With an insane amount of us (at least 50%) experiencing gut pain or other gut problems, it poses many of us with the question: what to do if I have digestive problems? While there are many solutions to poor gut health, one of the most important is probiotic consumption.

You have undoubtedly heard of probiotics, but you may wonder, ‘what are probiotics?’. Well, you have come to the right place as we delve into what probiotics are and more importantly, where you can get them!

What are probiotics?

Believe it or not, probiotics are living bacteria! Probiotics are various microorganisms that are naturally found living in your body. While these bacteria can be found in multiple places in the body, they are usually found in your gut or digestive tract.

When people think of bacteria, often there are negative connotations associated with the word, and people assume that they will make them sick. However, probiotics are “good bacteria” that do wonders for our health.

What is the best probiotic for gut health?

While there are various kinds of probiotics, the two most common and beneficial bacteria for gut health are the Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium families. Besides bacteria, you can also find certain kinds of yeast that can benefit the body, Saccharomyces being the most common.

Lactobacillus rhamnosus

Lactobacillus rhamnosus has been shown to maintain/support digestive system health. Bifidobacterium can help restore friendly gut flora after antibiotic use. You can find lactobacillus rhamnosus in the Daily Probiotic supplement from Vitable.

Saccharomyces boulardii

Saccharomyces boulardii, on the other hand, helps alleviate the symptoms of medically diagnosed irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). You can find saccharomyces boulardii in the Probiotics SB supplement.

How do probiotics help the gut?

Every now and then, our gut takes a bit of a beating. Bouts of bad eating habits, infections, or the use of antibiotics can all interfere with the delicate balance of good and bad bacteria in our gut. While we always strive for a well balanced diet and gut microbiome, that isn't always possible and probiotics can assist in replenishing digestive balance, maintaining intestinal health, and replenishing digestive flora.

In addition, probiotics are great in preventing and reducing gastro-intestinal illnesses. They do this by keeping in check the bad bacteria that seek to do our bodies harm.

Besides this, they also help our bodies digest the food that we eat to help keep our overall health.

Foods with probiotics

Considering the importance of probiotics in gut health, here are some good sources of probiotics that you can opt for to support gut health:

Yogurt

Yogurt is considered to be one of the best sources of probiotics. Made by fermenting milk, yogurt has tonnes of good bacteria that can support your gut health.

Kefir

Much like yogurt, kefir is made from fermented milk. Kefir carries a combination of yeast and bacteria. It contains a more diverse selection of yeast and bacteria compared to yogurt. Kefir is a great source of probiotics.

Sauerkraut

Sauerkraut is pickled cabbage. It is common in Europe, where it is the traditional dish of many countries. Often used as a side dish, sauerkraut is a great choice since it contains other nutrients and minerals besides probiotics.

Tempeh

Tempeh is made from fermented soy beans. It has gained popularity because it is commonly used as a substitute for meat in vegetarian diets.

Kimchi

Kimchi is a popular traditional side dish from South Korea. Much like sauerkraut, kimchi is made from fermented cabbages. However, you can also make kimchi from other vegetables, not just cabbages. Kimchi contains good amounts of lactic acid bacteria as well as minerals and nutrients from the cabbages.

Kombucha

Kombucha is a black or green tea drink fermented by a colony of bacteria and yeast. While more research is needed to confirm other potential benefits of kombucha, it’s production process at least means that it is a source of probiotics.

Pickles

Pickles are usually cucumbers that are made to ferment by their own juices. Pickled cucumbers are great sources of probiotics for gut health.

Probiotic supplements

Sometimes we cannot get all the probiotics we need from diet alone. In this case, it might be worth considering taking supplements so that we can still receive a sufficient amount of probiotics for gut health.

Vitable’s Probiotic contains a blend of L. Rhamnosus, B. Lactis and Saccharomyces Boulardii. This combination of good microorganisms are great for supporting healthy digestive function and relieve symptoms of medically diagnosed Irritable Bowel Syndrome.   

Particularly, Saccharomyces Boulardii helps restore intestinal friendly flora. This yeast probiotic has been shown to support good bacteria after antibiotic use.

Consult with your doctor so you have a better idea of what will work best for you and your current health.

A healthy gut is essential to a healthy life. But in a fast-paced world, taking the time to make sure we’re getting all the vitamins and minerals we need might be time-consuming and costly. Good thing Vitable Australia’s vitamin subscription and vitamin delivery service makes all of this hassle-free. Sign up now to receive your custom supplements to support gut health and beyond.

Find out more about other supplements that can support digestion:

Zinc | Probiotics SB | Daily Probiotics | Curcumin