The probiotic food can also help your immune system and reduce your risk of cancer
A readily available anti-inflammatory drink has been recommended to help settle your stomach and improve sleep. Kefir is a fermented probiotic milk drink, similar to yoghurt, which contains live bacteria to help your microbiome. Dairy-free versions are available.
Writer Ana Morales was recommended to try some as a drink in the evening to settle her stomach before bed. She said in an article for Vogue that it proved to be one of the “best post-dinner recommendations” she has had to calm the stomach and mind.
You can get the drink at all the major supermarkets such as Tesco, Morrisons and Asda, as well as from other retailers such as Boots. Holland & Barrett. You can try making your own at home, and it can be used as part of a breakfast or dessert course, or for a dip.
Kefir is also a source of fibre and can help with constipation and helps improve the immune system in fighting viruses and unfriendly bacteria. The food source is also associated with reduced cholesterol levels.
Other benefits include that it promotes bone density and can help with weight loss. However, those counting their calorie may want to note that kefir is relatively high in calories, with around 168 calories for each 240ml serving, according to information on the Holland & Barrett website.
You make kefir using kefir grains so it works with milk alternatives as well as with cow milk. An article in the Frontiers in Microbiology journal found kefir offers “a multitude of positive effects when consumed”.
The researchers explained: “These range from improved cholesterol metabolism and wound healing, to the modulation of the immune system and microbiome.” The study also found kefir has “significant antitumor activity” to fight several cancer cell types.
Health advocate Doctor Tim Spector hailed kefir as a “probiotic powerhouse” encouraging people to have it as part of their breakfast. He said: “Regular consumption of fermented foods, such as kefir, has been associated with favourable effects on the gut microbiome, improving microbial diversity and composition by increasing the relative abundance of ‘good’ bacteria in the gut.”
Other fermented foods you can try include sauerkraut, kimchi, kombucha, sourdough bread. Some cheeses are fermented, such as brie de Meaux, as well as some meats and sausages, such as chorizo or salami.
