Sources of probiotics

Sources of probiotics

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Katie Stone - Naturopath

Written By:

Katie Stone - Naturopath
Kari Asadorian - BSN, RN

Medical Reviewer:

Kari Asadorian - BSN, RN
Jamie Hope - Methyl-Life® Founder

Edited By:

Jamie Hope - Methyl-Life® Founder

Updated On:

September 17, 2025

Natural sources of probiotics are foods that naturally contain live beneficial bacteria due to fermentation or culturing, without needing fortification or supplementation. Other food sources of probiotics may include those to which probiotics have been added (i.e., fortified foods).

Natural and food sources of Probiotics

  • Yogurt
    Yogurt and fermented milks are produced by the fermentation and acidification of milk by viable bacteria, usually Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus. This process results in a thickened product with a longer shelf life than non-fermented milk.1 Check that the yogurt contains live or active cultures.

  • Kefir
    Kefir is a bubbly, fermented beverage made by fermenting kefir grains with milk or water. It contains a wide variety of Lactobacillus species as well as Saccharomyces cerevisiae.2

  • Buttermilk
    Buttermilk is traditionally made from the liquid byproduct of churning butter. Today’s versions may contain added lactic acid bacteria (including Lactococcus lactis or Lactobacillus bulgaricus).3

  • Sauerkraut
    Sauerkraut is a salt-based fermented vegetable that contains a significantly greater diversity of microbes than milk-based foods.4 It is made through the microbial fermentation of cabbage and contains mostly lactic acid bacteria.

  • Kimchi
    Kimchi is a traditional Korean food created by fermenting vegetables with probiotic lactic acid bacteria (LAB). Its main ingredients are cruciferous vegetables, garlic, ginger, red pepper, and chilli. As all of these ingredients undergo fermentation by LAB, kimchi is regarded as a source of LAB; and the fermentative byproducts from the functional ingredients significantly increase its benefits.5

  • Miso
    Miso is a traditional Japanese seasoning made by the fermentation of soybean paste and grains as a result of Koji enzymes and beneficial microbes. Koji mold is a fungus used for fermentation. Aspergillus oryzae is a yellow‐colored mold that is used for the process of brewing, specifically in Japan. The enzymes present in Koji help to convert the rice starch to sugar.6

  • Tempeh
    Tempeh is an Indonesian traditional food made from fermented soybeans with beneficial microorganisms, including lactic acid bacteria.7 It is a rich source of paraprobiotics, also known as inactivated probiotics: non-viable microbial cells with various health benefits.

  • Natto
    Natto is another traditional Japanese food made by steaming or cooking soaked soybean seeds, inoculating them with Bacillus subtilis, and then allowing them to ferment. Natto contains a range of essential nutrients and bioactive compounds, including nattokinase, soybean isoflavone, γ-polyglutamic acid, vitamin K2, and bacterial species, namely Bacillus subtilis var. natto.8

  • Kombucha
    Kombucha is an aerobically fermented beverage made by infusing sweetened tea with a cellulose mat/pellicle called SCOBY (symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast). Kombucha is a source of osmophilic strains of beneficial yeast, organic acids and amino acids, vitamins, probiotics, sugars, polyphenols, and antioxidants.9

  • Traditional aged cheeses made from raw milk (cow, sheep, and goat) are made with lactic acid bacteria and contain various Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium species.10

  • Ginger bug
    Ginger bug is a starter culture of microorganisms native to ginger. It can be used to make a carbonated ginger beverage that contains various probiotic species, including Lactobacillus and Saccharomyces.11

Sources of probiotics

Key takeaways

  • Icon Many foods are natural sources of probiotics due to fermentation processes.
  • Icon Yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, and soybean products such as tempeh and natto may be concentrated sources of natural probiotics.
  • Icon Check the label on a store-bought product to see if it contains live bacteria.

Product Recommendations

Chewable Digestive Enzymes

Chewable Digestive Enzymes

$46.00

  • Ease Your Belly from Post Meal Discomfort
  • Assists Breakdown of Proteins, Carbohydrates, Lipids, Gluten & Dairy
  • Tastes like a natural, after-dinner mint
  • 3rd-Party Tested, Non-GMO, Gluten-Free, 90 Vegan Tablets

Frequently Asked Questions about sources of probiotics

What food is highest in probiotics?

The probiotic content of any food depends on its ingredients and manufacturing process. Yogurt and kefir are traditionally high in probiotics, but not all yogurt products are the same. Check the product label for information about the content of live and active cultures.

What is the most powerful natural probiotic?

Unsweetened probiotic yogurt or kefir can provide good sources of probiotic bacteria, depending on the manufacturing of the product. The probiotic content of yogurt is affected by pH, moisture, and oxygen concentrations, which is why probiotic supplements are often the best source of beneficial bacteria. Encapsulation helps to shield the probiotic bacteria from environmental stressors and maintain their stability until they arrive in the stomach.12

Are bananas full of probiotics?

No, bananas are not full of probiotics. They do not contain any live bacteria at all. Unripe bananas are a source of prebiotics, a type of dietary fibre that provides fuel for beneficial bacteria in the gut.

What drink has a lot of probiotics?

Kefir is a probiotic beverage made from the fermentation of kefir grains with milk or water. It contains a wide variety of Lactobacillus species as well as Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

References

  1. Elena Hadjimbei, George Botsaris, Stavrie Chrysostomou; "Beneficial Effects of Yoghurts and Probiotic Fermented Milks and Their Functional Food Potential"; Foods; 2022 Sep

    https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9455928/

  2. Nor Farahin Azizi, Muganti Rajah Kumar, Swee Keong Yeap, Janna Ong Abdullah, Melati Khalid, Abdul Rahman Omar, Mohd Azuraidi Osman, Sharifah Alawieyah Syed Mortadza, Noorjahan Banu Alitheen, Arun K Bhunia; "Kefir and Its Biological Activities"; Foods; 2021 May

    https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8226494/

  3. Kiran Kumar Bhukya, Bhima Bhukya; "Unraveling the probiotic efficiency of bacterium Pediococcus pentosaceus OBK05 isolated from buttermilk: An in vitro study for cholesterol assimilation potential and antibiotic resistance status"; PLoS One; 2021 Nov

    https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8568294/

  4. John Leech, Raul Cabrera-Rubio, Aaron M Walsh, Guerrino Macori, Calum J Walsh, Wiley Barton, Laura Finnegan, Fiona Crispie, Orla O'Sullivan, Marcus J Claesson, Paul D Cotter; "Fermented-Food Metagenomics Reveals Substrate-Associated Differences in Taxonomy and Health-Associated and Antibiotic Resistance Determinants"; mSystems; 2020 Nov

    https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33172966/

  5. Kun-Young Park, Ji-Kang Jeong, Young-Eun Lee, James W Daily 3rd; "Health benefits of kimchi (Korean fermented vegetables) as a probiotic food"; Journal of medicinal food; 2014 Jan

    https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24456350/

  6. Farhan Saeed, Muhammad Afzaal, Yasir Abbas Shah, Mujahid Hassan Khan, Muzzamal Hussain, Ali Ikram, Huda Ateeq, Muhammad Noman, Shamaail A Saewan, Ashraf O Khashroum; "Miso: A traditional nutritious & health‐endorsing fermented product"; Food science & nutrition; 2022 Sep

    https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9731531/

  7. Gianluca Rizzo; "Soy-Based Tempeh as a Functional Food: Evidence for Human Health and Future Perspective"; Frontiers in bioscience (Elite edition); 2024 Jan

    https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38538520/

  8. Muhammad Afzaal, Farhan Saeed, Fakhar Islam, Huda Ateeq, Aasma Asghar, Yasir Abbas Shah, Chigozie E Ofoedu, James S Chacha; "Nutritional Health Perspective of Natto: A Critical Review"; Biochemistry research international; 2022 Oct

    https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36312453/

  9. Suriyapriya Selvaraj, Kalaichelvan Gurumurthy; "An overview of probiotic health booster-kombucha tea"; Chinese herbal medicines; 2022 Dec

    https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9975612/

  10. Márcia C Coelho, Francisco Xavier Malcata, Célia C G Silva; "Lactic Acid Bacteria in Raw-Milk Cheeses: From Starter Cultures to Probiotic Functions"; Foods; 2022 Jul

    https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9368153/

  11. Louise Iara Gomes de Oliveira, Whyara Karoline Almeida da Costa, Fernanda de Candido de Oliveira, Fabrícia França Bezerril, Luana Priscila Alves Maciel Eireli, Marcos dos Santos Lima, Melline Fontes Noronha, Lucélia Cabral, Roger Wagner, Tatiana Colombo Pimentel, Marciane Magnani; "Ginger beer derived from back-slopping: Volatile compounds, microbial communities on activation and fermentation, metabolites and sensory characteristics"; Food Chemistry; 2024 Mar

    https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0308814623022586

  12. Bhutada Sarita, Dahikar Samadhan, Md Zakir Hassan, Elena G Kovaleva; "A comprehensive review of probiotics and human health-current prospective and applications"; Frontiers in microbiology; 2025 Jan

    https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11743475/

Katie Stone - Naturopath

About the Author

Katie is a qualified Naturopath (BNatMed) and freelance writer from New Zealand. She specializes in all things health and wellness, particularly dietary supplements and nutrition. Katie is also a dedicated runner and has completed more half-marathons than she can count!

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