Part III: The Importance of Probiotics

Top Recommended Brands

I generally recommend most people integrate a soil-based or spore-based probiotic supplement, coupled with lactic acid bacteria (primarily from fermented foods). Also, do not neglect the importance of prebiotics (the fiber that feeds your probiotics and helps them “stick” in your gut).

Soil Based Organisms

Prescript Assist (People’s Pharmacy and online)
Garden of Life Primal Defense Ultra (Whole Foods Market)
Megaspore Probiotic by Microbiome Labs (sold through practitioners) 
RestoraFlora by Microbiome Labs (sold through practitioners) 

Lactic Acid Bacteria

Fermented foods are hands down the number one source of choice—you should consume 1 to 2 “medicinal” or condiment sized servings daily. Some good sources include fermented full-fat grass-fed yogurt and kefir, goat’s milk kefir, sauerkraut, fermented cheese, low-sugar kombucha, fermented and pickled vegetables, kimchi, and fermented soy products like tofu, miso and tempeh.

My Faves You Can Buy?

Farmhouse Culture’s Sauerkraut (Whole Foods, Central Market, HEB)
Health-Ade & True Tonic Kombucha (Whole Foods, Central Market, HEB)
Redwood Hill’s Goat’s Milk Kefir & Yogurt (Whole Foods, Central Market, HEB)
Stonyfield Farms & Maple Hill Creamery Full-fat Plain Yogurt (Whole Foods, Central Market)
Kokonut Yogurt (Wheatsville, Royal Blue) 
Fermented veggies and yogurt at the farmer’s market

If fermented foods really are not your thing, or you find yourself unable to tolerate them (i.e. many people with severe bacterial overgrowth don’t tolerate fermented foods until unhealthy bacteria are killed off), these are the supplement brands I recommend: 

Jarrow Brand’s Formulas (Whole Foods, HEB, Central Market)
Thorne Ultra Flora (online) 
Transformation Enzymes Probiotic 42.5 (online) 

Prebiotics 

Lastly, don’t forget the importance of prebiotic. Prebiotics come in both supplement and starch form. Choose one prebiotic supplement to take with your probiotics, and incorporate prebiotic foods into your diet on a regular basis.

Prebiotic Supplements

Prebiogen Supplement by Chris Kresser
PaleoFiber by Designs for Health
Acacia fiber
Unmodified potato starch 
Glucomannan powder
Partially Hydrolyzed Guar Gum
Psyllium husk powder
Modified Citrus Pectin

Prebiotic Foods

Nutritional Yeast
Plantain starch
Asparagus (al-dente)
Coconut Flour
Potatoes and white rice (cooked and cooled) 
Sweet potatoes and squashes
Lentils
Garlic and onions
Green-tipped plantains/bananas
Jerusalem Artichoke
Mushrooms (reishi, shiitake, and maitake)
Seaweed and algae

Ways to Incorporate Prebiotic Supplements and Foods

Mix psyllium husk powder, unmodified potato starch or Glucomannan powder into smoothie or unsweetened nut milk
Make plantain “pancakes” with green-tipped plantains or plantain flour
Eat half a green-tipped banana dipped in coconut butter or raw nut butter as a snack
Add a cooked-and-cooled potato to your dinner
Add artichoke hearts to your salad
Cook with fresh onions