The past few years have seen an explosion in food and drinks made with beneficial probiotic microorganisms promoting tip-top digestion and gut health. Some are healthy – not all are delicious.
Keep It Cleaner Traditional Spicy Kimchi, 400g, $10
Score: 3.5/5
That Coles now stocks kimchi shows how far we've come as a food nation. This little tub of fermented cabbage is properly delicious, too, thanks to the funk of shrimp paste and fish sauce.
Peace, Love and Vegetables Kim-Chi Super-Kraut, 385g, $11.60
Score: 2/5
A salty mix of cabbage, sweet potato, garlic and cayenne sitting at a medium heat. It tastes fine-ish, but loses points for a watery texture and under-the-kitchen-sink pong.
Bottle Culture Wacky Wombok Kimchi, 450g, $15.99
Score: 4.5/5
A classic kimchi that's super tangy. There's a lot of daikon in the mix and a satisfying fizz when you open the jar. A lower sodium content makes it the healthiest kimchi in this list.
Brew Room Peach and Ginger Kombucha, 330ml, $2.69
Score: 3/5
Made exclusively for Aldi, this supermarket fizzer apparently contains 100 million colony-forming units per bottle and tastes similar to a peach spritz made with too much soda.
Remedy Kombucha Ginger Lemon, 330ml, $4
Score: 2.5/5
This could do with more ginger kick, but it's pleasant enough for kombucha made en masse (beverage giant Lion snapped up a minority share of Remedy in 2018). With zero sugar, this a healthy beverage.
Rok Kombucha Ginger Pop, 365ml, $4.49
Score: 4.5/5
Brewed in Margaret River with green tea, cold-pressed ginger and lemon for tarty deliciousness. I dig the heck out of this and it has become my go-to for non-boozy occasions.
Danone Activia Probiotics Plain Yoghurt, 700g, $5
Score: 1.5/5
There's no added sugar, sure, but there are also nicer things you can eat for a live culture shock to the system. I've been served creamier yoghurt with rockmelon on budget flights.
Meredith Dairy Probiotic Natural Sheep Milk Yoghurt, 500g, $7.50
Score: 3.5/5
There's a bit of "sheep" on the nose here, but with a low sugar and carb content, it's the healthiest yoghurt here. Top it with honey and stone fruit.
Vaalia Premium Probiotic Yoghurt, 900g, $3.99
Score: 2.5/5
This is some tasty gear, but there's also a high amount of sugar in that sweet vanilla hit. There are better tubs if you're counting calories as well as lactobacillus.
Kehoe's Turmeric Sauerkraut, 410g, $10.80
Score: 4.5/5
Made with organic Aussie cabbage, this is crunchy, spicy and bitter. The whacks of spice make this full-bodied kraut a cracker accompaniment to breakfast scrambles and ham.
The Fermentary Caraway Sauerkraut, 350g, $10
Score: 5/5
Cabbage and caraway is barrel-fermented in Victoria's Central Highlands to create something quite nutty and very good. A lower salt content makes it your cleaner kraut choice.
Love Your Guts Beetroot and Ginger Sauerkraut, 500g, $15
Score: 4/5
Shreds of organic beetroot turn this cabbage kraut electric purple while ginger enhances its refreshing, fizzy kick. Eat this Tassie-made kraut with falafel and leafy greens.
Tip: Avoid cooking with your fermented products – the heat will kill the probiotic goodness.
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