What Drinks Have Probiotics?

Are you looking for simple ways to improve your gut health and overall well-being? If so, then one simple yet still very effective way is to add probiotics to your daily diet. Probiotics can help replenish your gut microbiome, which plays a crucial role in your overall digestive and gut health! Probiotics are commonly found in fermented foods and drinks; in today's blog, we will focus superficially on drinks that are high in probiotics. Here on the Health Insiders Blog, we have already shared several posts discussing the best foods that are rich in probiotic bacteria; like yoghurt, sauerkraut and kimchi as popular options. Be sure to check those out if you would like a reminder. Otherwise, on with today's post which shall be exploring some of the most popular drinks that are known to contain probiotics. 

We will also look into how they can benefit your health as well as discuss popular drinks that many people believe are a source of probiotics which may not be the case. 

Do some drinks have probiotics?

Yes, some drinks do contain probiotics, just as we said at the beginning of this post. Probiotic bacteria can be found in certain types of fermented foods and drinks, including kefir, kombucha, and various types of yoghurt. These probiotic drinks can help support gut health and promote your overall well-being by improving digestion, reducing inflammation, and strengthening the immune system. Probiotics are known to be excellent for improving your overall gut health; which can be a health concern for many individuals that can be extremely common but also very different from person to person. Poor gut health can impact everyone's health differently and can even be less or more severe in some individuals compared to others. Taking care of your gut is vital for your health and probiotic drinks, foods and supplements can be of great help!  

Therefore, should you decide to look into including probiotic drinks in your daily diet (to help improve your gut and digestion) it's important to note that not all drinks with probiotics on their label contain live and active cultures! It is essential that you read labels carefully and choose products from reputable brands.

What kind of drinks have probiotics?

If you're looking for ways to boost your gut health, incorporating probiotic drinks into your diet is an excellent place to start. The drinks that contain probiotic bacteria are predominantly fermented drinks that are the best source of probiotics (in beverage and drinkable form). Below we have included examples of three popular types of probiotic drinks that are readily available and simple to add as part of a healthy and balanced diet...

• Kefir is a fermented milk drink that is a rich source of probiotics and has a tangy and slightly bitter taste but is very popular amongst many individuals. It’s rich in probiotics, tasty and very similar to yoghurt (in texture and consistency). 

• Kombucha is another fermented (tea) drink and is a popular choice that's known for its slightly sweet yet carbonated taste with the ability to support and aid in digestion.

• Various types of yoghurt, particularly those that contain live and active cultures, can also be a good source of probiotics, although it's important to choose plain yoghurt rather than those with added sugars or flavours as they are likely to not be as effective! 

Is lemon water a probiotic drink? 

Lemon water is a very popular drink that many people believe has various health benefits, including supporting digestion and promoting a healthy immune system. However, lemon water is not considered a probiotic drink! Probiotics are live bacteria (cultures) that can help replenish the gut microbiome and provide various health benefits. Lemon water is just water with lemon juice added to it with no probiotic bacteria. That being said, even though lemon water does not contain probiotics, it can still be a healthy drink option as it's still a powerful antioxidant that can help promote healthy digestion by stimulating the production of stomach acid.

However, it's important to note that lemon juice is also acidic and may irritate the stomach lining in some individuals, particularly those with acid reflux or other digestive issues. Therefore if you're specifically looking to incorporate probiotic drinks into your diet, it's best to choose fermented drinks that contain the essential live cultures and bacteria. 

Is milk a probiotic drink? 

Normal (unfermented) cow's milk is not typically considered a probiotic drink, but it still can be a source of probiotics if it goes through a fermentation process and is turned into products like kefir or yoghurt. These products are made by adding specific strains of probiotics to milk and allowing it to ferment over time, which creates a distinct flavour and texture. Again, kefir and yoghurt are both excellent sources of probiotics as they contain different strains of beneficial bacteria and yeasts that can help support gut health and immunity.

So no, cow’s milk is not a probiotic drink but if it’s fermented with live probiotic bacteria only then can it be a probiotic drink source! 

What is the best drink for gut bacteria?

After reading through today’s post you might have been able to decide which probiotics drink you might want to add to your daily routine; the best drinks for gut bacteria are ones that contain a variety of live probiotic bacteria (cultures) after all. We’ve gone through examples of these drinks, such as kefir, kombucha, or fermented milk drinks. 

All of these types of fermented-based drinks contain specific strains of probiotics that can help replenish the gut microbiome and support digestion. An unhealthy gut can have domino effects on your health; like increased chances of internal inflammation, drastic weight changes and sleep disruptions. Therefore supporting your gut health and digestion is essential! 

If probiotic drinks are the path you plan to explore further, it is important to choose products that contain enough live cultures to provide a chance of benefiting your health when consumed regularly as part of a balanced diet. Adding probiotic drinks into your diet can be an effective way to support and stay on top of your gut health and overall well-being. Just remember to choose products from reliable brands and always check product labels carefully to ensure you're getting (enough) live probiotics bacteria to provide any significant health benefits!