Many hear the term “probiotic” but few actually know what it is and what probiotics do for one’s health. In fact, many believe that eating yogurt or drinking kombucha will satisfy their probiotic needs because that is what most markets promote. Realistically, they’re not enough to reach true gut health. Since the supplement market has very little regulation, it’s important to do your research before taking anything and do your due diligence on the company behind the probiotic formulations. Here are the top 10 things to look for when searching for a probiotic to add to your healthy lifestyle routine and to keep in mind for your overall improved health:
Diverse Microorganism Species
Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, and Saccharomyces are important to include for the effectiveness of the probiotic. Diversity in your natural flora is important in order to effectively utilize the nutrients in your food. A probiotic with all three will better help create balance and the best benefits in your gut.
Seed’s distinctive strain collection includes probiotic strains banked in Italy, Denmark, France, the United States, and other countries. Their collection of strains and finished formulations are unique and not found in falsely claimed probiotic foods and beverages.
Stomach Acid Viability
Look for a BioShield capsule that protects the supplements as they move through harsh acidic environments in the digestive system. If your probiotic doesn’t protect the viability of the probiotic against stomach acid, then the stomach acid will kill off the microorganisms before they ever reach the intestines, rendering the probiotic useless.
Probiotics deliver benefits by traveling through your colon, interacting with your immune cells, gut cells, dietary nutrients, and existing bacteria.
Third-Party Testing
Look for a brand that has utilized third party testing and offers some sort of satisfaction guarantee. Brands that conduct their own testing may not be as neutral as they claim to be and may have some biases in their study design that makes their product seem better than it is.
High Colony Forming Units (CFU)
The higher the CFU (colony-forming unit), the better. If you can get one with billions, that is best. The human body can be a difficult environment to thrive in so not all bacteria in the probiotic will survive. To ensure the best results a probiotic has to include a large number of CFU’s.
Probiotics must prove positive benefits through rigorous trials on human subjects.
Prebiotics and Probiotics
Getting a supplement that is formulated with prebiotics and probiotics. The prebiotic components will work to help feed the bacteria and make them thrive. This helps the microorganisms in the probiotic to be able to make the gut their home and start producing health benefits. A good formulation is important in getting good bacteria through your digestive system rather than dying in stomach acid!
Avoid fillers and GMO’s
Look out for fillers as they can be harmful to your health. It is also important to make sure there are no GMO’s for the most effective product, because GMO products may not be able to work as a natural product would.
Expiration date
Look for an expiration date on the probiotics. Some brands may have a probiotic formula, in which the microorganisms expire quicker.
Viability Date
Make sure the species and strains included in the supplement are alive through the expiration date. Some probiotic brands contain bacterial strains that are not viable for long on a store shelf, so they may have a separate viability date, which explains how long the cultures are actually alive for. It is important that the strains are alive when ingested or they will not work.
Earth-Friendly Packaging
Most “probiotics” on the market are packaged in bottles that are opened and exposed to humidity and ambient air, causing them to degrade over time. Since we only have one planet (and we need to take better care of it), we like supporting companies that have eco-friendly and re-usable packaging.
Seed provides a refill system designed to protect the capsules as well as the Earth. Their home-compostable bio-based packaging keeps oxygen and moisture out while keeping the planet safe!
Adhere to FDA Regulations
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is in charge of regulating both food and dietary supplements; however, supplements are loosely regulated compared to food and other drugs. Therefore, the term probiotic is “loosely” used in the market.
Our favorite, Seed, not only adheres to FDA regulations but other higher international standards such as the Europe Food Safety Authority and Japan’s Food for Specified Health.
