Fermented foods have been used across cultures for thousands of years, and recently they have become popular again in our culture. One of the reasons for the insurgence of these healthy foods is the fact that they are full of bacteria and enzymes. When these healthy bacteria are eaten, they give your body a boost of probiotics, healthy microorganisms that help keep your digestive system in top working condition.

Gut Health Means Full Body Health

About 100 trillion good and bad bacteria live inside your gut, and they are called your microbiota. You want to keep this community thriving and filled with good bacteria. Your gut is an important part of your immune system, which is why introducing good bacteria to your gut can actually help stave off illness. In fact, healthy gut microbiota have been shown to even improve heart disease, arthritis, allergies, weight loss, and cancer.

While fermented foods and probiotic pills are known to increase the good bacteria, taking medications like antibiotics can actually strip away the good bacteria in your gut. To combat this, many people will take probiotics while on their antibiotic dosage.

What Foods Provide the Good Bacteria?

When choosing fermented foods, you want to make sure they are fermented through a natural fermenting process; otherwise, they will not have the same positive effects. Live probiotic cultures are found in yogurt, the yogurt drink kefir, the fermented cabbage dish kimchi, sauerkraut, and certain types of pickles. If you see bubbles in the liquid, this can often be a sign that there are live cultures present. You can also look up your own fermentation recipes to ensure that the food you are eating has been fermented correctly.

Eat a Balanced Diet

Diet can have such an astounding impact on overall health, but it is possible that even when eating healthy foods, they can also have a negative impact. It is important that you be mindful of which products you are buying and how much you are eating. For instance, you do not want to consume too much sugary yogurt or fermented food like sauerkraut, which are high in sodium. Otherwise, enjoy your gut and body-healthy foods.