At Local Flow Health Bar, we get a lot of questions about healthy eating and which particular foods are the best for your body. The answer to that question depends on the person, their specific health goals, nutrient deficiencies, and lifestyle. In general, though, we think probiotics are a great place to start when it comes to healthy eating. Especially if you have any stomach issues, autoimmune diseases, or want to improve your mood, we recommend adding probiotics into your healthy eating routine.
What are probiotics?
It might sound gross, but probiotics are live bacteria and yeasts that enhance your digestive system. When we hear “bacteria,” we might automatically think of something bad, but scientists actually categorize bacteria according to good and bad strains. Probiotics add more good bacteria to your system and thus help your body to stay in balance, repair gut issues, and improve your overall digestive health.
What foods are probiotic?
While you can buy and take a probiotic capsule from a grocery store, certain foods are probiotic in nature. When you eat natural probiotic foods, you also get other nutrients in addition to the probiotic. Consider eating these foods to add more good bacteria to your microbiome:
- Kombucha: Kombucha is a fermented beverage made from tea, sugar, and a “SCOBY” — or, a symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast. Again, we know a colony of bacteria might not sound the most appetizing, but kombucha is surprisingly delicious and nutritious. At Local Flow Health Bar, we serve kombucha on tap for a refreshing and bubbly healthy food drink.
- Apple Cider Vinegar: Apple cider vinegar is often referred to as the mother of health foods. It boosts immunity, reduces inflammation, and supports digestive health. When apple cider vinegar contains “the mother,” or strands of good bacteria, it is an awesome probiotic beverage for your health. If you are feeling under the weather or are worried about flu season, come in to Local Flow Health Bar and try our Boost shot, which features apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, amino acids, turmeric, and ginger.
- Yogurt: For those without dairy sensitivities, yogurt is a well-known probiotic. It features strains of good bacteria and can be easily added to smoothies for a quick probiotic boost. For those with dairy sensitivities, you could consider coconut milk yogurt or other non-dairy substitutes so you get the same probiotic benefit without the stomach ache.
Stop by Local Flow Health Bar in McMinnville if you want to try any of our probiotic foods, healthy lunch options, or just to learn more about clean eating.