Probiotics have become more and more important in recent years because they make a significant contribution to intestinal health. In this blog article, you will learn everything you need to know about healthy bacteria and how you can use them to support your intestinal flora in a completely natural way.
The intestinal flora is a complex interaction of bacteria, viruses, fungi and yeasts. You can find out more about the special effect of probiotics and their positive effect on the human gut here.
Support your gut with a healthy breakfast
What are probiotics?
Probiotics are live microorganisms that have a positive effect on intestinal health. The best known include bifidobacteria and lactic acid bacteria (Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus acidophilus, etc.). Live lactic acid bacteria are found in dairy products such as yogurt, kefir, and skyr. They are also referred to as “good bacteria” because they help to keep the intestinal flora in balance. They are found in various fermented foods and can also be taken as a dietary supplement if needed.
Why are probiotics important?
Probiotics have a wide range of health benefits. For example, they support digestion and have positive effects on the immune system. A large part of our immune system's work begins in the gut, and so a healthy intestinal flora helps to ensure that pathogens are recognized and fought in good time. Probiotics – such as Bifidobacterium – promote the balance of healthy intestinal bacteria, strengthen the immune system and protect against pathogenic germs.
Prebiotics: food for probiotics
In addition to probiotics, there are also prebiotics that serve as food for the good bacteria. These are special dietary fibers that are not broken down in the digestive process. This means that they reach the large intestine undigested, where they serve as food for the good intestinal bacteria and support their growth. During the degradation process of prebiotics, short-chain fatty acids are formed that have a positive effect on our organism. Inulin is one of the best-known prebiotics.
What are prebiotics?
Prebiotics are non-digestible food ingredients that promote the growth of probiotic bacteria and support their health-promoting activities. They are found in foods such as artichokes, chicory, Jerusalem artichokes, oats, garlic and onions. Because they support the growth of probiotics, they contribute to improved intestinal health and strengthen the immune system.
How prebiotics and probiotics work together
Prebiotics and probiotics are a perfect duo for a functioning intestinal flora. While probiotics are responsible for colonizing the intestines with good bacteria, prebiotics provide the healthy intestinal bacteria with food. So if you make sure to include both in your diet – ideally in combination – you can promote healthy intestinal flora and strengthen your immune system.
In addition, there are also so-called synbiotics, which are a combination of probiotics and prebiotics.
Probiotics in food
Many people take a probiotic in the form of a dietary supplement, for example in the form of capsules containing lactic acid bacteria (lactobacilli). However, probiotics do not necessarily have to be taken in the form of dietary supplements. In fact, they can also be integrated into your diet naturally. They are found in fermented foods such as yogurt, buttermilk, sauerkraut, kefir, kimchi, miso, tempeh, and some cheeses. By incorporating probiotic foods into your diet, you can strengthen your gut flora and reduce digestive problems.
Probiotic-rich foods
As already mentioned, there are some foods that are particularly rich in probiotics. These include:
- Yogurt: Yogurt has a probiotic effect, especially if it contains live cultures. The packaging of these yogurts usually contains a note about these live cultures.
- Kefir: Kefir is a fermented milk drink. In addition to its probiotic ingredients, it also contains vitamins and minerals such as vitamin B2, B12, calcium and magnesium.
- Sauerkraut: Sauerkraut is made by fermenting cabbage. This fermentation process means that sauerkraut contains many probiotic bacterial cultures that have a positive effect on intestinal health.
- Kimchi: Kimchi comes from Korea, where it is a traditional dish made from fermented vegetables. Here, too, the fermentation process has a probiotic effect.
- Tempeh: Tempeh is made from fermented soybeans and is a popular meat substitute among vegans, with a high protein content to boot.
How to incorporate probiotics into your daily diet for a healthy gut
To support your gut health on a daily basis, you can incorporate probiotics into your diet. You can do this, for example, by starting the day with a probiotic breakfast. Try yogurt with fruit and oats, for example. For lunch or dinner, you can experiment with fermented foods like kimchi or sauerkraut. Kefir is particularly suitable as a probiotic snack between meals.
Probiotics and the gut
Probiotics play an important role in supporting intestinal health. They help to balance the intestinal flora by strengthening healthy bacterial strains. They support a functioning digestion and strengthen the immune system. The intestine is closely connected to other processes in the body, which is why it has a major influence on our general well-being. Probiotics therefore have an extremely beneficial effect on health.
Probiotics and gut health
It is well known that probiotics have a positive effect on intestinal function. They reduce inflammation, regulate bowel movements, promote the growth of good intestinal bacteria and inhibit the spread of harmful bacteria. Among other things, this protects against intestinal diseases (such as diarrhea, irritable bowel syndrome, diseases of the intestinal mucosa, etc.) and chronic inflammatory bowel diseases (such as ulcerative colitis, etc.).
How probiotics support the intestines
Probiotic microorganisms are very similar to the healthy bacteria that naturally occur in our bodies. They aid in the digestion of food, render pathogens harmless, or influence the body's immune response. In addition, they help to restore the natural microbiome in the gut when it has been disturbed. This happens, for example, due to illness, medication, or stress.
Oats as a source of probiotics
While oats are not probiotic in themselves, they do contain prebiotics, a special type of dietary fiber that promotes the growth of probiotics in the gut, so you should be eating plenty of them!
Oats and probiotics
The prebiotics found in oatmeal simply provide food for probiotics, thus ensuring that the healthy bacteria can multiply. By eating oatmeal and other prebiotic foods, you are also supporting probiotics and their important effects on the gut.
How to use oatmeal for a probiotic diet
Oats are versatile and you should definitely take advantage of the health benefits of this grain for your gut. Here are three top tips for using oats for a probiotic diet:
Tip 1: When you prepare your oatmeal breakfast, such as muesli, it is best to use yogurt or add live yogurt cultures to achieve a probiotic effect. Top it off with fresh fruit, nuts, or seeds, and you'll have a delicious breakfast that will help you start the day full of energy.
Tip 2: Don't just eat oats for breakfast, but also use them for snacks, for example in homemade granola bars or energy balls. This way, you increase the fiber content of your diet and feed your healthy gut bacteria with valuable prebiotics.
Tip 3: Try fermented oat products such as oat yoghurt or make it yourself at home. This tip could be particularly interesting for vegans.
Conclusion
With a healthy diet, you can actively keep your microbiome, i.e. your intestinal flora, healthy. Probiotics support intestinal health in a natural way and have an effect on general well-being. By prioritizing probiotic foods in your diet and adding fermented foods to your menu, you can improve your gut health and strengthen your immune system. Some of the most well-known probiotic foods include yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, kimchi, and tempeh, but prebiotic foods like oatmeal can also have a positive effect on your gut flora and promote good health. That's why a porridge breakfast is the perfect start to the morning.
Discover porridge tips and recipes
Frequently asked questions
What are the best sources of probiotics?
Probiotics are primarily found in fermented foods. The best sources of probiotics are therefore foods such as yoghurt, kefir, sauerkraut, kimchi, tempeh or kombucha.
How can I incorporate probiotics into my diet?
Incorporate probiotics into your daily diet by having oats with yogurt in the morning, for example. During the course of the day, you can eat other probiotic foods such as sauerkraut, kimchi, tempeh or kombucha.
How do probiotics support gut health?
Probiotics work similarly to the healthy bacteria that occur naturally in the gut. They help to digest food, fight pathogens and activate the immune system. If the microbiome in the gut is out of balance, probiotics support the growth of healthy gut bacteria.
What are prebiotics?
Prebiotics are food components that cannot be digested by the body but promote the growth of probiotic bacteria and support their positive health effects. The best-known prebiotic is inulin.
What are dietary fibers?
Dietary fibers are indigestible food components that occur exclusively in plant-based foods. They bind fluids, which makes you feel fuller for longer, increases stool volume and promotes intestinal motility. Dietary fibers can be found, for example, in whole grain products, vegetables, legumes, fruit and nuts.
What are probiotics?
Probiotics are live microorganisms that have a positive effect on intestinal health. The best known of these are bifidobacteria and lactic acid bacteria. They are also referred to as “good bacteria” because they help to keep the intestinal flora in balance.
