Probiotics and Fermented Foods
Fermented foods are full of probiotics that help the body fight disease by supporting the immune system. Eating more fermented foods can be beneficial to the gut biome and overall health. Personally, I know I need to add more probiotics into my diet when I am not feeling well or have skin issues. In my body, a breakout usually signifies it’s time to give my gut some attention.
What are probiotics and the gut biome?
First, what are probiotics? Probiotics are the beneficial bacteria and yeast that live in your gut to support your immune system, manage inflammation and maintain optimal health. Second, what is a gut biome? The gut biome is the microorganisms that live in your digestive tract. Everyone’s gut biome is unique with its own ecology. The gut biome can get disrupted when unwanted bacteria get in the gut, causing inflammation and/or illness. That’s when the probiotics can help to restore your digestive system to a healthy state.
How do you get probiotics?
There are various ways to get probiotics into your diet. Probiotics can be taken in supplement form or through foods. When possible, I like to consume them through food. There are probiotics in a long list of foods. You can find the tummy nourishing bacteria in yogurt, kefir, kombucha, sauerkraut, kimchi, and my favorite MISO.
Miso is my go-to healing, fermented, probiotic food. Miso is a paste made from fermented soybeans, rice, or grains. It can be made into sauces, marinades, dressing, and soups. A staple in my diet is Miso Soup, I like to eat it at least a couple of times a week. For me, the salty broth is both comforting and addictingly delicious. The bonus is that the paste is filled with other beneficial things like vitamins, folic acid, calcium, magnesium, and iron along with probiotics.
Miso Soup (single serving)
2 cups water
2 tablespoons wakame
3 tablespoons hot water
2 tablespoons miso paste
½ cup greens of choice (i.e spinach, Swiss chard, Napa Cabbage)
Optional: egg
Mix the miso in a bowl with hot water to dissolve
Bring the 2 cups of water to boil add the wakame, reduce and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the miso and greens, let simmer a few minutes until greens are wilted.
Optional: add an egg to the soup, stir until cooked.
Can be eaten for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or a midday snack.
Enjoy!