If you ever wondered about probiotics or how to get them then this should help!
Probiotics in Food:
Yogurt is the most common food that contains natural sources of probiotic. It is often recommended that yogurt be eaten when you are taking a course of antibiotics, or even when you get upset stomach (traveler’s diarrhea) because it can help with stomach issues.
Other fermented foods are a good source for naturally occurring probiotic cultures. These include sauerkraut, soft fermented cheeses (gouda), sourdough bread, and even some fermented soybean pastes.
Any food that undergoes the fermenting process will contain healthy bacterial cultures.
Often times you need a higher dose of probiotic to get the desired health benefits.
Research suggests taking a supplement with 1 billion to 10 billion colony-forming units (CFU) of probiotics.
Supplements vs food:
Getting probiotics from both food and supplements is a good practice!
Food is important for a healthy lifestyle, diet, and to help combat side effects of other medications. Remember that food sources of probiotics may not have as many live cultures as described (they die and become useless), and may have a decreased shelf life (quality and potency decrease with time). So always eat fresh food! Try to eat 2-5 servings a week.
Supplements are an easy way to get a regular dose of extra probiotics daily. This will help regulate the digestive system in the long term. Dosage depends on what kind of support your body needs. For adults 1-10 billion CFU’s has been suggested to be beneficial in some research. Others suggest working up to taking a dose anywhere between 15-20 billion CFU’s.
More Health Related Information:
This information is for educational purposes only. Seek the advice of a health specialist before making any changes to your healthcare.