Are Probiotic Supplements Vegan?

The close association between yogurt and probiotics may give pause to those adhering to a strict dairy-free vegan diet, but some vegan probiotic supplements are available for those seeking the health benefits of the friendly gut bacteria.

Probiotics are present in many vegetable-based fermented foods, and may aid in detoxifying, digestion, weight management, improving mood, easing anxiety and depression, and regulating blood sugar, Healthline noted.

Some non-dairy foods that include probiotics are:

• Sauerkraut
• Pickles
• Kimchi
• Fermented soy foods, such as miso and tempeh
• Kombucha
• Sourdough bread

Finding the right supplement will require careful label reading. To avoid supplements that contain dairy products, look for words, including "milk, lactose, whey, curds, milk by-products, dry milk solids and nonfat dry milk powder," Livestrong noted.

One Green Planet recommends reading beyond labels that tout products as suitable for vegans, and looking at ingredients. Some ingredients associated with dairy or animal products include casein, gelatin, honey, royal jelly, propolis, lac resin/shellac and cholecalciferol.

Whether to avoid certain ingredients comes down to personal choice. Lactobacillus, for example, often is gown on a dairy medium, with the dairy removed in processing, according to One Green Planet. And while it is not only from fermented dairy, some vegans choose to avoid supplements that include this strain of bacteria, which is present in some supplements labeled as suitable for vegans.

Those considering probiotic supplements should look for those that include more than six strains of live bacteria and at least 20 billion microorganisms per dose, Healthline said.

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