What Foods Are High In Lactobacillus?

We have been seeing an influx of questions and confusion surrounding Lactobacillus, specifically people wanting to know more about how to get more Lactobacillus bacteria into their bodies naturally. One of the most effective ways to slowly introduce your body, to more of the lactic acid bacteria, is to have a look at your diet and (where suitable) add in more ‘Lactobacillus-rich’ and high-fibre foods & drinks. Our Health Insider Blog has gone through natural Lactobacillus food sources a couple of times recently and how those foods can help improve gut health and ease symptoms of an unhealthy gut. 

In today's post, we aim to go deeper by exploring a smaller list of Lactobacillus-rich foods that are somewhat overlooked, yet are all great sources of increasing the ‘friendly’ bacteria in the body naturally. Then we will go through how frequently you can consume Lactobacillus foods and what can happen if you do not have enough…

Do bananas contain Lactobacillus? 

Fruits, nuts and seeds are highly beneficial for our gut health and are very rich in various Lactobacillus bacteria and probiotics! Bananas especially are highly beneficial for our health as they are fibre-rich fruits containing inulin which can help stimulate the growth of ‘friendly’ bacteria inside the gut. What's more, one of the most common bacteria found inside bananas is Lactobacillus, which makes them a highly beneficial food for our gut health that can be easily consumed - whole or naturally added to foods like yoghurts. Not only can bananas naturally increase ‘good’ bacteria in the gut, but they can also help alleviate several symptoms like reducing bloating and inflammation. 

Bananas are not the only fruit with a high Lactobacillus or prebiotic content: 

• Watermelon contains probiotics that can support your ‘good’ bacteria in the gut.
• Grapefruit is also naturally high in fibre and therefore very beneficial for gut health.
• Various Apples can also contain Lactobacillus bacteria that the gut can benefit from. 

It is also very common for high lactobacillus fruits to be mixed with fermented foods to boost their overall ability to aid and support a healthy gut; the most popular infusion being fruit with yoghurts…

What is the best yoghurt for Lactobacillus?

It is important to note that not all yoghurts will be rich in Lactobacillus bacteria as L.Acidophilus is typically added by the yoghurt manufacturers; whereas some yoghurt brands might not infuse them with any additional Lactobacillus bacteria. Although, yoghurts do naturally contain probiotics that can still be beneficial for our gut health, so long as their manufacturing processes do not kill any of the live bacteria (through heat-processing) probiotic benefits can still be assured. If you are ever unsure if your chosen yoghurt contains additional Lactobacillus, then it’s always worth checking the ingredients label to see if it does contain L.Acidophilus or not. Whilst regular probiotic yoghurt can still be highly beneficial for aiding in a healthy gut, Greek yoghurt is also a very popular alternative which typically contains L, Acidophilus! What's more Greek yoghurt is a great base to add fruit, seeds or a combination of nuts to for an ultimate Lactobacillus breakfast.

Can you eat Lactobacillus-rich foods every day?

It is generally considered very safe to consume Lactobacillus-rich foods and probiotics daily as the gut can benefit from a daily stable amount of ‘friendly’ bacteria; as it can help aid in digestion as well as keep ease any side effects like gastrointestinal issues or abdominal discomfort. If you are looking a boost your prebiotic intake (through foods) and consume more Lactobacillus-rich foods daily there here are a few ways of doing so - that you can easily add to your daily routine:

1. Start your day with a high-fibre breakfast with added nuts or seeds.
2. Switch to whole-grain or sourdough bread (white bread can cause bloating/ constipation).
3. Snack on fruits, nuts and seeds if hungry between meals. 
4. Read packaging labels to find foods high in fibre.

You can safely consume  Lactobacillus-rich and prebiotic foods daily; it may take your gut a couple of days to get used to a considerable increase in ‘friendly’ bacteria so a short period of stomach aches or bloating can be common although side effects should not last longer than a few days. This can be a sign that the bacteria is reaching the gut so that it can begin to help support your overall gut health but replenishing ‘good’ bacteria as well as neutralising ‘bad’ bacteria that could be the cause of stomach discomfort or digestive issues. Lactobacillus-rich foods can help produce and stimulate a very important Lactic Acid inside the body that is essential for our gut health; here's what can happen if you do not have enough Lactobacillus inside your body… 

What happens if you don't have Lactobacillus? 

If you have an absence of Lactobacillus inside the body, or not enough, then your entire digestive system can find it difficult to function and process food properly. Not only can a lack of Lactobacillus make it harder for you to digest food, but this can result in the body not being able to absorb essential nutrients from our food and drinks. Lactobacillus can not only help keep the digestive system functioning correctly, but the bacteria can also ensure that the risks of any side effects (like abdominal discomfort, gastrointestinal issues or bowel obstruction) are less likely to occur. This is due to its ability to keep some of our ‘unfriendly’ bacteria, microorganisms, under control and neutralised. Therefore a lack of not enough can cause a significant off-balance and therefore lead to a whole plethora of health-related troubles and side-effects like the ones mentioned above. 

High Lactobacillus foods and drinks are not the only means of increasing Lactic Acid; probiotic supplements are also highly favoured as they can provide the body with the essential live bacteria that can - if not obstructed-  travel right to the source where it's needed. Lactobacillus is essential for supporting and aiding in a healthy digestive system as well as supporting a healthy gut! 

To find out more, you can bookmark our Health Insider Blog, where we will continue to add new posts regularly answering all of your questions surrounding probiotics, ‘friendly’ bacteria and general health and wellbeing. Be sure to connect via our social media channels to be updated first when we have any promotions and new product launches to share! Head to our Instagram and turn on the notification bell to ensure you never miss the action!