Maintaining a healthy gut not only protects you from digestive problems, but also strengthens your immune function and makes your brain healthier. Unhealthy diets, lack of sleep, and stress can put you at risk of having an out of balanced digestive system.
Probiotics are live bacteria and yeast that naturally live in your body and can be consumed in your diet. Probiotic drinks are fermented drinks containing beneficial bacteria. Probiotic drinks have become a trendy choice for many people who are looking for delicious beverages while hoping to improve gut health. In this post, we will share information for choosing the right probiotic drink.
What strains of bacteria should I look for?
Although different drinks contain various forms of bacteria strains, the most popular ones are Lactobacillus (L.) and Bifidobacterium (B.).
How to choose probiotics?
Probiotics are usually counted in Colony-Forming Units (CFUs). CFU is the number of alive and active microorganisms in one serving of a probiotic dietary supplement. Read the labels on the probiotic drink, and choose one with most CFU’s per bottle.
Watching out for other ingredients
To enhance flavor, many probiotic drinks contain added sugar, artificial sweeteners, and colors. For health purposes, it’s recommended to choose a probiotic drink that contains USDA organic ingredients and is free of the above additives. Be mindful of the calories inside the probiotic drinks to avoid overconsumption. A bottle of probiotic drink usually has around 100 calories.
Next, we are going to share some common probiotic drinks that you can find on the market. You can pick one during your next grocery shopping trip and try it out.
Kombucha
Homemade fermented raw kombucha tea with different flavorings. Healthy natural probiotic flavored drink. Copy space[/caption]Kombucha is a fermented and sweetened tea drink made from black or green tea, originating from China. Since kombucha is fermented, it naturally contains alcohol. The alcohol content varies between different brands, but it is not an alcoholic beverage. The main ingredient inside the kombucha is a SCOBY, which is a form of bacteria and yeast grouped together. The SCOBY consumes sugar in the tea and produces carbon dioxide gas that creates a fizzy sensation on your tongue.
Probiotic-Rich Drinkable Yogurts
Miami, USA – August 17, 2013: Friendly Farms probiotic vanilla low-fat yogurt 4-4 OZ cups package. Friendly Farms brand is owned by Aldi, Inc.[/caption]Different from Greek yogurt, drinkable yogurts are less thick and more easy to sip. Each serving of probiotic-rich yogurt contains at least 10 billion CFU probiotics. Most drinkable yogurts include Bifidobacterium (Bb-12), which is not only beneficial for gut health, but also increases the body’s resistance to infections.
Kefir
Kefir is a naturally fermented milk product. It contains more than 50 species of probiotic bacteria and yeast. For people who are lactose intolerant, drinking kefir can be a great option not only for probiotics, but also for calcium. Research has shown that kefir has other health benefits, including strengthening bones and good for heart health by lowering cholesterol.
Which probiotic drink would you be most interested in trying?
