Chocolate Reishi Kefir Pudding

Just pudding it out there: happiness is a spoonful away. 🥄 Our chocolate reishi kefir pudding is an adaptogen-packed, keto-friendly recipe – low in carbs, rich in healthy fats, and full of nutrients. With stress-relieving superfoods like avocado, reishi, and kefir, this creamy chocolaty treat can curb your craving for calm.

Cultured Dairy: The Nutrition Benefits You Actually Need to Know

With increasing research linking the correlation between probiotics, gut health, and immunity, it’s no secret that the integrity of our gut is vital to our health. Although additional factors such as stress, antibiotic usage, and individual health conditions can contribute to the condition of our gut, a focus on healthy food choices is one of the easiest ways to support the microbiome.

Several studies have shown a strong association between the gut-brain-microbiota. Probiotics introduced to the gut have been found to support immunity, improve allergies, and improve digestion.

One cup of low-fat plain Lifeway Kefir has 110 calories and 11 grams of protein, making it a great option for any lifestyle. It’s easy and convenient enough to consume on its own, but versatile enough for cooking and baking. Lifeway’s kefir is gluten-free and contains 12 live and active probiotic cultures (more than DOUBLE of traditional yogurt and milk), which may help increase the diversity of your gut microbiota.

Studies have shown that reduced diversity of healthy gut bacteria during early years is associated with an increase in food allergies during school age years. In addition, kefir made from whole fat milk helps absorb key nutrients such as Vitamins A, D, E, and K. Vitamin K is important because it helps your bones absorb calcium. It’s important to know that kefir contains a special trio: vitamin D, K, and calcium – all three crucial elements to support bone health.

Your Gut Matters

Eating habits also play a role in mental health and stress. Research has shown that probiotic-rich foods decrease anxiety and boost the mood. That makes kefir a great well-being tool because it contains 12 live and probiotic cultures. Psychiatrist James Greenblatt explained that “the gut is really your second brain. There are more neurons in the GI tract than anywhere else except the brain.” As research continues to develop, it’s becoming more and more apparent that there is a link between the gut and the brain. What was once suspected as one-way communication (brain to gut) is now understood to be more of a two-way system. Thus, the health of our gut may directly impact the health of our minds.

Yoga, exercise, painting, and gardening are some great ways to connect the mind and body. Science even says that looking at colors can relax you! The colors that affect the mood in a positive way are blue, green, pink, white, violet, grey, and yellow. That is why spending time in nature is one of the most important factors when it comes to mental health and easing stress.

Bottom Line: Get Cultured!

A healthy diet is one that is sustainable and full of real ingredients you can pronounce. As always, it’s important to be mindful of how foods react with your individual body but when it comes to selecting which dairy products to consume, going the fermented route is one of the best choices for your health. Kefir can be a beneficial way to incorporate more probiotics into your microbiota. Lifeway Kefir, in particular, may be an appropriate option for those who are lactose-intolerant – it’s up to 99% lactose (a naturally occurring milk sugar) free.