probiotic properties may be lost.
In this case, the bacteria survive the aging of different cheeses, among which cheddar, Gouda, mozzarella and cottage cheese stand out.
Yogurt
Yogurt is another food that is obtained from fermented milk and is one of the most popular and recognized foods.. The bacteria that allow it to be so are lactobacillus, streptococcus and bifidobacfterias, which give all the probiotic properties to yogurt.
But as in the previous case, not all yogurts contain live microorganisms; we have to make sure that the food has been pasteurized. The food industry uses this technique to extend the life of the product, but we must buy yogurts that are not pasteurized to enjoy the probiotic virtues of the product.
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3. Kefir
Kefir is another probiotic food made from fermented milk, originating in the Caucasus area.. It is less known in our culture than the two previous cases, but we could say that it is a type of yogurt that uses other strains of microorganisms in the fermentation process.
This makes that taking this other food we obtain other types of microorganisms and the variety is richness. Unlike the two previous cases, it is not common to find it pasteurized, so we should not worry about this issue.
4. Tempeh
Tempeh is a product obtained by fermenting soybeans.. Its origin is in Indonesia, but it has become very popular all over the world and can be found in any country. Part of its popularity is because it has been postulated as one of the substitutes for meat due to its high protein content.
Soy fermentation is carried out by microorganisms that are probiotic. In addition, it is interesting that they provide vitamin B12 to the food, because it is a vitamin that is normally only found in animal products. Vegetarians find it very interesting because they can guarantee their intake through foods like this one.
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5. Sauerkraut
To make sauerkraut, white cabbage is fermented with added sugars and consumed by lactobacilli and bifidobacteria.. It is widely consumed in Germany and other countries of Northern and Eastern Europe.
These microorganisms carry out their metabolism in the cabbage through lactic fermentation, giving rise to this unique and healthy food. Sauerkraut is becoming more and more known outside the orbit of these countries and can be found in any large supermarket.
6. Miso
Miso comes from Japanese cuisine and is a condiment increasingly known for its probiotic properties.. It is obtained from the fermentation of soybean through a fungus called koji. Salt is always added, and sometimes we can find it presented with other ingredients such as rye, barley or rice.
In Japan it is widely used to accompany breakfasts, and there are different varieties. It is appreciated for its taste and its probiotic properties, besides being an important source of vitamin K, present in few foods.
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7. Kombucha
Kombucha is a drink that has its origins in China, but is widely consumed in countries such as Japan and Korea.. It is black tea with added sugar fermented through a fungus. It is acquiring much notoriety in recent times thanks to the great probiotic action of its bacteria and fungi.
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8. Pickles
Pickles and other vegetables can also have probiotic properties.. Pickled for a while in water, vinegar and salt, they are left to ferment for a while so that bacteria from the fermentations colonize the mixture.
These bacteria are a perfect probiotic source for our body, being pickled vegetables one more alternative to take probiotic foods. They are also a remarkable source of vitamin K.
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Bibliographic references.
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Davidson, J. and Alan, T. (2014). Koji. The Oxford Companion to Food (3 ed.). Oxford University Press.
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Doron, S, and Snydman, D.R. (2015). Risk and safety of probiotics». Clin Infect Dis, 60 (2), 129-134.
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Rijkers, G.T., de Vos, W.M., Brummer, R.J., Morelli, L., Corthier, G. y Marteau, P. (2011). Health benefits and health claims of probiotics: bridging science and marketing. Br J Nutr, 106 (9), 1291-1296.
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Robinson, R.K. (2000). Encyclopedia of Food Microbiology, Volumes 1–3. Elsevier.
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Shurtleff, W. y Akiko A. (1985). The book of tempeh. New York: Colophon Books.