If you visit your doctor to complain about irregular digestion, bloating, trouble breaking down certain foods, constipation, and other stomach issues, one of the first things she’ll probably recommend is that you take probiotics. Probiotics introduce healthy bacteria to your gut that help you better break down the foods that you eat. You may be wondering, “Why doesn’t my body just make those on its own?” It does! But, you’ve probably picked up few habits that kill off that good bacteria. And, some of that isn’t your fault—many of our foods are made today in a way that depletes them of good bacteria or kills some of the preexisting good bacteria in our stomachs. If you’re like me, you may not remember to buy or take supplements, but you will always remember to buy food. So, here are foods that will naturally boost your probiotic count.
Miso soup
Don’t pass up on the free cup of miso soup that comes with your sushi combination meal. The miso paste restaurants add to broth is made with fermented soybeans or grains, which boast probiotics.