A healthy stomach for a healthy you
Since when did ingesting bacteria make us healthier? For centuries, doctors have understood the connection between good food and good health, but it hasn’t been until recently that doctors and nutritionists have started to recognize the relationship between ingesting good bacteria and good health.
One of the fastest growing and widely supported trends in the health food industry is probiotics—live bacteria and yeast that benefit the digestive system and the general health of a person. According to Agriculture and Agri Food Canada, 35 per cent of Canadians have consumed probiotics, and 56 per cent said they are probably going to purchase more natural health products in the future.
If you’re planning to pursue a career as a certified nutritionist, read on to learn about four all-natural sources of probiotics that you could recommend to clients once you graduate from your program.
1. A Nutritionist’s Secret Weapon: Cold Kefir to Fight the Common Cold
Certified nutritionists know the ins and outs of eating well to maintain a healthy body and mind. Once you start your training, you’ll learn that by recommending the right foods to clients, you can help them stay strong and healthy, and even fight illnesses—like the common cold, for example.
While drugstore cold medicines, such as cough syrup, are often recommended to those struggling from cold symptoms, your nutrition and health training may teach you to recommend kefir—a fermented milk drink—instead. That’s because numerous scientific studies have shown that ingesting fermented milk can reduce the duration and risk of the common cold. In fact, kefir is a great source of probiotics, and it also contains high levels of vitamins like B12, K2, and calcium, and more.
But since kefir can sometimes taste sour on its own, you may suggest that clients add it to their morning smoothies!
Adding fruit to kefir can help your clients reduce its often sour taste
2. Nutrition and Health Program Grads Know Kombucha is a Great Source of Vitamins
Kombucha has been around for a long time, with the first recorded usage being in China in 221 BC. Kombucha is made by placing a SCOBY—a culture of yeast and bacteria—into sweetened tea and giving it time to turn the sugars into minerals, vitamins, enzymes and healthy bacteria. Nutrition and health professionals know that substituting morning tea or coffee for a few gulps of kombucha tea can provide potential clients with a great dose of vitamins and probiotics to start the day.
If you’re planning to become a nutritionist or health expert by pursuing nutrition and health programs in Canada, like those offered at AAPS College, understanding how to brew kombucha tea could be an asset for when you begin your career.
3. Why Pros Holding Nutrition and Health Certificates Endorse Yogurt
Yogurt has been steadily growing in popularity since the early 1990s. In fact, the yogurt section in many grocery stores has gone from a few shelves to entire aisles; and for good reason! Delicious, nutritious, and full of probiotics, yogurt is a versatile food which helps maintain good health. Now, the emergence of Greek yogurt has given yogurt lovers a protein-rich, more favourable version of the snack, which still has all the same good probiotics as regular yogurt.
After earning your Sports, Nutrition and Weight Management Diploma, you might consider advising athletic clients to consume Greek yogurt. That’s because Greek yogurt is perfect for those who need an added dose of protein for their post-workout muscle pains, and still want the added benefits of consuming probiotic-rich foods.
4. Miso Soup: A Probiotic Powerhouse for Athletic Clients
Soup has often been hailed as a great way to fight colds and improve health. However, Miso soup—a traditional Japanese soup made from ‘dashi’ stock—takes it to the next level through its inclusion of fermented beans, rye or rice, and heaps of healthy bacteria and yeast.
If you’re thinking about pursuing a sport nutrition certificate, add this soup to your arsenal of post-game recommendations for your future clients, as it hydrates the body and replenishes healthy gut bacteria simultaneously. Nutritionists know that the combination of the vitamins and probiotics in miso soup broth leads to healthier clients. Also, consider recommending miso soup before a meal as the probiotics will help with digestion.
Miso soup is a tasty vehicle for healthy bacteria
Looking to improve the health of those around you?
Contact AAPS today to find out how a nutritionist certificate can help you make a difference!