Trendy foods often get their start on TikTok —from recipes like baked feta pasta to viral products like Walgreens candy However, the item currently topping our algorithm is Coconut Cult—an probiotic-packed plant-based yogurt. Here’s the kicker: each 16-ounce jar comes with a price tag of $39. If fitting this into your budget seems challenging, grocery budget for luxury yogurt (hey, me neither), you still have plenty of options that can fill your gut microbiome with good bacteria. We consulted nutrition experts and rounded up six probiotic-rich foods that you should add to your shopping cart.
Yogurt
Coconut Cult argues that other store-bought yogurt brands don't offer the same probiotics as its product and pale in comparison from a gut health standpoint. Whether that's true or not, you can still get plenty of probiotic benefits from other brands. Commercial yogurt undergoes pasteurization before hitting shelves, but brands often add active cultures back to their recipe to retain the good bacteria benefits.
If your aim is a coconut-based alternative, Allison Gregg offers one. Flora & Fauna Nutrition recommends Cocojune. Gregg adds that their recipe is "made of all-natural ingredients and includes one of the most well-studied probiotics for gut health, Bifidobacterium lactis BB-12 (R), all at a fraction of the price."
Dairy-based yogurts are also a great choice. "One of my go-to options is Greek yogurt—it’s packed with probiotics and has around 9 grams of protein per 100g serving," says Jennifer Pallian, RD, of Foodess Moreover, because it has less lactose and includes probiotics which make it simpler to digest for certain individuals, I consider it an excellent choice among dairy products for those who have slight lactose intolerance.
Kefir
To get the most probiotics possible in each serving, consider delving into the realm of Kefir. Originating from the Northern Caucasus area over millennia ago, this cultured milk drink is considered among the top choices for promoting digestive health.
"[It] is similar to drinkable yogurt in taste and texture, but that is where the similarity ends," says Caroline Margolis, RD at Lifeway Foods Kefir has two to three times as many probiotics compared to yogurt and includes a blend of bacterial and yeast-based cultures—a characteristic exclusive to kefir. It undergoes fermentation over an extended period, leading to higher levels of bioactive peptides and lower amounts of lactose.
Farmer Cheese
If you've been on the cottage cheese wave that's been taking over TikTok for the past year, then you'll love the nutritional benefits of its cousin, farmer cheese. "Many don’t know about its probiotic properties," says Amanda Sauceda, MS, RD . "Farmer’s cheese works well for breakfast or as a snack with some fruit, blended into a smoothie, or as a savory dip."
If you want to maximize the good bacteria, Sauceda says to "make sure it says it has live and active cultures."
Kombucha
Kombucha walked so Coconut Cult could run. The fermented tea started as a Whole Foods novelty and has since ballooned into a massive beverage category. You can have kombucha in virtually every flavor under the sun, either on its own or combined with other ingredients. But its main appeal is the high concentration of good bacteria.
That being said, Sauceda warns about shopping wisely. "Not all kombuchas are created equal," she says. "Check the label to make sure it has live and active cultures (along with the probiotic strain) listed."
Miso
Fermented foods don't just offer health benefits; they also lend flavor. That's especially true when it comes to miso, a Japanese fermented soybean paste. "Miso is full of gut-friendly microbes, digestive enzymes, and plant fibers that help support digestion," Pallian says.
It's easy to incorporate miso into any recipe that could benefit from its nuanced, savory flavor. It's worth being mindful about the sodium content, but it's still a probiotic-rich seasoning that's worth incorporating into your diet. "Studies show that daily miso consumption may help reduce the risk of stomach issues like gastritis, gastric ulcers, and duodenal ulcers," Pallian adds.
Kimchi
If you're looking to add more probiotics to your diet, fermented and pickled foods are an obvious choice. Our favorite is kimchi, a zesty, spicy dish made from cabbage that is a cornerstone of Korean cuisine. Korean cuisine "It contains lactic acid bacteria that aid in maintaining a balanced gut microbiome," explains Pallian.
In addition, Pallian mentions that research indicates kimchi can also aid in managing triglyceride levels, high-density lipoprotein (good cholesterol), and fasting blood glucose. It’s amazing how maintaining our digestive well-being can be this delicious.
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