What are the benefits of eating a diet rich in probiotic food sources?
Bacteria known to be helpful to humans and other mammals are referred to as probiotic organisms.
In humans, these microorganisms live in the trillions throughout the digestive tract, in the mouth and the vagina.
Recently, a link has been established between the composition of the bacteria residing within the gut and obesity. A probiotics diet may be able to alter the gut flora, thereby allowing for better weight loss and weight maintenance.



- Supports a healthy immune system & microflora
- Promotes digestion & nutrient absoprtion
- Combats pathogenic bacteria; Improves metabolism
Probiotics and Diet
Related Topics
- What are Probiotics?
- Probiotic Benefits
- Best Probiotic Strains
- Probiotic Side Effects
- Probiotic Supplements
- Probiotic Foods
- Best Probiotic Yogurt
- Probiotics for Children
- Probiotics for Women
- Yeast Infections
- What are Prebotics?
- Lactobacillus Acidophilus
- Lactobacillus Bulgaricus
- Lactobacillus Rhamnosus
- Bifidobacterium Bifidum
- Bifidobacterium Infantis
- Bifidus Regularis
Many clinical trials are currently under way to try to comprehend the mechanisms of action involved in this connection. The role of probiotics for weight loss diets remains poorly understood at the present time. However, there is a clear correlation between a healthy balance of bacteria in the gut and healthy body weight.
Researchers have shown that obese people have significantly different gut microflora than those who are within a normal BMI range.
This difference in bacterial makeup may initially begin due to differences in dietary habits. How it progresses remains unknown.
Certain unfriendly bacteria are known to thrive on the high fat and low fiber diet which is prevalent throughout much of the western world. At the same time, diets which are high in fiber and low in fats tend to promote the growth of healthier, more beneficial bacteria.
The Link between Foods and Probiotics
Some foods naturally contain probiotic bacteria. Adding some of these foods to an already healthy diet may help alter the composition of an unhealthy gut microbiome.
Most probiotic diet foods are those containing high concentrations of these healthy bacteria because they have undergone a fermentation process. Fermentation occurs when lactic acid producing bacteria convert carbohydrates into acids, hydrogen peroxide and other useful chemical compounds.
Commonly accessed probiotic foods include:
- Soy sauce
- Sauerkraut
- Kimchi
- Tempe
- Miso
- Buttermilk
- Sourdough
- Pickles
- Yogurt
Benefits of a Probiotic-Rich Diet
Probiotic supplements are touted for improving the overall digestive process, helping to regulate food transit time from mouth to bowel, decreasing gas and bloating, and for helping those with digestive disorders like IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome), Crohn’s Disease and IBD (Inflammatory Bowel Disease).
In addition, some people report improvement with symptoms associated with leaky gut syndrome by following such a diet.
Individuals who experience symptoms associated with poor digestion like constipation, diarrhea, bloating, or gas often experience improvement within a few weeks of adding 2-3 servings of foods known to contain higher concentrations of these friendly microbes.
Many health conscious people choose to add a daily probiotic supplement to their health regimen to ensure they are getting the correct dose each day.
Overweight or obese individuals seeking to alter their gut flora will likely need to supplement with adequate doses of appropriate strains of bacteria over a period of time in order to gain the benefits noted in clinical studies.
For example, a study published in the British Journal of Nutrition in 2014 suggests that certain strains of bacteria in the Lactobacillus rhamnosus species, when taken for three months, not only helped overweight women lose weight, but that their weight loss continued for at least three months after taking the probiotics.
At the end of the 24-week study, the placebo group in the same study only lost half the weight when compared to the group taking the dietary probiotic pills each day.
User Instructions
There are many different types of probiotic species and although many of them work together to create the beneficial effects many users experience, it is helpful to understand the properties of each species and strain contained within your probiotic supplement or food probiotic.
Dosage may be dependent on many factors including weight and health status. All other probiotics or medications being taken need to be considered, as well.
In the study mentioned earlier, the female participants took capsules containing about 100 million cultures of L. rhamnosus in conjunction with prebiotics each day.
This amount would be difficult to gain from eating food products by themselves, making it likely that a supplement combining L. rhamnosus with oligofructose and inulin may be warranted.
Most people can add probiotics safely to their diet, though individuals with compromised immune systems should talk with their physician before adding probiotics to their health regimen. Side effects experienced, if any, usually consisted of abdominal discomfort, gas or bloating and typically subsided with continued use.
Review
A probiotic diet for health and weight loss is currently being studied by researchers. Initial studies indicate that the differences in the microflora in obese and thin individuals play some part in obesity, and may also be linked to Type 2 diabetes and other health risks.
Though it is currently unknown whether the microbiome of obese individuals can be permanently changed through probiotic supplementation, changing the diet to one which is high fiber/low fat, along with a quality probiotic supplement may help overweight women lose unwanted weight as well as help them keep it off over time.
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Article last updated on: May 2nd, 2018 by Nootriment