Probiotics Vs. Fermented Foods: Which Is Better?
So you have heard you should be taking a probiotic but you have also read that fermented foods are the bees knees, so do you really need to take a probiotic? Should you be taking both?
Let's take a look at understanding both fermented foods and probiotics so that you can make the best decision for your body.
Probiotics
Can be taken in higher doses which can support faster results
Offer residential strains (bacteria that stay and repopulate) as opposed to transient strains that benefit the body while traveling through
You can account for the strength, quality and strains of bacteria when taking a probiotic
Research showing the benefits of good bacteria for conditions such as colitis have been with the use of probiotic supplementation
Can help you better target certain support for certain areas of your body (example bifidobacterium strains for colon support)
Fermented Foods
Can easily be incorpated into your daily food routine adding a new array of flavour, but also digestive support and bowel health
Offer great prevention by offering strains a probiotic may not provide
Fermented foods offer vitamins and minerals that are easily absorbed by the body making it a nutrient dense food your body welcomes
Contain prebiotic fiber to feed your residential good bacteria helping them to repopulate
The truth is they both play an important role and both probiotics and fermented foods can be beneficial in a gut protocol.
In my experience most people don't warm up to the idea of eating fermented foods daily and consistently enough to provide an adequate amount of bacteria during a gut protocol, nor does the idea of having to take expensive probiotics daily for the rest of their life. Beginning with both at the start of your gut protocol and eventually using fermented foods to maintain a happy gut is a great option and something that I encourage my clients.
At the end of the day our priority is to get good bacteria in your gut!
