Probiotic bacteria offer many health benefits, including reduced disease risk and improved vaginal and mental health. You can add probiotics to your diet by taking foods with them or using a supplement. However, if you are vegan, you may wonder what foods are a good source of probiotics and what suits those who follow a vegan diet.
Understanding Probiotics
Probiotic refers to live microorganisms intended to have positive effects on the human body when consumed or applied. Various fermented foods, dietary supplements, and beauty products contain probiotics.
Indeed, bacteria and other microorganisms are often viewed as harmful, but many are beneficial. It is believed that some bacteria help digest food, destroy disease-causing cells, or produce vitamins. Probiotic products contain microorganisms similar to or the same as naturally living in our bodies.
Probiotics have several benefits for the body, and different probiotics may act in different ways:
- Probiotics help your body keep a healthy community of microorganisms or help your body’s community of microorganisms return to a healthy condition after being disturbed
- Probiotics produce substances that have desirable effects
- Probiotics influence the immune response of the body
Are Vegan Probiotics Better?
Vegan probiotics work to support and restore an imbalanced skin microbiome. Remember, healthy skin is the direct result of a balanced skin microbiome. Vegan probiotics are generally better than dairy-based probiotics for 3 main reasons:
- Non-irritating. Vegan probiotics don’t irritate the skin. Dairy is a common food allergen that can directly affect your skin. Common skin problems linked to dairy consumption are itchy skin, hives, and eczema. Since cow’s milk is the most common source of dairy-based probiotics, vegan probiotics are a gentler option appropriate for all skin types.
- Safer. Vegan probiotics have no additives, making them safer than dairy-based probiotics. There are many types of adverse reactions that can occur as a result of food additives. Some appear to stem from allergies, while others seem to be intolerant or sensitive.
- Environmentally-friendly. Vegan probiotics are a more reliable and environmentally friendly option than dairy-based probiotics. To reduce our environmental footprint, choosing a vegan probiotic is a must.
What To Look Out For When Choosing Probiotics?
A quality probiotic can help seed your gut with healthy bacteria that benefit you in many ways. Here are the things to look for when you’re looking for probiotics:
- If choosing a probiotic, choose well-researched, single-strain probiotics applicable to your issue or condition.
- Avoid probiotics if you are going through chemotherapy or immunocompromised.
- When you’re looking for vegan probiotics, make sure they state on the label that they are dairy free and have the vegan certification label.
- Look for colony-forming units (CFU) per capsule with at least 1 billion.
