Foods to Eat If You Need Probiotics But Dislike Yogurt
What are probiotics?
Probiotics are the live bacteria found in many fermented drinks or foods such as kombucha or yogurt. The most common is from the Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus groups, and consuming them in plentiful amounts provides many health benefits, like balancing the bad and good bacterial species found in the gut.
Probiotics are good bacteria because they help keep the gut healthy. Often times people choose to take probiotic supplements to make sure they are keeping up the population of good bacteria and because they have to compete with the 1,000 other bacteria species in your gut.
How do they work?
Healthy bacteria populate the gut lining, and other body areas, like skin, to protect it from harmful bacteria and viruses, keep tissue intact and strong, and boost the absorption of nutrients from food.
Without probiotics, the integrity of our gut lining can become compromised, allowing harmful bacteria and viruses to take root. Harmful bacteria and viruses can induce inflammatory conditions in our gut and lead to more systemic inflammation later. The ultimate result may be a greater risk of disease, poor digestion, nutrient deficiencies, and chronic infections.
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The benefits of probiotic supplements
Improved gut function
The main job of probiotics is to fight bad bacteria and viruses in the gut that can lead to gut dysfunction and disease. They help digest and utilize nutrients in food while promoting smooth digestion by helping to maintain the gut lining and barrier. These protective effects ultimately lead to a more efficient digestive system, including less to no gas or bloating, reduced diarrhea, regular bowel movements, and general digestive comfort with meals and snacks.
Healthier skin
Probiotics also have aesthetic benefits which include reduced eczema and dermatitis. Infants and toddlers who supplement with probiotics may experience fewer incidences of eczema rashes, while probiotics may help reduce the inflammatory response to cow's milk that often leads to eczema and dermatitis. Our skin is also naturally covered in good bacteria, and any imbalance or disruption of good bacteria on the skin can lead to eczema, rashes, acne, and rosacea. Supplementing with probiotics or eating them in fermented foods may help reduce occurrences of these skin conditions.
Improved immunity
Probiotics boost immune cells throughout the body, including immunoglobulin-A cells, T-lymphocytes, and natural killer cells. These powerful immune cells fight disease and infection. Probiotics, when sufficiently populated throughout the body, help prevent harmful bacteria from taking root in our digestive tract, on our skin, and in our tissues, reducing the risk of infection.
WHO SHOULD BE TAKING A PROBIOTIC
While probiotic supplement research is still underway, research shows that probiotic supplements show promise in treating or preventing many following conditions, including high blood pressure, lactose intolerance, constipation, yeast infections, irritable bowel syndrome, type 2 diabetes, colitis, and colon cancer, Sonpal maintains. And they have been found safe and effective for all ages.
Foods other than yogurt that contain probiotics
While yogurt is one of the best sources of probiotics for your body, it may not be for everyone. Whether you are not a yogurt enthusiast or you are just looking to switch things up, there are other foods out there that have just as much probiotics as yogurt. A lot of these foods come in various flavors and textures, so even the picky eaters are likely to find something to their liking. The following are other foods that also serve up a good dose of good bacteria.
Kefir
This yogurtlike drink has a tart flavor, but the difference with kefir lies in the types of bacteria present, as well as slight variations in flavor and texture. Where yogurt is thick and creamy, kefir is usually a liquid consistency, so you can drink it as such. It's also more tart than yogurt, thanks to the fermentation process and the presence of yeast. The beverage is usually made with dairy milk, but also comes in non-dairy alternatives, like coconut water, coconut milk, and rice milk. Kefir contains more bacterial strains than yogurt and remains viable in the digestive system. It also comes in fruit and vegetable flavors, or you can add flavors yourself like cinnamon, vanilla, and pumpkin spice. It is also an excellent base for smoothies.
Kimchi
Kimchi is a traditional Korean side dish made from fermented vegetables—think cabbages and radishes—that have been flavored with ginger, chili powder, or other spices, herbs, and garnishes. It's healthy, it tastes amazing, and it diversifies the good bacteria in your gut. By the way, if you're sensing a fermented food theme thus far, you're not wrong. The fermentation process requires live microorganisms - bacteria - for food to change.
That's why so many of the same foods fall in both the fermented and probiotic categories. It’s often served alone or mixed with rice or noodles. You can also add it to scrambled eggs or on top of potatoes. You can find it at most grocery stores or Asian markets.
Miso
Miso is a traditional Japanese food made from fermented soybeans with rice or barley and salt. While this is certainly a probiotic-rich option, he says variety is the most important, not necessarily the quantity. Different foods have different compositions of bacterial strains and different amounts. Everyone is deficient in different types of good bacteria, so it is hard to say which is best. But the most important thing is diversity.
You want as many different and varied good bacteria, and the way to achieve this is with different and varied good sources of probiotics. It has a strong, salty flavor, and a little goes a long way. Use it as a dipping sauce, spread over your toast, or add it to marinades for fish, meats, and vegetables.
Pickles
Pickles are another great source of probiotics, but there's a catch. It can't be just any kind of pickles—the way they are brined is the most important factor in ensuring high probiotic levels. When pickles are made with vinegar brine, the growth of good bacteria is halted. Instead, you want to eat pickles submerged in saltwater brine because the saltwater won't inhibit any bacteria growth. So look for brands brined in water and sea salt instead of vinegar.
Kombucha
Kombucha is a fermented black or green tea that often has other natural flavorings, so aside from the probiotics inside, it also offers the health benefits of tea. However try not to drink kombucha too often or in too large of quantities because certain brands and blends contain added sugars. Sugar is not good for your gut health or your general health, so avoiding consuming too much of it is key. So check the label and avoid anything with more than 5 grams of sugar per serving.
Sauerkraut
Sauerkraut is pickled cabbage and may be an acquired taste. (I am a fan thanks to my German-born grandmother, who made me Reuben sandwiches as a kid.) Use it as a hot dog topper, mix it into salads, or combine it with your regular side vegetables. Always choose raw or non-pasteurized sauerkraut. It contains more probiotics than commercial sauerkraut, which loses much of its bacteria from pasteurization.
Tempeh
Tempeh is a cake made from fermented soybeans, with a firmer texture than tofu. It is a popular meat substitute — try it as a veggie burger patty, or add to pasta sauce. Tempeh often comes precooked and ready to eat, but some brands may need cooking
How to add probiotics to your diet
Take it in a supplement form
An easy way to add probiotics to your diet is to take daily supplements. Probiotic supplements vary in strains and number of bacteria, depending on their target condition.
Eat fermented foods
Eating fermented foods can help increase intake of natural bacteria. These foods include fermented veggies, kefir, and kombucha. Fermented foods largely contain bifidobacterium and lactobacillus strains of bacteria, which benefit IBS, immunity, cholesterol, and mental health.
Boost your fiber intake
Adding fibrous foods can help feed and grow probiotics in number and variety. Fiber serves as a prebiotic for probiotics, which means it provides the fuel for probiotics to increase. Aiming for about 25 grams of fiber from veggies, fruits, whole grains, root vegetables, and legumes is a great way to also naturally boost the number and variety of probiotics in your gut.
Lifestyles that would benefit from probiotics
While anyone can benefit from probiotics, there are certain lifestyles that would greatly benefit from it. Once you recognize that you fall within one of these lifestyles, you can begin your experience and be one step closer to a healthy lifestyle. However if you don’t relate with one of these lifestyles, you might find that you could still benefit from incorporating more probiotics into your diet.
IBS
Those who suffer from IBS, or irritable bowel syndrome, are more likely to benefit from daily probiotic intake. Someone who has IBS might find that they have a hard time keeping their gut healthy, and that they are having IBS ‘attacks’ more frequently than they would like. They might also be following a low-FODMAP diet but are failing to incorporate foods with probiotics. This type of lifestyle would greatly benefit from probiotics because it will provide gut health needed to tackle IBS while staying on the low-FODMAP side of things
what can be done
If you suffer from IBS and are following a low-FODMAP diet, than odds are you can’t have yogurt. But the good thing is that there are a ton of other foods that contain probiotics that you can have. If you are nervous about starting with solid food first, try a glass of Kombucha once or twice a week.
Poor food intake
Those who have poor food intake, or who eat here and there but never real meals, are more likely to benefit from daily probiotic intake. Someone who has poor food intake might have small snacks throughout the day without ever having a real meal. They might also constitute having a bag of chips as being a sufficient enough meal. This type of lifestyle would greatly benefit from probiotics because it will provide them with the nutrients they need in order to live their best healthy lifestyle.
what can be done
If you have poor food intake and are looking to add more probiotics into your diet other than yogurt, try snacking on pickles or tempeh. While you will want to work yourself up to eating square meals again, it may be challenging to jump right into it. So try snacking on those probiotics rich foods first.
Picky eaters
Those who are picky eaters, or who find that they can only eat certain things due to a limited taste pallet, are more likely to benefit from daily probiotic intake. Someone who is a picky eater might have a hard time trying new things are may limit themselves to foods that they ate during their childhood. They might also be eating foods that have little to no nutrients in them or foods that all contain the same nutrient. This type of lifestyle would greatly benefit from probiotics because it would introduce new nutrients and foods that this lifestyle might find good.
what can be done
If you find that you are a picky eater and are looking to add more probiotics into your diet other than yogurt, try the foods that have the most similar texture and look to the foods that you are used to eating. The similar texture might make it easier to try something new. So if you find that you eat a lot of peanut butter, try swapping in miso as an alternative.
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Probiotics are generally beneficial for boosting gut health, immunity, heart health, mental health, and skin health. And they have very few drawbacks. Additionally, achieving healthy probiotic intake through the foods and supplements that contain the right strains for you may be best for variety and sustainability. However there are foods other than yogurt that can provide you with the probiotics you are seeking.
Extra probiotics tips
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While it's possible to get all of our probiotic needs from our diet, supplements can help. Just be sure you're taking a probiotic and not a prebiotic.
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Our skin can also majorly benefit from regular probiotic consumption, so regularly consuming probiotics has been shown to lessen acne and eczema.
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Aside from bolstering our digestive health, these healthy strains of bacteria play a role in boosting our mood, mental health, and metabolism.
