Foods That Contain Probiotics and Probiotic Drinks are Beneficial for Health

Enjoying foods that contain probiotics and probiotic drinks are two delicious ways to add these beneficial bacteria to your diet.

Most often probiotic-containing foods are those that are fermented, usually using traditional fermentation methods.

Here is a list of common foods that contain probiotics:

Yogurt – Yogurt is full of beneficial and friendly bacteria. Some types of yogurt have added probiotics. When buying yogurt, make sure the container specifies that it contain “live and active” cultures.

Kefir – The health benefits of kefir make this an ideal example of foods that contain probiotics. Kefir is a fermented drink that uses a kefir starter or grains to make the final product. It is usually made with milk, but can also be used with other liquids including fruit juices or fresh coconut milk. Milk kefir is similar to yogurt but with probiotics from both bacteria and yeasts. It has smaller curds than yogurt and is easier to digest.

Here is a picture of kefir grains being removed from the finished kefir.

Buttermilk – Buttermilk is a natural and tangy food containing beneficial bacteria and is a tasty probiotic drink.

Kombucha – Kombucha tea is a fermented drink made with probiotics yeasts. The culture to make kombucha has the acronym SCOBY that stands for "Symbiotic Colony of Bacteria and Yeast.” This tea is used mainly for its purported medicinal effects. To date, there have been no scientific studies done on the medical benefits of drinking kombucha regularly. However, kombucha enthusiasts report such benefits as higher energy levels, better skin texture, increased eyesight and better digestion.

For more information on how to make delicious kombucha check out how this Texas family makes it. Here is a picture of a kombucha culture (SCOBY) tea fermenting tea in a jar.

Tempeh – This is a fermented soy product from soybeans. Unlike tofu, tempeh is fermented and a mold forms, which not only holds the soybeans together, but also, is rich in probiotics. This is a good meat alternative and a vegetarian source of vitamin B12.
Sauerkraut – Sauerkraut is cabbage that has been fermented. Fresh cabbage, full of beneficial fiber, is finely chopped and then allowed to ferment without the use of heat. Probiotics grow and multiply during the fermentation process. Because of the probiotics, fermented cabbage may be even more nutritious than fresh cabbage. Eat the sauerkraut raw (uncooked) to get the most probiotics benefits.

Kimchi – Similar to sauerkraut, but having mores spices and/or sugar, kimchi is a traditional fermented Korean cabbage dish. The probiotic benefits of kimchi is that it contains beneficial lactic acid bacteria.

Miso – Miso is a traditional Japanese seasoning made by fermenting soybeans usually with rice or barley. This seasoning is also a good source of the probiotic Lactobacillus acidophilus.

Here is a picture of a jar of commercial barley miso.

Brewer’s Yeast – This yeast is a by-product of beer making. It is highly nutritious and is a concentrated source of B-vitamins and other nutrients, perhaps including probiotic bacteria. While Brewer’s yeast is rich in vitamin nutrients, the low occurrence of helpful bacteria does not make it one of the best examples of foods that contain probiotics.

Probiotic Supplements

An alternative to eating foods that contain probiotics while still adding these helpful “bugs” to your diet are probiotic supplements.

My personal recommendation is a product called Probiotics 12 Plus. This product contains 12 different strains of live and friendly bacteria. It also contains live vitamins, minerals and amino acids. According to clinical studies this product has been proven to both eliminate harmful bacteria from the colon and remove toxins. It also protects against the invading harmful bacteria and viruses.

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