6 Best Natural Probiotics (Foods, Drinks & More)

Did you know that probiotics can help you deal with various health problems?

Do you want to naturally improve your health by eating probiotic foods?

Well, fortunately, you came to the right place!

So, here are the 6 best natural probiotics for you and your family.

Note. This article is based on my own research on natural probiotics.

1. Pickles

Before we dive into the discussion about pickles, let me ask you something.

Do you know what are probiotics and how they can improve your overall health?

If your answer is no, then let me briefly talk about probiotics and their benefits.

Probiotics are live microorganisms (bacteria and yeast) that help your organism.

How they are helpful?

• boost your immunity [1]
• support your digestive health
• help you deal with various skin problems
• improve your mental health
• fight various infections (UTIs)

So, in order to keep your organism healthy, you need to eat probiotic foods.

Now that you know all those details, let's return to our pickles.

In fact, pickles are some of the best foods that you can have because they are:

• a great source of healthy bacteria (probiotics)
• rich in vitamin K
• low in calories

However, when you choose your pickles make sure that you take into consideration the following:

• they have been fermented in a solution of salt and water
• those fermented in vinegar are not good for you
• that's because they don't contain live bacteria

As you can see, you need pickles that were preserved in water and salt.

However, most pickled cucumbers from the market are preserved in vinegar.

That's why it is recommended to prepare your own pickles at home.

How can you do that? Well, let me tell you how!

But first, let's have a look at the ingredients that you need:

• baby cucumbers
• water
• salt
• chills
• garlic
• whole black peppercorns
• bay leaves

Now, let's see the instructions:

1. First of all, place half of the cucumbers into your mason jar.
2. Add the garlic, the peppercorns, and the bay leaves.
3. Then, put the remaining cucumbers into the jar.
4. Press down so the ingredients are tightly packed.
5. Prepare a solution with salt and water.
6. Top the second layer with that solution (1-2 inches past the cucumbers).
7. Brine the pickles for at least 3-5 days, and up to a couple of weeks.
8. Enjoy!

So, what do you think? Is it hard to prepare this recipe?

I think it is pretty easy to put into practice and quite delicious!

Moreover, pickles prepared in this way are high in probiotics.

Thus, you definitely need to give them a try and enjoy the benefits of probiotics!

2. Yogurt

Yogurt is one of the most popular probiotic foods.

Moreover, it is so accessible that you can find it in every supermarket. 

Also, yogurt has many benefits. Let's have a look at some of them:

• rich in live cultures (probiotics) [2]
• a good source of calcium
• high in protein and vitamins

This is quite good news, isn't it? 

Maybe you are wondering how is this thing possible. Well, let me tell you how:

• bacteria turn some of the  lactose into lactic acid
• that's why yogurt has a sour taste

However, you need to be careful when you choose the yogurt that you like.

That's because not all of them contain live bacteria.

Why? Because sometimes, the live bacteria have been killed during processing.

So, what do you need to do? That's right! Pick a yogurt that contains active cultures.

As usual, you have more options:

• organic yogurt
• Greek yogurt
• yogurt with added probiotics

Those are both delicious and healthy. Let me give you some examples:

• blueberry smoothie
• oatmeal smoothie
• banana smoothie
• peach smoothie

As you can see, those smoothies can be prepared with different fruits.

So, you just need to pick your favorite fruits and to make a smoothie with them.

I'm sure that the taste won't disappoint you!

Moreover, if you don't like those smoothies, you can simply use various fruits and nuts as toppings.

Thus, just take a bowl, put some Greek yogurt in it and, on top, add some of those:

• nuts (almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts)
• seeds (flax seeds)
• fruits (kiwi, forest fruits, pineapple, peaches)
• some honey

Yet, if you don't like fruits and nuts, you can eat the yogurt plain.

You will benefit from its properties anyway.

So, keep in mind that yogurt is one of the best probiotic foods, and eat it as often as you can!

3. Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar is also on the list for today thanks to its properties.

As you might know, it is a great remedy for various health issues.

I can mention that it helps you reduce your cholesterol levels and control your blood pressure.

Besides, it is a good source of probiotics.

Let me tell you more details about ACV:

• antioxidant proprieties
• high in probiotics (lactic acid bacteria, acetic acid bacteria)
• anti-microbial benefits

Now that you know why ACV is important for your health, let's see how you can include it in your diet.

Well, when it comes to this you can try the following:

• drink a small quantity of ACV every day (1-2 tablespoons)
• include it in various recipes

That's why I will give some ideas:

• salads
• detox water
• ACV tea
• smoothies

Which one makes your mouth water?

I hope that the detox water is the winner, because I will explain how to prepare this drink.

First of all, we need to see the ingredients. Here they are:

• 1 to 2 tablespoons of raw ACV
• 8 ounces of water
• 1 to 2 tablespoons of honey

All you need to do is:

• Take a glass and put some ice in it.
• Then, add the ACV, the water, and the tablespoons of honey.
• Mix well all the ingredients and enjoy!
• For a better taste, you can add some fresh fruits or a splash of natural juice.

If you don't like honey, you can replace it with other natural sweeteners (maple syrup, Stevia).

Just keep in mind that drinking ACV (in any form) will help you get the probiotics that you need.

If your drink is tasty, it will be much easier to follow my advice.

So, try this detox water and see how probiotics can help you!

4. Cheese

As yogurt, cheese is part of the fermented foods category.

So, it contains probiotics or live cultures.

Thus, I hope you love cheese because it is next to our whitelist.

If you are not yet convinced that you want to eat it, let me give you some reasons.

In fact, cheese has many benefits beside the ones already mentioned:

• a great source of protein
• high in vitamin B12
• rich in calcium

So, eating cheese surely is beneficial for your health.

Remember that the label should mention if the cheese contains live cultures.

Thus, some of the types of cheese that you might want to try are those:

• mozzarella 
• cheddar
• cottage cheese
• Gouda cheese

Do you want me to give you some ideas for recipes with cheese?

I hope you do, because here they come:

• Caprese salad
• Pasta salad
• Cheddar mashed potatoes
• Avocado toast with cottage cheese

Of course, those are just few of the recipes you can try. 

There are a lot more, especially when it comes to salads.

Also, I hope that you are a salad fan because those are definitely some of the best for you.

Healthy and delicious, you should eat them at least once a week, believe me!

So, what do you think? Will you eat cheese and get the probiotics you need?

5. Kefir

Have you ever heard of kefir? Or, better say, have you ever drunk kefir?

Do you know what it is and how it tastes?

Well, if your answer is no, then, let me tell you about it.

Kefir is a fermented drink that can be made from cow's or goat's milk.

In fact, it has a long history, as people have been drinking it for thousands of years.

How is it made?:

• by adding kefir grains to the milk
• refit grains are not cereals, but bacteria, yeast, and other microorganisms [3]
• they are naturally produced

So, if you like yogurt, you will surely like kefir as well.

In terms of benefits, I can mention the following:

• a great source of probiotics
• low in lactose
• high in vitamins and minerals (calcium, vitamin D)

Let me tell you something more. Kefir is in general well tolerated by people with lactose intolerance.

This is quite good news, right?

Thus, even if you struggle with this problem, you might be able to drink kefir.

If you don't like to drink it plain, you can try the following recipes:

• strawberry kefir smoothie
• cold soup
• kefir ice cream
• raspberry kefir oats

I know, most of them are sweet, but you can easily replace sugar with a natural sweetener.

Thus, let me show you how you can prepare a delicious and healthy smoothie.

All you need is:

• 1 1/2 cups frozen berries
• 1 cup plain kefir
• 1/2 medium banana
• 2 teaspoons honey
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Here are the instructions:

1. Combine all the ingredients in a blender.
2. Blend until smooth.
3. Put the smoothie into 2 cups.
4. Enjoy!

At this point, you know all the details you need about kefir.

So, the only thing you need to do is to enjoy a glass of kefir (or a smoothie with kefir).

Bon Appétit!

6. Kombucha

Let's talk about another foreign drink, kombucha.

In fact, this drink is believed to have originated in China or Japan.

Well, kombucha is also a fermented drink, better say, a fermented tea.

Also, it is on our list thanks to its so many benefits:

• a good source of probiotics [4]
• rich in antioxidants
• has the same benefits as green tea (is made of green tea)

However, I advise you to buy it instead of preparing it at home.

That's because you need to follow some instructions very carefully if you want a healthy drink.

Moreover, homemade kombucha can be dangerous if not made properly.

How can you drink it?:

• plain, one glass per day
• mix it into recipes
• sip it during the day (especially if you are a beginner)

However, before that, I have to tell you that you can prepare both food and drinks with kombucha.

So, here are some examples:

• pasta with kombucha sauce
• salads with kombucha dressing
• kombucha marinades
• smoothies with kombucha

Moreover, I have to say that in stores you can find different types of kombucha.

Some of them are the classic types and others have different flavors.

Thus, you surely have a lot of options available.

That's why you can easily include kombucha in your diet and enjoy its benefits.

My Final Verdict

Do you want to find out which foods are rich in probiotics?

Are you willing to start a diet based on probiotics and improve your health?

Well, then you came to the right place.

Here are some of the best natural probiotics:

• pickles
• yogurt
• apple cider vinegar
• cheese
• kefir
• kombucha

Make sure that you eat (or drink) them regularly and you won't regret it.

Who is going to have a healthy life? Those who include probiotics in their diet.

I hope you will be one of the winners.

References:

1. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/-31828119/

2. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/-30452699/

3. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/-34071977/

4. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/-34679676/