You may wonder how to eat more probiotics. In other words, you want to know how to get fermented foods into your daily diet. You may think it is difficult to add more fermented foods in your diet, but it really isn’t that difficult. You just have to get into the habit of including them and find some creative ways to do so. It is important enough to make the effort because of fermented foods’ health benefits. Here are some ways to get you started.

Milk Kefir

1. Make a point to drink at least a small glass of milk kefir each day.  This could be with breakfast, lunch, dinner, or as a snack.  I usually make sure I drink some right after I strain my kefir each day.  I like it room temperature.  You may prefer it chilled.  The important thing is to get into the habit of drinking it every day.
   

   Kombucha

2. Have a set time during the day to drink a small glass of kombucha, if you have not already had some.  According to Donna Schwenk, author of Cultured Food for Life, she has seen great health improvements in people who consume what she calls “The Triology” each day.  “The Trilogy” is milk kefir, kombucha, and fermented vegetables. She recommends that you consume each of these daily.
3. Add fermented vegetables to your plate or salad with one or more meals each day.  This can be sauerkraut, pickles, fermented mixed vegetables, or whatever you prefer.  You cannot eat too much, unless you are just beginning.  (If you are just beginning to add fermented foods to your diet, start with a small amount and increase this each day.  This gives your body a chance to adjust to the increased amount of good bacteria.  You may experience more detox reactions if you add large amounts quickly.  These detox reactions are a sign your body is getting rid of bad bacteria and yeasts, which is a good thing, but when it happens too fast, it can be uncomfortable.)
   

   Fermented Carrots & Cauliflower, Pickles, and Okra

    

4. 

   Water Kefir

    

   Replace beverages throughout the day with kombucha and water kefir.  You can flavor these to your liking or drink them plain. You may also add them to other drink recipes, such as punches and fruit drinks. Don’t forget to drink plenty of water also, as this is necessary for good health.

5. Eat cultured dairy products whenever you can. Some examples are kefir cheese, cultured butter, cultured buttermilk, cottage cheese, sour cream, and yogurt.
   

   Kefir Cheese Balls in Extra Virgin Olive Oil

    

   

   Viili Yogurt

   Make sure that these contain live probiotic cultures and that they do not contain excess sugar, chemicals, and other additives. (Organic and grass-fed dairy products are best.  If you have access to organic, grass-fed, raw milk, then using that make these even better. Cultured dairy products made from organic, grass-fed milk is also very healthy. Try to avoid ultra-pasteurized dairy products, if at all possible, because these do not culture as well, and the proteins in the milk are changed by this high heat, which may be more difficult for your body to digest.)

6. Add some fermented food to your (raw) green or other smoothies. You can easily add milk kefir, kombucha, water kefir, or a small amount of fermented vegetables.
7. Use fermented or cultured foods as an ingredient in other recipes that are not cooked. You can use milk kefir, yogurt, sour cream, and/or cultured butter milk in salad dressings and dips. You can use kombucha, especially some that is very sour, as a replacement for vinegar in vinaigrette.
8. Serve kefir cheese as a spread on crackers or with vegetables or serve it on salad. Kefir cheese balls look very pretty on a salad, and taste great, too. You can use some of the olive oil the kefir cheese balls were stored in to make your salad dressing, too.
   

   Kefir Cheese Balls on Salad

   

   Kefir Cheese Balls with Garlic Salt Served on Crackers with Alfalfa Sprouts

9. Keep in mind that you can and should add fermented foods to other dishes and meals.  You will think of new ways.  Do not be afraid to experiment! Just remember that cooking kills the good probiotic organisms, so try to use them in raw recipes or add them to foods after they are cooked, as when serving. Be creative and enjoy them for your improved health!

Please share below ways you include fermented foods in your diet on a regular basis.