There is a close relationship between gut flora and health. There are more than 500 known species of bacteria that are part of the microflora, which is about 95% of the total cell count in the human body. These are the “good bacteria” called Probiotics. These bacteria play a significant role in promoting resistance against infectious diseases and support overall health.

How do probiotics support health?

Probiotics have various roles in the body. Some of them include helping in the digestion of food, restoring the balance in the body’s natural microflora, help in fighting infections, reducing inflammation, help in the production of vitamin K, complement the role of various missing enzymes (because of absence or defect in the specific gene), maintaining the pH, and fermenting indigestible residues.

In the case of infection, there is an elevated number of “bad bacteria” in the body, disturbing the healthy microflora balance. The probiotics help to eliminate these bad bacteria from the body thus, restoring the balance. Other than infection several factors can lead to this disturbance, it includes compromised diet, low physical activity, elevated stress levels, various environmental toxins, and some medical practices (e.g. antibiotic usage or surgery) that can potentially cause an array of problems, such as diarrhea, chronic constipation, and irritable bowel syndrome.

Get Probiotics from Diet

You can enhance your natural probiotic count in the body by adding fermented foods to your daily diet. These foods undergo the process of Lacto-fermentation in which specific bacteria (e.g. Lactobacillus genus), as well as some yeasts, break down the sugar and starch and produce lactic acid as the end-product.

There is a variety of fermented foods that can be easily added to the meals and enjoyed in a variety of ways. Some of the fermented foods are mentioned here to get you started.

Yogurt: It is rich in probiotics especially plain Greek yogurt. It can be made at home using fresh milk or bought from the grocery store. Opt for the one which says “live and active culture” on the label when choosing a packed one. You can consume it in raw form in breakfast, make a smoothie or add it to your salad.

Cheese: We all love cheese! don’t we? Most of the types of cheese are fermented but that does not mean that all of them contain probiotics. Aged traditional cheddar cheese, Gouda, Swiss, Gruyère, and cottage cheese are some that are probiotic-rich.

Kefir: It is a combination drink of bacteria and yeast fermentation, forming kefir grains. It has a thinner consistency than that of yogurt.

Sauerkraut: It is thinly sliced fermented cabbage, made by salting the cabbage for 1-2 days.

Kombucha: It is a fermented slightly fizzy drink made from tea leaves. It is a great probiotic as well as a rich source of antioxidants.

Kimchi: It is similar to saurkraut. It is a combination of vegetables which are salted, seasoned, and fermented.

Tempeh: It is made by fermenting soybeans using a mold. It is a nutritious and great plant-source of protein which is also easy to digest.

_{Note: This article is for educational purposes. If you have a medical condition then consult a medical practitioner before you start any new health regime.}