The Best Raw Probiotics and How to Choose Them
Probiotics are referred to as raw if they have not been heated or cooked. This means they have live nutrients, enzymes, and probiotics strains. It also means they have not been subjected to artificial treatment or any kind of adulteration with chemical ingredients like binders or fillers throughout their cultivation, packaging, and storage. They can consequently provide the most potent version of their targeted health benefit, which enhances their efficiency.
These ideal conditions are not always easy to maintain, and many products out there may not meet the criteria. Being a relatively new concept, the regulations on probiotics and how they are advertised are still gray, and manufacturers may easily get away with exaggerated labeling. You need to be vigilant with the kind of product you choose.
This review will include products that have been tested and proved their mettle. We shall elaborate on why we choose them and break down the properties that make them stand out from the crowd.
The Best Raw Probiotics
Garden of Life’s Ultimate Care Raw Probiotics
It has 100 billion live cultures with 34 different whole food probiotic strains, which will undoubtedly provide flora diversity in the gut and, by extension, the body. This boosts the immune system by providing beneficial bacteria and replenishing them after every cleanse. In addition, they have been blended using a specialized replenish blending formula which makes them more efficient in replacing useful bacteria.
The raw vegan blend is derived from Eastern European wild kefir culture and Bulgarian yogurt concentrate, which provide the whole food probiotics.
They don’t require refrigeration and can be used on the go, which is good news for regular travelers with irritable bowels. They will regulate your bowel and provide much-needed peace of mind.
Because they have not been subjected to excessive heat or cooking processes, the raw probiotics will retain their potency up to the point of expiration, making them significantly impactful in balancing the microbiome.
Garden of Life’s Vaginal Care Raw Probiotics
These contain 50 billion live cultures spread over 38 probiotic strains, blended with a yeast digesting enzyme. This quality has made them highly regarded for vaginal and urinary tract health.
It is specifically designed to target a healthy yeast balance. Up to 8 probiotic strains have been combined in a proprietary vaginal care blend.
It offers all the benefits of a true food probiotic. Like other Garden of Life raw products, it is mainly derived from Bulgarian yogurt concentrate, wild European kefir grains, and scobies blended with concentrated probiotic strains.
Because they are uncooked, untreated, and unadulterated, the probiotics retain their potency throughout their usage. In addition, they have been blended with dairy digestive enzymes to aid in breaking down lactose so that they are easy on the digestive system.
The probiotics are also vegetarian, gluten, and soy-free, which greatly increases the number of users who can enjoy their benefits.
Mary Ruth’s Organic Liquid Probiotic
This liquid probiotic is USDA-certified organic which encourages confidence in the validity of their listed ingredients. It is billed as non-GMO and vegan, with ingredients that have been extracted from three organic grasses using water.
The probiotic helps reduce cholesterol absorption, which by extension, translates to playing a significant role in weight management.
It is palatable to all demographics as it can be used by people with celiac, those undergoing bariatric treatment, those on paleo or keto diets. It does not have gluten, wheat, soy, corn, nightshade, and sugar. It is even kid-friendly and easy to administer as the bottle comes with a sprayer or dropper.
Because of the raw and organic nature of the probiotic, its probiotic strain can survive the digestion process and are still active in the gut. As a result, they are shelf-ready and don’t need to be heat-treated or freeze-dried, unlike other probiotics, which boast much higher colony-forming units (CFU). Most of these strains are usually dead on arrival at the stomach from the combination of treatment processes and digestion.
Because the ingredients are extracted using water, no treatment is needed, so none of the strains are killed in processing. 3rd party tests have revealed the existence of over 10 million active live strains of probiotics swimming inside the solution at the point of bottling. All of these are present to work on your digestive and intestinal balance.
Wholesome Wellness Raw Probiotic Dietary Supplement
Their raw and live probiotics have 100 billion CFU, out of which there are 34 strains of diverse probiotics and five prebiotics bonded with nine different kinds of digestive enzymes. Together they can manage constipation, IBS, pouchitis, diarrhea, among other illnesses. They can also balance yeast levels and stimulate the body to combat harmful bacteria and improve digestion.
The inclusion of prebiotics makes this product more efficient because they act as fertilizers, promoting the growth of healthy bacteria in the gut. As a result, they strengthen the immune system and improve digestive health.
The variety of digestive enzymes help in the breakdown and absorption of food, protecting the gut lining from inflammation and reducing the probability of developing digestive problems like gas and diarrhea.
The probiotic strains are obtained from natural organically grown produce, which makes them safe for consumption. Because they are consumed raw, there is no potency lost, and the body gets the full therapy.
Vitamin Bounty Raw Probiotics Dietary Supplement
These probiotics have proactively addressed the risk of not making it past the harsh stomach acids to the gut where they are most needed. They are contained in a special delayed-release capsule which protects their content for a longer period, enhancing their chances of reaching the gut.
The 100 billion CFU are supported by vitamin C and zinc for healthier digestion and improved immunity.
Combining the delayed-release vegetable capsule and raw probiotics ensures the potency is intact when they come into contact with the colon. This ensures maximized utility of all the 13 probiotic strains.
They are shelf-ready and require no refrigeration, so they can be used on the go up to their indicated expiry date.
How to Choose Raw Probiotics
Probiotics can have a significant effect on human physical and emotional health. This is because of their ability to balance the body’s microbiome, which significantly affects your health and immunity.
There are a number of features that you can use to determine which probiotic is best for you when you need to make a choice. They apply across all forms of probiotics.
Colony Forming Units (CFU)
The higher the number of colony-forming units, the better the probiotic is expected to perform. This makes it efficient and easy to dominate the harmful bacteria in the gut or any other microbiome in the body.
However, the indicated CFU number can be misleading if you can’t establish how the product was produced and packaged. The methods used for extraction and preservation are sometimes lethal to the probiotic strains such that only a small percentage are alive by the time they are being administered. Thus, the billions of CFU can be dead and unable to effect any significant change in their microbiome.
Number of Probiotic Strains
The number of strains represents the number of options you will be giving your body to fight infection and cleanse with. The more the diversity, the more likely you will find the perfect strain missing in your microbiome.
Given that research is still going on for the perfect combination of strains, it pays to have an assortment of strains. There is also no evidence that combining probiotic strains has detrimental health consequences.
Shelf Life
Check whether the supplement has been made to withstand high heat and how long it lasts on the shelf. All probiotics degrade with time, and you should only buy what you can consume within its stable life.
Because raw probiotics have not been subjected to artificial treatment, their shelf life will be significantly lower compared to other probiotics. Refrigeration may help preserve the product longer after you receive it though it is not always necessary.
Compatibility with Other Medication
It is always advisable to check with your healthcare provider before you start using any type of probiotic supplement, especially if you are already under another regimen like birth control pills, antibacterial drugs, or any other treatment.
Combination with Other Probiotic Strains
Some products have a single strain of probiotics, while others are a blend of different strains. Some are made to focus on a single area, while others are microorganisms for general health benefits. You can switch from one product to another to see which one works better with your system or use a combination with different strains of probiotics so that they can support each other.
Factor in possible combinations when choosing raw probiotics. A possible combination is getting a blended probiotic for gastrointestinal health and another one targeting to balance candida growth.
The combination is important when you target a specific area that needs a specialized probiotic due to extra irritation or as a precaution.
The Bottom Line
Probiotics are still being developed, and more tests need to be done to better understand their synergy with the body’s immune system. Therefore, our list is by no means exhaustive, but it captures experiences and research.
Disclaimer: While our team of medical expert writers makes every effort to convey the correct, relevant, and most up-to-date information, you should never disregard advice given to you by your medical practitioner or delay seeking medical assistance because of something you have read on Gutsify or received in correspondence from Gutsify. Please refer to our Terms and Conditions.
