A healthy and happy digestive system is not only great for your stomach, but for your general health and wellbeing too.
Probiotics are live micro-organisms that help digest food and also help destroy disease-causing cells and produce vitamins that the entire body can benefit from. Probiotics are generally referred to as good bacteria that works to eliminate toxins from the digestive system.
While supplements are a popular way to add probiotics to your diet, doctors recommend getting them naturally.
Wichita Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing has a look at four ways to boost your probiotic intake naturally.
- Yogurt
This is the one that everyone associates with good bacteria, but you need to get the right yogurt. This will usually depend on the brand, and some brands may market certain varieties with more probiotics than others. One trick is to look for the phrase “live and active cultures” on the label. Greek yogurt also tends to have more probiotics, as does cultured cottage cheese.
- Fresh Sauerkraut
You want to find sauerkraut that’s fresh and refrigerated. They can often be found in the deli area or near dairy products in most supermarkets. Canned or jarred sauerkraut is pasteurized and doesn’t have any probiotics.
- Pickles
Again, look for pickles that have no added preservatives. Any fermented food will naturally have probiotics, but beer and wine do not because they undergo processes that destroy the probiotics. Kombucha is one, however, that retains the probiotics.
- Sourdough Bread
You may not realize it, but sourdough bread is fermented, so it is a good source of probiotics that you may not have realized. Sourdough bread can be a good substitute for white bread if you’re looking for a healthier option and multigrain isn’t available.
To learn more about Wichita Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing and all of the services they offer, visit http://wichita-center.facilities.centershealthcare.org.
