Your gut contains trillions (yes, trillions) of bacteria. Yet it may come as a surprise that to maintain a healthy gut microbiome—which is essential for your digestion, immunity, and more—you have to eat even more healthy bacteria, known as probiotics. “It’s essential to follow a dietary pattern that encourages greater bacterial diversity,” says nutritionist Laura Parada.
Feeling lost? Keep scrolling to learn more about which probiotic foods you should add to your diet.
Yogurt
One of the most commonly cited probiotics is yogurt. Plain yogurt is made from milk fermented with Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus bacteria, which are both beneficial to your gut. To get yogurt’s full nutritional value, make sure you choose one labeled with “live and active cultures” and no added sugar.
Kefir
Similarly, kefir is a drinkable yogurt variety made by fermenting milk wth bacteria and yeast. In addition to providing your gut with healthy bacteria, it’s also a good source of calcium and protein.
Kombucha
Typically made from black or green tea fermented with bacteria, yeast, and sugar, kombucha is another great option. According to the Cleveland Clinic, the sharp-tasting drink can also help fight inflammation (a single sip is filled with antioxidants), support your immune system (hello, B vitamins), and more.
Natto
Popular in eastern regions of Japan, natto is a traditional breakfast food made from soybeans fermented with Bacillus subtilis bacteria. It’s rich in protein, fiber, healthy fats, and other vitamins and minerals, collectively supporting bone, cardiovascular, and gut health.
Miso
Miso is also made from fermented soybeans, along with salt and koji (a beneficial fungus). Studies have found that it can help reduce the risk of cancer and heart disease, too.
Sauerkraut
Made from fermented cabbage, sauerkraut contains lactic acid bacteria. It’s also a good source of vitamin K, which is known to support heart and bone health, the Cleveland Clinic reports.
Kimchi
Clearly, it’s time to join the cabbage bandwagon. Kimchi is a fermented cabbage, typically mixed with other vegetables such as radishes, carrots, and celery, as well as seasonings like ginger and chili. The fermentation process means it contains good bacteria for your microbiome; plus, it’s a great source of vitamins A and C, which also support your immune system.
Cottage cheese
Cottage cheese is traditionally made from milk and an acid, which creates the curds. To make sure your cottage cheese is actually a probiotic, check the label for “live and active cultures,” UCLA Health advises.
What’s the difference between probiotics and prebiotics?
“When we’re talking about a probiotic, we are talking about the beneficial bacteria that exist in certain foods, especially fermented foods,” says Gena Hamshaw, MS, RDN, CDN, outpatient clinical nutrition coordinator at the Mount Sinai Kidney Center in New York City. Prebiotics, on the other hand, are types of fiber that serve as fuel for the healthy bacteria in our colon. (Some prebiotics include flaxseeds, chickpeas, bananas, and mushrooms.)
When you have a balanced diet with both prebiotics and probiotics, it creates a synergistic cycle. “The idea is that you want to preserve those populations of good bacteria in the gut, and to do that, you do kind of need to keep supplying them with energy,” she says.
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