On the list of healthy things you need, you’ve probably heard of ‘probiotics’ at some point or another. But did you know that these microorganisms are vital to your health? Keep reading for everything you need to know about probiotics and where you can get them from.
What are Probiotics?
Probiotics are simply live microorganisms that are naturally in your body, mainly in your gut. Though the term bacteria usually has a negative connotation to it, probiotics are actually “good bacteria,” as they offer several benefits when consumed.
Probiotics, on a larger scale, are a part of your microbiome. Your microbiome is simply several different organisms that collectively work together to keep you healthy. These organisms are composed of something called microbes, which are a combination of bacteria, fungi, viruses, and protozoa. So, this bacteria is an essential part of your microbiome and overall well being.
What Do Probiotics Do?
The main task of probiotics is to maintain your gut health and keep you healthy and well. In your body, there are constantly two types of bacteria: good bacteria and bad bacteria. In order to maintain your health, you have to maintain the proper balance of good and bad bacteria. However, when there is an increase in bad bacteria, causing you to get sick, the good bacteria (probiotics) helps to fight it off and restore balance and health.
Probiotics, along with other good bacteria, also do the following for your body:
- Help your digestive system
- Control inflammation
- Support immune function
- Prevent the influx of bad bacteria that makes you sick
- Help breakdown and absorb medications
- Support cells within your gut to stop bad bacteria from entering your blood
Overall, probiotics are crucial for your gut health and overall health. They maintain a healthy balance of bacteria to keep you, your gut, and your digestive system healthy. So, probiotics should definitely be a part of your diet!
Where to Get Probiotics From
Probiotics can be consumed through foods, drinks, and supplements.
Fermented foods, like yogurt and pickles, have lots of good bacteria in them. Other probiotic-rich foods are buttermilk, cottage cheese, sourdough bread, tempeh, and kimchi. As far as drinks go, Kombucha is a great beverage to introduce good bacteria into your body. Other drinks that contain probiotics are fermented dairy drinks or fermented teas.
Aside from foods and drinks, you can increase your intake of probiotics through dietary supplements. There are several great probiotic supplements on the market, but it is always important to consult with your healthcare provider before starting these supplements.
Another Way to Help Your Microbiome
In addition to making sure you consume probiotics, there is also another way to better your microbiome and promote gut health: organic eating! Organic eating helps your microbiome by improving the balance of good and bad bacteria. In other words, simply eating organic foods can help bring about some of the benefits of probiotics. So, it’s important to not just consume foods with probiotics in them or take supplements, but actually eat organically, too.
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