The Problem Of Finding Lactose Free Probiotics

By Olivia Cross


A probiotic is basically a good bacteria that helps your gastrointestinal tract to stay healthy and keep your digestion up to par. Many people take these supplements and they are found naturally in foods like yoghurt. If you are following a dairy-free diet, you may be wondering if there are options available for you. Fortunately, there are a variety of lactose free probiotics available today.

It is very important to read nutrition labels carefully. You have to make absolutely sure that the products you eat do not contain dairy. Words like milk sugar, milk, curds, whey, milk by-products, nonfat dry milk powder and dry milk solids are included in many products and these will all affect you if you are intolerant to dairy. You also need to check expiration dates as these live cultures do not last forever.

People always associated yoghurt with dairy and do not always realize that it can be made without using dairy. Other ingredients like almond milk, coconut milk and soy can also be used. A delicious coconut milk yoghurt contains as many live cultures as one made with dairy.

Other foods like sour pickles, sourdough bread and sauerkraut are other non-dairy sources of beneficial bacteria. Another way to incorporate a probiotic into a diet is with a drink. People find this most convenient and enjoy the different flavors of these drinks that are available for purchase online.

Many health food stores carry capsules for purchase. These capsules contain different therapeutic strains of bacteria to keep gut flora balanced. It is important to check what strains the product contains and how effective they are at penetrating the gut and staying there long enough.

Another important factor when it comes to purchasing dairy-free probiotics is to find out how the bacteria were cultivated. Was a non-dairy base used? Sometimes strains are grown on an organic dairy base and traces of the dairy remain. This will probably only affect those who are extremely intolerant but it is preferable to buy one grown on a non-dairy base.

There have been studies indicating that daily use of a probiotic improves digestion of dairy products. However, other studies have not supported this theory. There is little question that there are many conditions benefit from regular consumption of a probiotic. Some of these conditions are irritable bowel syndrome, autoimmune diseases, frequent yeast infections, chronic digestive problems and many more. The beneficial bacteria starves out the bad bacteria and creates the correct balance in the gastrointestinal tract. The overall health of the person improves as beneficial bacteria play a crucial role in how the body absorbs nutrients.

Refrigerating a probiotic is necessary to prolong the life of the bacteria. Some capsules can be kept on a shelf for a certain period of time but will definitely last longer and be more effective if kept in the refrigerator. It is possible to order dairy-free probiotics from many online health stores today of an excellent, stable quality.




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