Earlier most probiotic research focused on their role in digestive health and immunity but newer research indicates that probiotics can have additional benefits, especially for women. Some probiotics can help restore and maintain vaginal microflora which would reduce the risk of vaginal infections while others may help to reduce menopause symptoms. Preliminary research also shows that specific probiotic strains can lower stress levels, aid weight loss for those who are overweight, and decrease wrinkles.

1. Yogurt

Yogurt is one of the most well-known probiotic-rich foods. Not all yogurt contains live probiotics because sometimes processing can kill them which is why you should look for varieties labeled with "live and active cultures". Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium are the most common probiotics in yogurt so if, for some reason, you are unable to include yogurt in your daily diet, you can take a probiotic capsule that contains these bacteria. You can also compare probiotic supplements for women to see which one is best suited to your needs. (more…)