Today’s awesome post is offered up by Aimee McNew of PaleoHacks.com. Enjoy, everyone!

Bacteria outnumber cells in our body at a ratio of ten to one! Since the average human body has about 37 trillion cells, we literally carry around an astounding number of bacteria. Probiotics are the “good” bacteria that keep digestion working, skin healthy, and the immune system in check; they even benefit mood and mental health in positive ways. Bad bacteria will proliferate unchecked when good bacteria isn’t there to counter it, so eating a diet rich in probiotic foods is vital for gut health and overall wellness.

These 14 recipes all contain good bacteria. They’re so tasty—you won’t even feel like you’re eating a gut-boosting, therapeutic food!

#1 Detoxinista | Raw Sauerkraut

Perhaps the most obvious answer for probiotic-rich food, sauerkraut is about as simple as it gets. Just a few ingredients and some time to ferment will yield a deliciously sour side dish that can be paired with just about anything. Bonus: it’s an excellent topper for salads.

#2 Fermented Food Lab | Nutrient Dense Apple Cider Vinegar Dressing

Eating salads filled with leafy greens and a rainbow of vegetables and fruits is a fabulous way to take in plenty of vitamins and minerals. Adding a dressing that feeds the good bacteria in the gut can take your superfood salads to the next level.

#3 Isa Chandra | Sauerkraut Mushroom Soup

If you’re not into eating plain sauerkraut, then adding it to a soup is the perfect way to tone down its distinctive flavor while getting other nutrients, too!

#4 PaleoHacks | Kombucha

This fermented beverage uses green tea combined with other flavors of choice to produce a fizzy, probiotic-rich drink that for many is as pleasant as sipping on a favorite brew or ice cold tea. The best part about this recipe is that you can customize it to taste preferences, or change it up each time you make it!

#5 Mark’s Daily Apple | Naturally Fermented Dill Pickles

Dill pickles are one of those ubiquitous foods that pair well with main dishes, side dishes, or as finger foods on their own. I’ve personally been known to snack on them year-round, and totally ate a jar a day while pregnant.

#6 The Roasted Root | Lavender Kombucha

Want to take your kombucha to the next level? Lavender, often used in aromatherapy, is totally edible too. The flavor is sweet but not overpowering, and the soothing aroma can double as a vacation in a cup.

 

#7 Fermented Food Lab | Coconut Water Kefir

Water kefir is a great way to integrate probiotics into beverages with a less pungent flavor than kombucha.

#8 Paleo Leap | Lacto-Fermented Salsa

Fermenting your salsa is a creative way to get probiotics into your diet by replacing it with fresh salsa. Plus, you can mix up the flavors, add more or less spice, and otherwise customize this tangy, gut-friendly salsa.

#9 Detox DIY | Probiotic Beet and Red Cabbage Sauerkraut

A colorful twist on this gut-friendly dish, this one also throws in beets for an earthier ‘kraut that also has extra fiber.

#10 Hip Girls Home | Fermented Peach Vinegar Tonic

Apple cider vinegar feeds the good bacteria in the gut, and this is a flavorful twist on drinking the stuff plain. You can use other fruits, too!

#11 The Kitchn | Beet Kvass

Another fermented beverage, kvass has similar benefits to kombucha and kefir, but is a great way to use beets. You can flavor this beverage with other herbs or spices.

#12 Paleo Leap | Lacto-Fermented Vegetable Medley

Not into cabbage? You can pretty much ferment any vegetable—and even some fruits—and it’s just as easy to eat the rainbow when they’re loaded up with probiotics as it is when they’re fresh.

#13 Simple Veganista | Kimchi

This spicy, classic fermented dish has some crunch to it, and might be more pleasing to palates of people who find sauerkraut difficult to get down.

#14 One Green Planet | Probiotic Cashew Yogurt

While this recipe does use probiotic powder as the source of good bacteria, this is an easily accessible, gut-healthy recipe for people who don’t want to ferment their own vegetables but who still want the benefits of homemade, probiotic goodness.

Thanks again to Aimee McNew of PaleoHacks.com for today’s post. Comments, questions about ab workouts or any other facet of Primal fitness? Share your thoughts below, and have a great week, everyone.

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