Food poisoning when travelling? 6 Vegan and dairy-free probiotics that can strengthen your gut health
It’s either you’re a headache person or a stomachache person… and I am the latter.
Since I was young, I’ve always had gut problems. Whenever I travel to any place that I am not used to (and have a meal there), the toilet would be my best friend.
Growing up, I just accepted the fact that I should limit myself from spicy food, anything with dairy and just basically anything that appeared too exotic to me.
Not until I was diagnosed with an auto-immune disorder… It was then that my gut problems finally made sense to me.
Long story short, I was advised by a functional medicine practitioner to supplement my diet with probiotics. Eventually, I had fewer visits to the toilet and I feel better in so many ways!
That’s why I am a huge advocate for supplementing your diet with these good bacteria to help heal your gut. Especially when travelling!
Unsure of how to select probiotics that would likely work for you? Here, I’ll be sharing with you what you should look out for!
TL;DR: Hand-picked probiotics supplement for your travels:
How I picked probiotics:
✅ Various number of live cultures per gram (CFU count) so you can take according to your needs ✅ Options for supplements that come with and without prebiotics ✅ Minimal fillers/binders (other ingredients) ✅ Dairy-free
Disclaimer: Different people may react differently to different probiotics. Please consult a professional before consuming them to be safe!
1. Make sure they’re dairy-free to avoid bloating!
Did you know that humans were not meant to digest dairy?
As adults, we have reduced production of lactase, the enzyme needed to digest lactose (found in dairy) in our bodies.
That is why some of us may experience abdominal pain, bloating, flatulence, nausea, and diarrhoea a few hours after dairy consumption.
Some probiotic strains are cultured on a base medium containing dairy.
Do know that before they are packaged, the strains are separated from any medium. But to be extra careful, there might be small traces in the final product.
These traces might cause gut problems such as bloating when you consume the probiotics.
So if you are sensitive to dairy, avoid any probiotics with traces of it.
But if you find yourself unable to tolerate these prebiotics (which can happen!), there’s always the natural way of supplying prebiotics to your gut.
Examples of food that are high in prebiotics:
The lack of prebiotics might be one of the possible reasons your probiotics don’t have any effect on you (except for the possibility that the strains are already dead upon purchase, which can also happen).
When I look for a probiotic, I make sure it does not use so many unnecessary fillers, colours, flavours and ingredients I can’t even pronounce.
While these fillers/binders are required, try to minimise consumption to reduce the risk of irritability and intolerance towards such ingredients.
This is just a personal rule, I prefer those with 5 ‘other ingredients’ or less.
My recommended probiotics supplements that might help your gut issues:
For immune-compromised individuals and children, please consult your healthcare professional before using this product. Products are in stock and prices stated are correct as of publishing date (October 2022).
1. Jarrow Formulas: Saccharomyces Boulardii + MOS
● Price: ~$60/bottle ● Capsules: 90 capsules ● Serving size: 1 or 2 capsules per day (or as recommended by healthcare professionals) ● CFU count: 5 billion ● Best for: Travelers’ diarrhoea, Antibiotic-associated diarrhoea, H. Pylori infection
Ingredient list:
● Active ingredients: Saccharomyces Boulardii, Mannan-Oligosaccharides (MOS) ● Other ingredients: Tapioca starch, delayed-release veggie capsule (hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, water), silicon dioxide and vitamin C (antioxidant)
Pros
Cons
No Refrigeration Necessary
Not diverse in strains
Vegan
MOS are prebiotics, meaning that they are a source of energy for good bacteria in the gut.
● Price: ~$30/bottle ● Capsules: 60 capsules ● Serving size: 2 capsules per day (or as recommended by healthcare professionals) ● CFU count: 50 billion ● Best for: Vaginal and urinary health support
Ingredient list:
● Active ingredients: L.acidophilus, L.rhamnosus, L.crispatus, L.plantarum, L.paracasei, L.bulgaricus, L.reuteri, L.casei, L.salivarius, L.helveticus, L. gasseri. B.lactis, B. bifidum, B.longum, B.breve, B. adolescentis, B. infantis, Leuconostoc mesenteroides, Lactococcus lactis, Streptococcus thermophiles ● Other ingredients: Plant cellulose, purified water.
Pros
Cons
Vegan
Might contain too much CFU (live cultures) for some people
● Price: ~$20/bottle ● Capsules: 30 capsules. ● Serving size: 1 capsule per day (or as recommended by healthcare professionals) ● CFU count: 3 billion ● Best for: Common belly pain
Ingredient list:
● Active ingredients: Pediococcus acidilactici KABP-021, L. plantarum KABP™-022, L. plantarum KABP™-02, Maltodextrin ● Other ingredients: Magnesium Stearate, silicon dioxide, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (vegetable capsule).
Alya Maisarah: Alya is a Multiple Sclerosis survivor who is a big advocate for taking care of your health and wellness realistically. Now, she is on a mission to write about health-related topics so people can relate and stay healthy. She is the happiest when with her family, friends and cats!
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