Probiotics: What are they and how to get more of them

Have you noticed a new refrigerated section in your grocery store with an enigmatic selection of jars, pots, and pills? You just might be looking at the probiotics selection.
This new major health trend is one that is unlikely to go away. That's because probiotics are in fact, essential to good health. According to Harvard Health Publications, certain types of live bacteria called probiotics, when consumed, can actively treat and prevent certain illnesses. They are most often recommended to combat irritable bowel syndrome and vaginal and urinary infections. But they can also help delay the development of allergies in children and support overall gastrointestinal health.
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WebMD explains probiotics work because they help balance the "good" and "bad" bacteria in the gut and keep things moving harmoniously.
So how do you incorporate these shamanistic bacteria into your diet?
Unless you are battling a chronic condition like inflammatory bowel disease or suffering through diarrhea due to an infection or antibiotic, and a doctor has prescribed or recommended a probiotic in pill form, you can get probiotics through diet. There's no need for that fancy refrigerated section.
Authority Nutrition remarks that yogurt is one of the best sources of probiotics. Many, but not all, yogurts contain probiotics. It is therefore important to check the brand you are purchasing contains active or live cultures. Activia, Yoplait Original, and Stoneyfield are three brands sold in most grocery stores which contain probiotics, according to Livestrong.
Another source of probiotics gaining traction in the American market is the fermented milk drink popular across the Caucasus known as kefir. According to Authority Nutrition, kefir is an even better source of probiotics than is yogurt.
You can also get probiotics through fermented foods such as sauerkraut and kimchi (both from cabbage), as well as miso, tempeh (both fermented soybeans), kombucha (fermented tea), and pickles (fermented cucumbers). So no matter what you're preferred cuisine, probiotics are easy to incorporate in your daily diet.
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RemedyDaily.com does not give medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.