Few of us are scientists with the appropriate equipment in our kitchens to identify whether a piece of fruit that we've bought in the corner store has more nutrients in it than the one we buy in Whole Foods Market. It's often so easy to rely on supplements to fill nutrient gaps in our diets, but our bodies have an innate intelligence re what they need and often when we crave something it's for a good reason ...yup that means our cravings are well worth listening to ...even if it's for cake or chocolate!
Eating a balanced diet not only ensures we include a variety of nutrients, but food can actually be medicine and it's certainly cheaper than relying on often expensive supplements too.
One of the most popular supplements nowadays are probiotics ...these are live microbial organisms that are naturally present in the body; a microbe that protects digestive tract and prevents disease. Probiotics also counter the destruction of helpful intestinal bacteria by antibiotics.
The best-known probiotic is lactobacillus acidophilus, which is found in yogurt (watch out for high sugar content in some though), acidophilus milk, and supplements.
So rather than spend hard earned cash on supplements, here are four easily available foods that contain probiotics as an alternative...
Miso
Miso comes in four forms: red, white, barley, soybean. Red miso is made from equal portions of white rice, soybeans, and barley. The end result is a reddish brown product with a high protein count. White miso also blends a mixture of white rice and soybeans, but a higher concentration of white rice is used. This type of miso is typically lighter in color and has a shorter shelf life than red miso.
Sauerkraut
Sauerkraut is fermented or pickled cabbage. Fresh cabbage is generally cut and then allowed to ferment in a brine for a period of time. During this time probiotic bacteria naturally form.
Tempeh
Tempeh is a fermented soy product that has the chewy texture of meat. Unlike tofu, tempeh uses whole soybeans that are allowed to ferment. A type of beneficial mold forms which binds the soy together. Tempeh can be used in many vegetarian dishes as a high quality protien and is one of the few vegetarian sources of vitamin B12.
Brewer's Yeast
Brewer's yeast is thought to contain probiotic bacteria. Brewer's yeast is a bi-product of the beer making process and it contains all of the nutrients that are cast off as the beer is being manufactured.
Digestive health is worth taking care of ...a happy tummy means that our bodies focus on other processes such as cell regeneration and healing etc they need to take care off which means that we're more likely to feel healthy and vital and get ill less often.
Because changing your Attitude to Food changes everything...
www.attitudetofood.com
