Bacteria gets a bad rap. It's the stuff that makes us sick, the stuff we're supposed to avoid at all costs. But there is such a thing as good bacteria, and when it comes to our digestion, this good bacteria is crucial.
"Beneficial bacteria [known as probiotics] keeps your gut healthy," says Stella Metsovas, a nutrition and diet expert in Los Angeles. "Having healthy, functioning intestines allows you to better digest and assimilate nutrients -- a key factor to optimal health!"
While Metsovas takes a bite of kimchi or sauerkraut every morning, any foods with live, active cultures (like miso, tempeh, and kefir) fit the bill.
If I read another article telling me to drop the Twinkie and replace it with a carrot stick, I'm going to hurl my cream-filled cakes at the computer screen.
I know I should pick hummus over doughnuts and pita chips over potato chips. But as anyone who's ever tried to watch their diet knows, it's not always so easy. While staying healthy and trimming some fat is a noble goal, who wants to subscribe to a strict veggie-chomping and gym-rat lifestyle?
Of course, I know the secret to six-pack abs isn't in a pill or "30-second" workout (although that would be amazing). But there's got to be a happy medium between the quick fixes and the no-sugar, no-carbs, no-fun plan.
That's why I asked dietitians, fitness gurus, and wellness experts for their advice on the small changes that add up to big results. They told me that adding these 7 healthy ingredients into my diet will get me the maximum health payoff for the minimum effort. Now we're talking.
