Incorporate probiotics into your everyday routine with apple cider vinegar. “Apple cider vinegar is a probiotic food that is created through a lengthy fermentation process,” says functional gut health nutritionist and Savvy Stummy, LLC founder Paulina Lee, MSHS, RD, LD. Live bacteria in unfiltered or raw apple cider vinegar may improve gut health, blood sugar control, and cholesterol.
Lee: “Buttermilk is a fermented dairy product or more specifically a yogurt-based drink with live cultures of lactic acid bacteria.” Buttermilk contains lactic acid bacteria, a probiotic that helps your gut and immune system digest and absorb nutrients.
Cheeses like cottage cheese include probiotics. The Cleveland Clinic states, “The curdling process used to produce cottage cheese adds beneficial bacteria that can promote better gut health.” Check the label for active and living cultures to verify your cottage cheese has probiotics.
Lee says Greek yogurt is fermented milk with probiotics like lactic acid bacteria or bifidobacteria. Greek yogurt contains Lactobacillus acidophilus and Lactobacillus casei, which boost gut bacteria and digestion. Greek yogurt is abundant in protein, so eat it to get more.
Milk kefir and other fermented foods contain probiotics. Kefir, like other foods with probiotics and postbiotics, improves gut health and provides other health benefits, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Add to smoothies or drink alone with Lifeway kefir.
Kimchi, a famous Korean side dish, is made from fermented cabbage or radishes. It commonly has garlic, ginger, red chili pepper flakes, salt, and scallions. It's tasty and contains probiotics from fermentation.
Black or green tea gets fermented into kombucha. The drink is bubbly, delicious, and sometimes sour. Fermented foods like kombucha contain probiotics, says the Cleveland Clinic. “Kombucha can really help feed and increase that good, healthy gut bacteria, which can help decrease any bad bacteria,” says the Cleveland Clinic.
Japanese cuisine uses miso, a fermented soybean paste produced with salt and koji, a fungus. Lee claims that miso, a probiotic fungus, has significant anti-H Pylori action, highly active enzymes, and may aid with constipation and irritable bowel disorders. The last time you ordered sushi, you may have eaten miso soup, which is salty. Miso paste and stock make a tasty soup.
Lee explains natto, like tempeh, is soybeans fermented with Bacillus bacteria, which creates enzymes, vitamin K2, and gut microbiota metabolism. Natto goes well with rice or bread.
The Cleveland Clinic says organically fermented pickles and their juice include probiotics. However, organically fermented pickles are essential, so don't buy them from the supermarket. Look for probiotic pickles in the fridge.