Continuing on my gut health series. Recall that PREbiotics are the foods that feed the good bactera (see recent post). PRObiotics are foods that actually CONTAIN the good bacteria. As we have been discussing -- gut health is so critical for our entire health. Our gut is our second brain and we want our good bacteria to be thriving. I wanted to touch on some fermented foods that you can weave into your daily life.
Fermented foods are incredible! If you do get sick, regularly consuming probiotic-rich foods may help you recover faster and some studies show that probiotics could reduce your chance of needing antibiotics by around 33%.
Additionally, while your mood can affect what you eat, the reverse is also thought to be true. What you eat can and does affect your mood and brain function. Research is discovering a very close and complex connection between your gut and brain.
It turns out the type of bacteria present in your gut may have the ability to send messages to your brain, influencing the way it functions and perceives the world.
Wild! The brain is also connected to the intestines through your gut microbes. Molecules that they produce can act as signals that the brain can detect.
PROBIOTIC CONTAINING FOODS:
kimchi
kombucha
miso
pickles
organic grass-fed yogurt
sauerkraut
Let's dig a into SAUERKRAUT. I am obsessed with this super food. It is finely shredded cabbage that has been fermented by lactic acid bacteria. Just 1 cup of sauerkraut contains around 3 billion CFUs (colony forming units). Additionally, our guts benefit from different probiotic strains. One serving may contain up to 28 distinct bacterial strains. Sauerkraut also has other benefits, like being rich in fiber as well as vitamins C, B and K. Make sure to choose unpasteurized sauerkraut, since pasteurization kills the live and active bacteria.
Generally speaking - foods containing probiotics are associated with reduced stress and maintenance of brain health. Probiotics have been found to help improve memory and lower symptoms of anxiety, depression, autism and even OCD. This is theoretically due to the probiotic's impact on the gut -- and the gut/brain connection.
Probiotics may also maintain brain health by increasing your gut's absorption of mood-regulating minerals, including magnesium and zinc.
It's easy to add this to your whole health life!
One of my favorite ways to start my day is with roasted veggies + kale + eggs + sauerkraut. I also add it on top of my salads and soups or just as a side to a meal. I'm not against supplementing as well, but using food as medicine is powerful (and delicious!).
Are you on the sauerkraut super food train?
What is your fav probiotic containing food?
References:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3904694/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24780623 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21901706 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12788716 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3904694/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27413138 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25862297
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27413138 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24891972 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25430686 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23981066/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19246412 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4058509/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3904694/