The Benefit Of 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.

People on non-dairy diets are usually careful to read labels when buying products. Some ingredients may be confusing such as whey, curds, milk sugar and milk by-products but they should also avoid these. When buying a probiotic, the expiry date is also important as live cultures have a limited life span.

Yoghurt is one of the most well known foods containing beneficial bacteria. However, those on a non-dairy diet are unable to eat yoghurt made from dairy. Fortunately, today health shops sell yoghurts made from almond and coconut milk that are delicious and contain beneficial live cultures such as bifordobacteria and lactobacilli.

Various foods such as sourdough bread and sauerkraut also contain good bacteria and they can be introduced into the diet to help digestive health. Probiotic drinks are also available containing helpful bacteria and they come in various flavors. They have the added benefit of being convenient to carry around and take to work.

Of course many people prefer to take their supplements in the form of capsules or sachets as they find this easiest. Some capsules are far more effective than others and they all contain different strains and in various different combinations. Reading online reviews of these products can help with making a decision as to what to buy. The best probiotic will contain beneficial bacteria able to survive the stomach acids and remain effective.

Finding out what type of base the product has been grown on is another important concern, particularly for those who have an extreme intolerance to lactose. You may find that certain tablets contain bacteria cultivated on a dairy base and then skimmed off which means that traces of dairy may remain.

Some studies have been done that seemed to suggest that digestion of dairy actually improved when a probiotic was used consistently. However, not all scientific evidence seems to support this theory. However, if you are battling a chronic digestive condition, an autoimmune disease, recurrent yeast infections and many other health problems, these can often be improved by taking a probiotic. The good bacterial strains will compete with harmful bacteria for nutrients, starving out yeasts, fungi and bad bacteria. The digestive immune system is supported and nourished.

A probiotic contains live cultures. This means that care has to be taken when storing it. If stored on a shelf it will have a limited shelf life but when stored in a refrigerator it can last a number of months. The great news for people who cannot eat dairy, is that there are numerous probiotic products available that do not contain dairy. If they cannot be found at a local health store, they are available from a number of online sources.




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