Top 7 probiotic foods for a healthy gut

To maintain your overall wellness, having a healthy gut is the need of the hour. It is vital to have a healthy gut otherwise one can suffer from many health conditions. Moreover, an unhealthy gut can impact your mood, weight, well-being and when your gut is unhealthy, other than indigestion and bloating, one can suffer from the other digestive disorders like Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), gallstones, ulcerative colitis and so on. Along with that, you may also get gastroenteritis which is the inflammation of the stomach and small intestine which can weaken your gut."Gastroenteritis can be caused due to viruses and bacteria, contaminated food and water or coming in contact with someone who has the virus. The visible symptoms of it can be watery diarrhoea and vomiting. You may also suffer from stomach pain, cramping, fever, nausea, and a headache. So, to tackle gastroenteritis and keep your gut healthy by consuming safe drinking water, cutting down on junk, spicy and oily food, " says Dr Rakesh Patel, Gastroenterologist, Fortis Hospital, Kalyan.

Probiotics are the best friends of your gut and they are bacteria that line your digestive tract and support your body's ability to absorb nutrients by helping them to fight infections. The study named Effects of Probiotics on Gut Microbiota: Mechanisms of Intestinal Immunomodulation and Neuromodulation in the journal Therapeutic Advances in Gastroenterology stated, "Probiotics may restore the composition of the gut microbiome and introduce beneficial functions to gut microbial communities, resulting in amelioration or prevention of gut inflammation and other intestinal or systemic disease phenotypes." Did you know gut bacteria could affect your weight and health?

Probiotics and gut health

As per the study, Use Of Probiotics For Management of Acute Gastroenteritis, a position paper by the Espghan Working Group for Probiotics and Prebiotics in the journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition, "The use of probiotics has been suggested in the treatment of acute gastroenteritis (AGE) in addition to early rehydration and avoidance of dietary restrictions." Here are 10 probiotic foods for a healthy gut."

1. Dark Chocolate: It is a good source of prebiotics and probiotics. Researchers at the American Chemical Society found that probiotics convert the candy into anti-inflammatory compounds as they are a source of food for the microbes in your gut. The probiotics will strengthen your bully bugs to maintain a healthy gut thereby aiding digestion.
2. Kimchi: It is made with cabbage, radishes, and scallions, it is an Asian fermented foods veggie dish. Obesity in lab rats was induced by the researchers at Kyung Hee University in Korea who fed them a high-fat diet. the diet-induced increase in weight gain by 28 percent was suppressed by probiotics
3. Greek yoghurt: In the pasteurized milk, two strains of bacteria, Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactobacillus bulgaricus are added and this is how the yoghurt is made. The bacteria produces lactic acid from which the milk thickens up and that is how yoghurt is formed which helps us to build muscles.
4. Fermented vegetables: They are rich in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and have gut friendly bacteria. The veggies last for a longer time helping in improving digestion and building immunity. So, you can make your own pickles with your choice of veggies.
5. Green Olives: As per a study published in the journal American Society for Clinical Nutrition, for getting a flat stomach, L. plantarum strain can be helpful. The strain balances your gut bug and in people with irritable bowel syndrome, it relieves bloating as well. While in olives, two strains of live cultures, Lactobacillus plantarum and Lactobacillus pentosus are isolated.
6. Green Peas: A study published in the Journal of Applied Microbiology in the year 2014 revealed that green peas contain a potent probiotic named Leuconostoc mesenteroides. Here, your immune system is stimulated by the bugs by protecting the mucosal barrier which defends bad bugs and removes toxins from the body.
7. Cottage Cheese: Dairy products enhance probiotic absorption since they are loaded with muscle building protein which are slow to digest. But, cottage cheese can cause bloating and hypertension due to the large amount of sodium content in it. Make sure you eat it in controlled portions. Don't go overboard.

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