7 Best Foods At Costco With Probiotics

In the last few decades, there's been a renewed explosion of popularity around foods that contain probiotics, with the wider public coming to understand in more detail how they can affect your gut and wider health. People began to realise that the microbes in foods like yogurt, sauerkraut, kefir, and miso had a positive effect on the gut microbiome, which then contributed to a range of positive health outcomes. Suddenly, these foods were all the rage, and people were scrambling to stock up on gut-friendly items.

However, for a long time, it felt like you could only get probiotic-rich foods in niche supermarkets or health stores, and not in big retailers like Costco. However, that's far from the truth: Foods containing probiotics have been available in Costco since it first opened its doors, with some of its most popular items also being the ones that may benefit your gut health most. Products like its Greek yogurt, sauerkraut, and buttermilk could all have positive implications for your health — and the good news is you can stock up on them without spending too much money.

Some of the most probiotic-rich foods are also the most unassuming, and if you need any proof of that, look no further than Kirkland Signature Organic Greek Yogurt. This staple of so many shopping trips is high in probiotics, with several active cultures in every spoonful. These live cultures are what give Greek yogurt its tangy flavor and ferment the milk used to make it, which in turn makes it so good for your gut.

Kirkland Signature Organic Greek Yogurt also has the benefit of being high in protein, and it's also nonfat, gluten-free, and kosher. It has a very small amount of sodium, and only 3 grams of sugar per 170-gram serving. Additionally, Greek yogurt is a great source of vitamins and minerals, and while it's not enriched with vitamin D, it's naturally high in calcium, iodine, vitamin A, and vitamin B12. It's also less than $8 for a 48-oz tub, which we think is a great price considering how full of nutrients it is. Plus, if you don't like the tangy taste of Greek yogurt, you can always sweeten it up. 

Kimchi has been all the rage in the food world for years — despite being around for thousands of years — thanks to the fact that you can use kimchi in loads of different ways. Well, Costco isn't missing out on the fun. The store stocks Jongga Sliced Napa Cabbage Kimchi in large 52.9 oz tubs that are practically bursting with probiotics. This kimchi gains its probiotic content through a natural preparation and fermentation process, in which the cabbage is salted, which suppresses bacteria that could deteriorate the vegetable or cause food poisoning. Instead, probiotic lactic acid bacteria are able to dominate, giving kimchi its classic sour taste and health benefits.

Kimchi's probiotic qualities directly benefit the gut microbiome, but it's also healthy in different ways. The condiment is rich in antioxidants thanks to the vegetables used to make it (Jongga kimchi has leeks, onion, radish, and ginger, as well as cabbage). It's also very high in various vitamins and minerals, especially vitamin K, which contributes to good blood and bone health. Due to its preparation process, kimchi can be high in sodium, and Jongga is no different: One ounce has 180 milligrams. However, the good news is that a little can go a long way. Oh, and above all else, it's totally delicious.

Sauerkraut has seen a resurgence in popularity in recent years. In many ways it was never really out, but the increased attention on this sour condiment's benefits for gut health has made it trendy once more. It's also best bought in massive jars that you stash at the back of the fridge for weeks on end, and that's where Costco really shines. Its 50-oz jar of Wildbrine Raw Organic Sauerkraut provides a lot of bang for your buck, and is loaded with probiotics.

Like kimchi, sauerkraut's fermentation process is kicked off by mixing salt with cabbage. The salt kills any harmful bacteria, and the beneficial bacteria then take over and multiply over a period of weeks, with fermentation taking longer in colder temperatures. These probiotics can benefit everything from your digestion to your immune system, and possibly even your mental health. A study published in the Journal of Neurogastroenterology and Motility, which looked at the effect of gut flora on mental health, found that regular probiotic intake could reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression. So grab this sauerkraut and find some exciting ways to get it into your life.

Costco isn't missing out on the kombucha hype. While other stores may simply stock other brands of kombucha, Costco has taken the extra step of selling Kirkland Signature Organic Raw Kombucha, although the brand behind this Kirkland product isn't disclosed. The ginger-lemonade flavored drink comes in an eight-pack, with the box promising two billion CFUs' (colony-forming units) worth of probiotic cultures in every bottle.

Contrary to many commercial kombucha products out there, Kirkland Signature Organic Raw Kombucha is relatively low in sugar, containing 9 grams per serving. Bear in mind that there are two servings in each bottle here, but one should be enough to get the probiotic benefit from this drink. This lightly carbonated drink has been praised by reviewers for its price, as well as its full flavor. It does have a strong gingery kick to it, though, so be warned; if you're not a fan of ginger, you may want to steer clear.

When it comes to foods that are rich in probiotics, we often forget about buttermilk. After all, we tend not to consume it on its own like we would yogurt or cheese, and the word "butter" in its name has an unhealthy association. However, buttermilk is a fermented dairy product, and just like yogurt, it's full of probiotics. Traditional buttermilk is also very low in fat: Its name refers to the liquid being a byproduct of the churning process used to make butter, not the fact that it's full of it.

You can also get this much-maligned dairy product at Costco. Its Darigold Low Fat Buttermilk is a fermented (or cultured) product promising high levels of probiotics, which you can pick up in half-gallon cartons from the retailer. It has just 1% milkfat, you can drink this buttermilk straight up, and it's high in protein, calcium, vitamin A, and vitamin D. The bacteria in the buttermilk also make it easier to digest for people who are lactose intolerant, as any lactose has been converted into lactic acid, which contributes to its sour flavor.

Kefir is one of many dairy products with high levels of probiotics. Although kefir typically comes as a thick liquid, similar to a milkshake (although much more sour), it can also be turned into a thick, creamy cheese product through an extended fermentation and straining process. If you want to try this version out, head to Costco and pick up a tub of Karoun Labne Kefir Cheese. This cheese, which is billed as labne made with kefir, is packed with gut-healthy probiotic cultures.

The great thing about kefir is its potency: The dairy product is much more packed with probiotics than yogurt, thanks to its increased concentration of bacteria and yeasts. This contributes to its high level of sourness, but also to its ability to benefit your health. As with other probiotic-rich foods, kefir can help to support your digestive health, but it may also have antibacterial properties thanks to the yeast strain that is unique to it. Plus, like yogurt and buttermilk, it's a fantastic source of calcium, and both its calcium and K2 levels can help to keep your bones strong and healthy.

Finding jars of miso paste or packs of miso soup in Costco can be a little trickier than in some other supermarkets (although we can't speak for what your local Costco stocks, of course), but it still manages to offer it in certain foods. One is its Alaskan Leader Seafoods Miso Black Cod, which bathes cod portions in a flavorful miso sauce made from relatively few ingredients. The result is a buttery, funky, salty dish that's bursting with probiotics.

There are plenty of positive things to say about miso; like other foods with probiotics, miso is both good for your gut and high in vitamins and minerals. It also has a good antioxidant content thanks to the soy beans that make miso, which contain isoflavones, compounds that may help protect against chronic disease. However, perhaps the best thing about this cod is that it's not just probiotic-rich — it actually tastes good. People who have found the cod at Costco have raved about how delicious it is, as well as the excellent texture of the fish itself.