A natural form of probiotic tea would be something like kombucha. Kombucha probiotic tea is naturally fermented, which allows the growth of good bacteria. When you drink this probiotic tea, you're getting all those healthy bacteria into your gut microbiome.
While its clear research-supported health claims are essential, maintaining the benefits of the probiotic ingredient can be difficult, especially given that traditionally, probiotics could not be added to tea as they cannot survive hot conditions.
Spoiler: all high-quality white, green and black teas actually contain prebiotics that nourish a healthy microbiome, which may be equally or more important for gut health than obtaining living probiotics through your diet.
Green tea is good for gut health for 3 reasons:
The study also reported that the Catechins in Green tea kill malicious bacteria in the intestine, such as Staphylococcus and Helicobacter Pylori, but not beneficial bacteria.
Tea drinking is acclaimed for its health benefits, including preventing obesity and some metabolic diseases, which may be due partly to the beneficial effects of tea compounds on microbiota, the range and diversity of bacteria in the gut.
While tea may not be able to cure more serious illnesses, it can provide much-needed relief when you're in gastrointestinal distress. Whether you're suffering from persistent stomach troubles or are just seeking relief after a heavy meal, tea can be a great way to aid digestion and soothe the stomach.
Tea is gentler on stomach. The acidity of coffee can cause you to over produce your own digestive acids and create problems such as upset stomach to ulcers. Tea less so.
An anti-inflammatory diet, regular exercise, good quality sleep, and probiotics are all strategies to put in place before trying antimicrobials or antibiotics to get rid of bad bacteria.
Still water. Water keeps things moving along, balances the good bacteria in the gut, and protects the intestines. Consider sipping alkaline water, which supports a healthy colon and encourages the growth of probiotics.
No, ginger is not a probiotic. But it has so many benefits that are similar to the advantages that probiotics provide.
Due to the relatively low bioavailability of tea phenolics in the small intestine, their reciprocal interaction with gut microbiota in the colon may contribute largely to their beneficial health effects. This implies that tea phenolics may be considered as prebiotics.
As we've learned in the previous paragraph, heat kills most types of probiotic bacteria. Therefore, I wouldn't advise mixing your probiotics into a hot drink. However, by the time your tea or coffee is cool enough to drink, it's closer to body temperature, which probiotics can withstand.
Also, foods with probiotics require certain temperature controls. Exposing live probiotic cultures to temperatures above 115 degrees F kills them. This means that fermented foods like kimchi and miso should not be exposed to high heat during the cooking process.
The same study discussed in the cayenne pepper section also showed that ginger increases the growth of beneficial Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium species – basically behaving like a prebiotic.
Best: Polyphenols
Colorful foods are rich in polyphenols, as are tea, coffee, and red wine. Polyphenols in green tea may help fight “bad” bacteria like E. coli and calm symptoms of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and peptic ulcers. Polyphenols can also promote the growth of good gut bacteria.
Due to its low pH nature, stomach acid can kill probiotics and reduce their efficacy in the gut. As powerful as probiotics can be for our health and wellbeing, non micro-shield probiotics are often no match for stomach acid.
Digestive issues, such as irritable bowel syndrome, constipation, diarrhea, heartburn or bloating. Sleep issues. Skin rashes and allergies. Sugar cravings.
Best for overall health: green tea
When it comes to tea, green tea gets the gold. “Green tea is the champ when it comes to offering health benefits,” says Czerwony. “It's the Swiss Army knife of teas. It covers a lot of territory.”
A simple cup of tea has been used across centuries and cultures as the ultimate natural way to aid digestion and improve your gut health. Certain teas support regular bowel movements, while others support a healthy immune system to help your body eliminate gunk that could upset your tummy.