The Abundant Benefits of Probiotics

The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as health or medical advice. Always consult a physician or other qualified health provider regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition or health objectives. 

A well-balanced gut supports a healthy and happy life from the inside out.  

Did you know the gut and the immune system are interconnected? A significant number of immune cells live in the gut, alongside a community of billions of bacteria. These immune cells and beneficial bacteria have co-evolved over time and work as a team to support the body, including the immune and digestive system, women’s health, mental health and more.

What are Probiotics?

Probiotics are live bacteria, often referred to as friendly, healthy or beneficial bacteria.  Probiotics are an important part of a diverse community of bacteria in the gut, called the microbiome.

A well-balanced microbiome will include a variety of bacteria, a majority need to be ‘good’ bacteria, and a small portion of ‘bad’ bacteria, creating a symbiotic relationship.  This balance plays a key role in maintaining a well-functioning body.

When the population of ‘bad’ bacteria increases to an unhealthy ratio, the microbiome becomes out of balance. This can affect the body’s ability to operate effectively. Increasing your intake of probiotics encourages the growth of friendly bacteria in the intestines, to help maintain the ideal balance of bacteria in the microbiome.

The Benefits of Probiotics

Probiotics boost the beneficial bacteria in the microbiome, in turn supporting optimal body function, such as:

• Stimulation and support of the immune system
• Efficient digestion, particularly of hard-to-digest foods or allergenic foods
• Proper absorption and metabolization of nutrients from the food we eat, in particular the absorption of protein
• Optimal urinary health and bowel function regularity
• Women’s health and the prevention of candida overgrowth
• It may even effect your mood and the way you think  

How Does the Gut Become Unbalanced?   

There are a variety of ways for this to happen. In today’s busy world, everyday stressors such as a poor diet, stress, lack of sleep or illness can disrupt the microbiome.

Other factors that can tip the bacteria balance are taking antibiotics, consuming antibiotics unconsciously (i.e. antibiotics given to livestock), drinking chlorinated or fluoridated water, overusing antibacterial soaps and cleaners, ingesting pesticides or breathing polluted air.

Adding Probiotics to Your Daily Diet

There are many ways to include probiotics in your diet. They can be taken as a capsule or consumed naturally in probiotic rich foods. Traditional fermented foods and beverages are naturally high in probiotics, such as Kimchi and sauerkraut, sourdough bread, kefir and kombucha, yoghurt, miso and tempeh.

If you’re interested in baking your own bread, get started with our Beginner’s Guide to Sourdough Bread.

In today’s market, probiotics can also be found in what are called functional foods. This is where probiotics are added to foods that are regularly consumed, such as breakfast cereals, yoghurts, bars or beverages to increase daily intake.

Are Foods with Added Probiotics Effective?

The addition of probiotics to foods and beverages can be an easy and effective way to get a dose of probiotics in your meals or snacks.  It’s important a high-quality probiotic ingredient is used to ensure the probiotics get to your gut in good condition and can do the job they’re meant to. Find out more about the effectiveness of using probiotics in foods and beverages.

Prebiotics & Probiotics

It takes more than probiotics to create a well-balanced gut. It’s also important to eat plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables and wholefood ingredients, that are rich in nutrients and prebiotic fibres. Prebiotics are a specific type of indigestible fibre that are metabolized by the probiotics as fuel.  Simply put, prebiotics feed probiotics.

Foods naturally high in prebiotics include chicory root, bananas, oats, seeds, and legumes. Learn more about prebiotics and how to include these in your diet here.

Boosted with Probiotics

Chantal Organics offers a range of foods boosted with probiotics.

The range of Easy Oats is a single-serve oat-based porridge cup that is boosted with probiotics. The oats provide a natural source of prebiotics.

For those who love chocolate for breakfast, try the Cacao & Coconut Keto Granola, which is low in sugar, boosted with probiotics and contains seeds, a natural source of prebiotics.

For a snack on-the-go, the range of plant-based protein bars offer 10g protein, are boosted with probiotics and come in 3 popular flavours: Choc Almond, Coffee Crunch, and Orange Cacao.