Bacteria is the star of a new, rising food trend that focuses on keeping your gut healthy. While it sounds disgusting, good bacteria in the form of probiotics helps keep your immune system strong and your digestive system doing its thang. Along with other benefits such as easing stomach conditions and improving skin, it can even possibly alleviate depression.
While a lot of people simply take a probiotic supplement, you can also up your probiotic intake by eating certain foods. In fact, you’re probably even familiar with a lot of foods already that contain this good bacteria, like kimchi, yogurt, sauerkraut and that trendy new drink kombucha. If you’re not a fan of how some of these foods taste, or you’re simply looking for some more creative ways to get your probiotic fill, here’s a list of five ways to sneak more bacteria into your diet. Your digestive system will thank you later.
Substitute Greek Yogurt
Photo by Justin Schuble
Yogurt is one of the most commonly known foods that contains probiotics, and greek yogurt can easily be swapped for a lot of foods while cooking and baking. In fact, it serves as a substitute for oil, butter, mayonnaise and even greek yogurt. Not only will this get you more of that good bacteria, but it will also make your recipes healthier in general – a double whammy.
Use Kombucha in Cocktails
Photo by Elizabeth Emery
Kombucha, or fermented tea, is definitely not for everyone. While a lot of brands add fruit juice or concentrate to make it more palatable, it can still have a slightly vinegary taste. If you’re not a big fan of kombucha by itself but want to figure out how you can get its nutritional benefits, give it a try mixed with some booze.
Switch Out Milk for Kefir in Smoothies
Photo by Sarah Silbiger
Kefir is a type of milk (cow, goat, soy, you name it) that is fermented and chock-full of probiotics. Some people aren’t too fond of the tart taste of kefir, which is why adding it to smoothies is a great alternative to drinking it straight up. Try using this trick on this green goddess smoothie recipe here.
Use Miso in Salad Dressings
Photo by Helena Lin
Miso, made primarily from fermented soybeans, salt, and the Japanese culture koji, has a lot more uses than just being the star of a delicious Japanese soup. A simple way to eat more of this probiotic is to add it to salads, like in this recipe for citrus miso dressing.
Make a Grilled Cheese with Kimchi
Photo courtesy of chowhound.com
Almost everything tastes good inside of a grilled cheese sandwich. Cue kimchi – a side dish from Korea that can be easily described as fermented veggies with chili flakes (bring on the heat and boost that metabolism). If you aren’t feeling confident in your kitchen skills or just don’t want to blindly throw kimchi between two pieces of cheesy bread, try this recipe to get you going.