If you’ve been eating right and still not losing weight, then your guts’ health is not that great. But, don’t worry! After reading this article, you will know exactly why I recommend probiotics to break through the annoying plateau and make your guts happy again.
What are Probiotics?
I bet you already heard about that “friendly bacteria” through yogurt commercials. As a matter of fact, probiotics have the ability to keep your guts happy, balanced, healthy, and toxin-free. These “live bacteria” are micro-organisms that work to restore the good bacteria in your digestive system. Probiotics can be found in fermented foods (i.e. kefir) and soybeans, yogurt, raw cheese, some vegetables (i.e. miso, sauerkraut), apple cider vinegar, and other supplements (i.e. powders, pills, etc.).
When you insert that delicious snack into your belly, millions of little microbes rush to help with digestion. Thus, your body breaks down the food easier and better absorbs energy and necessary nutrients. It is necessary to mention that a healthy balance of intestinal flora must consist of 90% probiotics. However, life can be unpredictable. Poor diet, medication, illness, and everyday stress can mess up this ratio significantly.
When your precious guts are not healthy, your body might become over-excited about bad bacteria. Thus, diarrhea, constipation, inflammation, weight gain, immune system issues, and many other problems become inevitable.
Increasing probiotics in the digestive system can be done by eating or consuming supplements. Probiotics are created differently, therefore, the only challenge is finding one that suits your body the best.
Probiotics and Weight Loss
Stored fats and carbohydrates are better processed when your body breaks down nutrients properly. A study conducted by “The National Center for Biotechnology Information” showed that healthy guts affect your weight indeed! Thin subjects proved to have healthier gut flora compared to obese subjects.
Additionally, evil bacteria in your body can produce harmful chemicals (i.e. lipopolysaccharides or LPS). These last cause inflammation and weight gain. Another study conducted on mice by “The National Center for Biotechnology Information” proved this point. Mice given LPS on a healthy diet gained as much weight as mice on a high-fat diet. To eliminate these evil chemicals, you need to keep the good bacteria in your guts.
Good bacteria also influence your hunger. As a matter of fact, hormones responsible for hunger are decreased significantly when healthy bacteria break down fiber properly.
Healthy gut bacteria starve out yeast organisms and stop their damage (i.e weight gain and belly bloat). More than 75% of women face the overabundance of yeast at least once during their lifetime.
What Natural Foods Contain Probiotics?
To maintain the health of your digestive system you need to eat your probiotics and follow a healthy diet. However, in extreme cases, it might not be enough. Thus, taking supplements is the best way to get back on track.
Here is a list of foods rich in probiotics:
- Kefir
- Yogurt
- Tempeh
- Gherkin [Pickles
- Natto
- Miso
- Fermented vegetables (sauerkraut, kimchi, etc.)
- Kombucha
- Apple Cider Vinegar
How to Choose The Right Probiotics?
Many companies try to sell you their probiotics based on the number of bacteria they contain. However, that’s not the only thing you should take into consideration. You might want to look up what type of strains of bacteria those probiotics contain before buying.
The three most important strains of bacteria are the following:
- B. longum: maintains the lining of the intestinal walls
- L. acidophilus: supports proper nutrient absorption
- B. bifidum: helps digest complex proteins, fats, and carbs
If you’re trying to lose weight, look for probiotics that contain at least 5 billion Colony Forming Units (CFUs) and 7 strains as a minimum.
The concept of keeping good probiotics refrigerated is widespread. It is true that probiotics should NOT be stored in the sunlight, however, most of them are shelf-stable (i.e. no need to be kept in a refrigerator). Based on this information, you can compare brands and whether their probiotics are effective or not.
Don’t consider buying any probiotics with a label stating the following: “viable at the time of manufacture”. This means that the bacteria were alive only during manufacture. Therefore, unless the brand states how much bacteria is in their probiotics at the time of expiration, don’t consider buying.
Never go for cheap stuff either. FDA does not regulate probiotics, search for those certified by a third party.
Let me share with you my top picks!
1- Dr. Tobias Probiotics with Spore Forming Strains
Always make sure to buy a shelf-stable brand. Most bacteria die if placed outside the refrigerator for too long or exposed to oxygen.
What makes Dr. Tobias Brand special is that they added two spore-forming strains to their product, thus, no need to be refrigerated.
If you’re someone who forgets to keep your supplements in the fridge, then Dr. Tobias probiotics are your best choice!
However, if you’re super sensitive to dairy, wheat peanuts, or other known allergies, I recommend you go for other options. This product is manufactured in a factory that may process the foods mentioned.
2- Renew Life Ultimate Flora Biotic
This product is the best for those looking for dairy-free, soy-free, and gluten-free probiotics.
Additionally, it contains 12 probiotic strains and over 50 million live captures in each capsule. The company selects strains to support the immune system and balance digestive problems in the best way possible.
RenewLife is extremely potent and time-released. Unlike other brands, you don’t have to take several capsules per day for optimum results.
Renew Life Ultimate Flora Biotic Extra Care guarantees potency until expiry.
3-Hyperbiotics Pro 15-The Perfect Probiotic
Hyperbiotics capsules contain 15 billion CFUs each, which equals 225 billion CFUs in other brands. Their LiveBac manufacturing process is what makes them unique.
Most probiotics are in the form of a capsule that breaks down in stomach acid and kills good bacteria. However, Hyperbiotics Pro 15 designed its capsules to protect beneficial flora and make it to the intestines.
As a matter of fact, it “consistently delivers as many as 15 times, or more, the number of live, viable probiotic organisms past simulated stomach acids than (plain/standard) capsules as repeatedly demonstrated through in vitro lab testing.”
4- Vitamin Bounty Pro 50 Probiotic
Most probiotics break down in stomach acid, thus, they never get to your lower intestines. This probiotic brand designs time-release capsules strong enough to get where they belong (i.e. the gut).
It also contains 13 strains and 50 billion live CFUs. The company does not add any fillers to their capsules, making it easy to achieve fast results.
Vitamin Bounty adds fermented greens necessary for weight loss (i.e. wheatgrass, alfalfa, and barley grass). This product is gluten-free, however, if you are allergic to any of the greens go for other options.
If you enjoyed reading this article or have any questions, feel free to ask in the comments. Don’t forget to subscribe for more interesting content!