How to boost your good gut bacteria without taking a supplement

First of all, lets ask why is good bacteria important to our gut?

When the good bacteria is present, bad bacteria is less likely to attach to the gut wall. The more good bacteria is present, the better our digestion and immune systems will be and our overall health and wellbeing will be elevated.

Fermented foods.

These are the key to increasing the good bacteria in your gut. When something is fermented it produces beneficial bacteria which when ingested take up residency (the length of time they hang around is still unknown) in your gut. Why is this important? When the good bacteria is present bad bacteria is less likely to attach to the gut wall. The more good bacteria is present, the better our digestion and immune systems will be.

And where do we get fermented foods I hear you ask? Well, they are everywhere. Yogurt would have to be one of the most popular fermented foods. So incorporating yogurt into your diet is a great place to start. But keep in mind it would be more beneficial if it is low in sugar and organic where possible. Highly processed yogurt with lots of sugar added isn’t going to be of much benefice to your gut health, if any at all.

Then you have fermented veggies like your sauerkrauts and kimchi. Sauerkraut is fermented cabbage, which you would usually associate with having on a german sausage or the like. While Kimchi is a Korean side dish of fermented veggies with added herbs and spices, giving it a bit of a kick. Including these as a side to your evening meal or into salads is an easy way to get the good bugs in. You can also ferment almost any vegetable, so if the idea of kimchi or sauerkraut don't take your fancy then there are always other options!

Then we have drinks, things like kefir (water or milk based) and kombucha. Kefir, when in a milk base, is like a runny yogurt drink, but you can also make it into a dairy free, water based kefir. Eitehr or can be enjoyed daily as a way of increasing the beneficial bacteria.

Kombucha is a fermented tea drink, and now that you know what it is you will notice it everywhere, this is the new craze, just so you’re ahead of the game :)

Soy is another great one for fermenting. Tempeh and miso are fantastic sources of probiotics and if you do a lot of asian style cooking then you will find it easy to increase the use of these foods.

Pre-biotics

Pre-biotics are a relatively new concept. They are essentially food for the probiotics and help the probiotics to attach to the gaut wall. Pre-biotics are indigestible carbohydrates and can come in the form of fresh fruits and vegetables, herbs and whole grains.

As you may have noticed already, fermented and prebiotic foods don't mean you have to be including lots of strange foods into your diet (sure the sauerkraut is a little unusual but at the end of the day it is just cabbage). Eating a healthy balanced diet will ensure you are getting plenty of all of these things. And in turn you will have the happiest, healthiest gut going around!