I recently attended a tour at Sprouts Farmers Market (Sprouts) led by Atlanta-based registered dietitian nutritionist, Marisa Moore, MDA, RDN, LD where gut health was the focus. Gut health is particularly important because it helps to regulate the immune system and keep it in prime condition to fight off infections. There are current studies showing the direct impact gut health can have on the brain by causing mood and behavior changes when the gut isn’t healthy or not in balance.

I know that taking probiotics and eating foods that naturally contain healthy bacteria (yogurt and fermented foods) help the body maintain a healthy gut biome, but I didn’t realize that ‘feeding’ the gut with prebiotic foods is a critical step to maintaining overall gut health. Eating prebiotic foods like onions, garlic, honey, bananas and asparagus daily will grow good bacteria. We learned about and got to sample products designed specifically for gut health, like kombucha, gut shots, and raw sauerkraut.

Sprouts is open seven days a week from 7 a.m. – 10 p.m. offering fresh produce, bulk foods, vitamins and supplements, packaged groceries, meat and seafood, baked goods, dairy products, frozen foods, natural body care and household items, deli, and vegan, paleo, and gluten-free items. New stores continue to sprout up around metro-Atlanta with their first store opening in Snellville on June 18, 2015. All of their gluten-free products, and there are many, are noted with orange shelf tags throughout the store making it easy to shop.

The natural foods industry has seen a shift in consumer thinking in which food is judged not only on its flavor and ingredient list, but also as something that contributes directly to our health and well-being. To answer this shift in thinking, probiotics are beginning to show up in everything from flavored waters to granola to other shelf stable products – helping us get what we need from what we would normally eat. 

For those who prefer to get their probiotics from a more natural source, why not try the “gut shots” and raw sauerkraut from Farmhouse Culture. We got to sample them and they were delicious and no where near as sour and tart as I thought they would be. These shots are made by fermenting organic veggies and pressing them to release all of the juices loaded with probiotics. Available in classic, garlic dill pickle, smoked jalapeno, ginger beet, and kimchi, just one shot two times a day and you are only the way to achieving a balanced and healthy gut. Sprouts also carries Wildbrine’s Kimchi Live Shots in citrusy Japanese, spicy Korean, and zesty Thai made from kimchi brine with added fruit and herbs for balanced flavor.

However you decide to tackle gut health, please make it a priority and part of your daily regime. Make the time to take care of yourself and take advantage of the products created just for this task.

Thank you Sprouts for such an informative tour. It is great to know you continue to expand your product selection to keep inline with industry trends designed to make and keep us healthy.

Disclosure: I received no compensation for this review; however I did receive a store gift card. In no way did it influence my opinions and views, which are derived from my personal experience.