Probiotics

Ever since discovering this delicious chocolate bar in the refrigerated section at Whole Foods, I've become interested in the topic of probiotics. What are they? What do they do? Why are they important?

Medicinenet.com says they are  "live microorganisms, which, when administered in adequate amounts, confer a health benefit on the host." They continue and say that "Friendly bacteria are vital to proper development of the immune system, to protection against microorganisms that could cause disease, and to the digestion and absorption of food and nutrients." 
so, essentially, probiotics replace the bad bacteria in  your body with good bacteria! They fight against diseases, infections, skin problems, bowl problems...pretty much everything. 
For vegans, they can be found in miso, tempeh, and some juices and soy beverages, and even this dark chocolate by Attune! it was really delicious, and the whole bar was only 80 calories...delicious! 

Then I stumbled upon this lovely item: GoodBelly juice. Although I have yet to try it, it does look delicious, and they have a whole line of non-dairy drinks  from which you can get probiotics! They have so many flavors- they all look really yummy! Treehugger.com says "Probiotics join ranks with the good bacteria (being of the good-guy sort themselves) and they work to prevent the harmful bacteria from taking over, helping improve digestion and the absorption of minerals and nutrients, and lowering cholesterol. They even lower high blood pressure." 

End conclusion: start trying to incorporate more probiotics into your life! 
p.s. - sign up for GoodBelly's 12 day challenge and get free coupons...