Top 10 Food Sources of Probiotics

1. Yogurt that contains live bacteria culture. Make sure it says live culture, live bacteria, or probiotic on the label because not all yogurts are probiotic. In essence, the live culture or bacteria makes the yogurt probiotic.

2. Cheese that is NOT baked. The heat from baking kills the bacteria cultures, so pizza, grilled cheese sandwiches, and hot queso dip are NOT sources of probiotics. Aged cheeses (like cheddar and blue cheese) are the best sources of probiotics. Processed cheeses or cheese spreads do not have probiotics.

3. Fermented milk. I know that sounds gross, but buttermilk is fermented milk, and that's not gross. Acidophilus milk is also fermented.

4. Kefir. Kefir is a yogurt-like drink that's a good source of probiotics. But since you can pretty much only get it at specialty stores, it's not readily available to most people. That can be easily solved by making your own kefir. To make your own, look for starter culture for kefir.

5. Miso. We talked about fermented milk, now we're talking about fermented soybeans. Miso is a seasoning paste made from fermented soy and barley or rice, and is used as a base in many Japanese soups and sauces.

6. Tempeh. And speaking of fermented soybeans, tempeh is the Javanese version. Instead of a seasoning paste, tempeh is a cake form of fermented soybeans. It can be stewed, boiled, fried, or baked and is also a good source of protein.

7. Some juices. Adding probiotics to fruit and vegetable juices introduces live cultures where they normally wouldn't be found. "This is an alternative to dairy products that suits consumers who don't want to eat dairy foods or are lactose intolerant," said Kaarle Leporanta, marketing manager for the Finnish dairy group Valio.

8. Sauerkraut. Sauerkraut is the German style of fermenting cabbage. (It's the fermentation process that gives foods their probiotic nature.) Homemade sauerkraut will have probiotics, but commercially packaged sauerkraut often doesn't. It's important to read the label.

9. Kim chi. Kim chi is the Korean style of fermenting cabbage. The 'sauerkraut rules' apply here, too.

10. Soy beverages and unfermented milk. I'm lumping these together for a good reason. They're often listed as good food sources for probiotics, but according to Canada's Institut des Nutraceutiques et des Aliments Fonctionnels (INAF), the probiotics in them don't reach the level required to produce gastro-intestinal tract health effects.

Facts on probiotics:

Probiotics help maintain a healthy intestinal tract.

Probiotics are often referred to as beneficial, friendly, or good bacteria.

Other terms for probiotics are live culture, active culture, and beneficial cultures.

It's important to read the labels to make sure that you're actually getting probiotics.

Incorporating probiotics into your diet is easy when you know the top 10 food sources for them!

Sources:

http://www.medicinenet.com/probiotics/article.htm
http://www.kefir.net/
http://www.probiotics-lovethatbug.com/examples-of-probiotics-in-foods.html
http://www.healingdaily.com/detoxification-diet/probiotics.htm
http://macrobiotic.about.com/od/gettingstarted/a/MacroGlossary.htm
http://www.nutraingredients.com/Product-Categories/Soy-based-ingredients/Scientists-expand-probiotic-soy-yoghurt-potential
http://www.dairyreporter.com/Industry-markets/Probiotic-juices-offer-new-avenues-for-dairy