With a new year starts the approach to a healthier diet that also promotes gut health.

But the way to a healthy lifestyle is often much easier than investing in pricey supplements or revamping your whole diet. It just needs a simple focus on probiotics.

Probiotics play an essential role in our diet to prevent the overgrowth of harmful bacteria, which can cause gastroenterological disturbances such as diarrhea, constipation or inflammatory bowel disease.

Probiotics are beneficial bacteria and yeasts for your digestive system, said Rebecca Rubio, clinical dietitian at AdventHealth in Killeen. Research is still being conducted in this area, but the typical consensus is that probiotics help balance the good and bad bacteria to keep your digestive and immune health optimal.

While most people see bacteria negatively, probiotics are good bacteria that help keep your body healthy.

To increase your bodys intake of good bacteria, you can choose between various fermented foods, drinks and dietary supplements.

Fermented foods, however, are the most natural source of probiotics.

Fermentation is a process in which microorganisms like yeast and bacteria break down food components into other products, Rubio said. Many fermented foods contain probiotics that are produced in the fermentation process.

The fermentation process is one of the oldest techniques for food preservation, which promotes beneficial enzymes, B vitamins, omega-3 fatty acids, and various species of good bacteria.

Examples of fermented foods include yogurt, sauerkraut, kimchi, miso, tempeh, and sourdough bread. Other examples of fermented foods are pickles and selected cheeses. These foods are home to a host of good bacteria that benefit your body.

While many fermented foods have a distinguished taste, yogurt is a relatively neutral and very versatile component. It can be used as a basis in many dishes such as sauces, salad dressings or marinades. It can also substitute mayonnaise or sour cream in dishes like egg or potato salads.

Fermented drinks such as kombucha or kefir also introduce extra probiotics into your diet and benefit your microbiomes health.

However, not all fermented foods and drinks contain probiotics. Some drinks, such as beer and wine, undergo steps that remove the probiotics or make them inactive.

Food labels containing slogans such as live and active cultures let you know if foods and drinks contain probiotics.

Probiotic supplements are typically sold over the counter and often reserved to treat specific ailments suggested by doctors. They are not always recommended for everyday use.

The question remains, how many probiotics are necessary for a healthy diet.

Since there is no recommended daily intake for probiotics, there is no way to exactly know which fermented foods or what quantity is best.

The general guideline is to just add as many fermented foods to your daily diet as possible.

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Probiotics are essential for a healthy gut and lifestyle - The Killeen Daily Herald