The Best Probiotic Foods – Skyr, Kefir, Uplift Food and More.

So I love Greek yoghurt, but knowing that it has held the limelight on the dual probiotic high protein stage for quite some time, I thought it was worth sharing a range of other products that are starting to become more readily available in the USA, and I can only hope all make their way onto Australian shelves (if they are not already there) for everyone back home to be able to enjoy too!

All in all, they are products I have tried, enjoyed, and think others could too!

They are at least worth putting on your hit list of foods to try if you can find them wherever you are in the world!

1. Skyr – The thick and creamy Icelandic dairy product that I fell in love with from the moment I tried it…it tastes incredible! I believe it takes 4 cups of milk to make 1 cup of skyr, so it ends up being super high in protein (and low in both fat and carbohydrates), resulting in a very low calorie, and very creamy “yoghurt” (or some may even refer to it more like a cream cheese), that is super filling!

I remember trying it for the first time when I got off the plane in Iceland and thought, oh my gosh, where have you been all my life! I ended up buying at least 4 serves in the space of the 22 hours I was in the country! Lucky for me, there are companies here in the USA that have realised the potential for this product and have been expanding over the past couple of years with Icelandic skyr products. I can only hope that these companies, such as Siggis, expand to Australia and set up production there too!

*2018 update – Skyr is finally available in Australia! Woolworths was the first to launch them nationally, and boy am I pleased!

My first skyr experience in the homeland…iceland. Literally the first thing I ate when I landed.

My first skyr experience in the homeland…iceland. Literally the first thing I ate when I landed.

Iceland!

Iceland!

Iceland at 4am during midsummer! So bright!!

Iceland at 4am when I got up to go to the airport during midsummer! So bright!!

Me in Iceland!

Me in Iceland!

Smari - another brand of icelandic skyr available in the USA

Smari – another brand of icelandic skyr available in the USA

Another brand of skyr available in the USA - smari

Another brand of skyr available in the USA – smari – as you can see this wasn’t their plain variety so did have added sugar.

 

Siggis is a fabulous brand that has a huge array of icelandic skyr products. I mixed in some english toffee flavoured stevia and it tasted crazy good!

Siggis is a fabulous brand that has a huge array of icelandic skyr products. I mixed in some english toffee flavoured stevia to a plain one to keep the added sugars down, and it tasted crazy good!

2. Kefir – Definitely gaining some momentum in owning a space in the front of peoples minds as a probiotic rich yoghurt alternative; Kefir actually has a range of cultures that it provides that are not available through regular Greek yoghurt, and can be made from kefir grains into non-dairy varieties too.This one is a must if you haven’t already tried it.

Some people may find the plain variety too tart, but given most flavoured varieties are made with added sugar I would suggest trying to create a mix as I did above (or below) with a natural sweetener if you are wanting to keep the calories and added sugar down whilst still obtaining the benefits of the product in a manner you will enjoy consuming.

I enjoyed this Russian thicker kefir here in NYC made by a great passionate company Latta (the owners were Russian). They had flavoured varieties and plain varieties, and I mixed in a natural sweetener and some hemp hearts for a super healthy breakfast one morning!

I enjoyed this Russian thicker kefir here in NYC made by a great passionate company Latta (the owners were Russian). They had flavoured varieties and plain varieties, and I mixed in a natural sweetener and some hemp hearts for a super healthy breakfast one morning!

Babushka kefir is a great company in Australia who has been making Kefir for a while now! They are available at health food stores around the country.

Babushka kefir is a great company in Australia who has been making Kefir for a while now! They are available at health food stores around the country.

3. Cottage cheese with probiotics – pretty cool, right? This brand, Nancys, has been around for ages here in the USA. As most of you may know, cottage cheese is one of the higher protein lower calorie spread or dip options, and now you can get it with live active cultures…this needs to go global!

Nancys organic cultured cottage cheese is a very unique product that I wish expanded across the globe.

Nancys organic cultured cottage cheese is a very unique product that I wish expanded across the globe.

4. Micro-Encapsulated probiotic waters – 

In Australia there is this awesome product called Perkii Probiotic Water – it includes micro-encapsulated probiotics so that the probiotics actually make their way through your acidic stomach and to your gut, so that they can successfully work their magic on you!

perkii probiotic water

perkii probiotic water

5. Probiotic “shots” –

probiotic food shots in the USA

probiotic drink “shots” in the USA

Kefir in mini packs

Kefir in mini packs as “shots”

6. Uplift Food – Daily Uplifter – The final product I had to include on the list is Uplift FoodDaily Uplifter – I created this product myself as an expert prebiotic dietitian, incorporating a mix of prebiotic fibres and resistant starches (the FUEL for the probiotics!) so that the probiotics that we naturally have inside of us already….can flourish! (…I added in some probiotics too though..so do not worry, it is still definitely a probiotic food!)

Uplift Food Daily Uplifter - The best prebiotic fibre and resistant starch food product.

Uplift Food Daily Uplifter – The best prebiotic fibre and resistant starch food product.

 

So there you have it, a few more products to keep an eye out for.

I will reiterate, I have NOTHING against Greek yoghurt, I really quite like it! I just thought you might enjoy seeing some of the additional products that are available around the globe that fit different peoples requirements when it comes to selecting foods for different health or lifestyle reasons.

I hope you enjoyed this post and do let me know if you have any other products that you think would be great to share on a future post (that fit in with this category).

For now,

TD x

 

 

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