I have already written an article on probiotics are and have mentioned one or two foods that contain probiotics, but will go into more detail in another article to outline foods that contain probiotics.

I am sure most of us know about probiotics and some of their health benefits.

Some of these are outlined below:

• Live cultured yoghurts contain probiotics in the form of lactobacillus and acidophilus, but the most popular brands of yoghurt contain artificial sweeteners; flavours and are high in fructose corn syrup, which may cause problems with those who have problems with IBS and related digestive disorders;

• Good quality dark chocolate contains up to four times as many probiotics as probiotics found in dairy products and should be eaten in moderation;

• Miso, which stems traditionally from Japanese traditional medicine, is made from beans, fermented rye, barley or rice. When made into a soup, Miso is a rich probiotic soup full of bifidus and lactobacilli bacteria. Miso is known to help alkaline the body and neutralise the effects of environmental pollution and stop carcinogens in the body, which can cause cancer;

• Tempeh made from soy-beans contains fermented probiotics. Tempeh also contains vitamin B12 and is a good replacement for tofu or meat. It can be baked or sautéed. It can also contribute to a low fat sodium diet if prepared in the correct way;

• Super-foods such as chorella, spirulina and blue-green algae are all probiotic foods, which have been shown to increase both bifidobacteria and Lactobacillus in the digestive tract and help alkaline the body that helps prevent cancer.

As a recap, probiotics are found in supplement form too and contain friendly bacteria, similar to those found in the gut. For more information on Probiotics see my article called 'Probiotics.'