Can I take probiotics with my diet?

Vegan, keto, Paleo… Do probiotics fit with my lifestyle?

Diets and eating habits are now more diverse than ever. Gone are the days of straight-forward diet decisions and no longer are we divided into either vegetarians or meat eaters. With #Veganuary breaking records every year and lots of buzz around the celebrity-approved ‘keto’ diet, healthy eating has never been trendier or more varied!

But what does this mean if you take probiotic supplements? Let’s break down each diet and their supplement suitability…

The four core diets

Let's start with the main dietary requirements: gluten free, dairy free, vegan and vegetarian. Here is a full list of all of our friendly bacteria and which of these get the green light for key diets and food allergies.

Specific diets

But what if your diet isn’t quite so clear-cut?

We’re seeing different diets emerging constantly to meet multiple health and/or lifestyle requirements. These can be due to an imbalance of gut bacteria, as part of a weight loss plan or just a conscious health decision.

Here’s a breakdown of popular diets and whether our supplements can be taken alongside them:

Low FODMAP diet

Say what? Let us explain: A low FODMAP diet removes certain carbohydrates that can upset the gut microbiome of those with IBS-D and other gastrointestinal issues. The FODMAP acronym stands for:

• Fermentable
• Oligosaccharides
• Disaccharides
• Monosaccharides
• And
• Polyols

High FODMAPs can be found in plenty of common food groups including dairy, wheat, and even certain fruit and vegetables!

If you’re following a low-FODMAP diet, all of our supplements are suitable except for Bifido & Fibre, which contains 4g of prebiotic Fructooligosaccharides, aka FOS fibres.

One Week Flat, Every Day, Babies & Children and Pregnancy also contain very small amounts of FOS. However, we know many people happily take these supplements with no problems at all, despite being diagnosed with IBS-D.

You may also like to read: Can I take probiotics on a FODMAP diet?

Paleo diet

The Paleo diet is centred around the historical eating of unprocessed foods. Basically, if it comes in a packet with a long list of ingredients on the back, it’s probably not considered Paleo. This diet is great if you want to increase your fibre intake and are happy to keep meat and fish as a key element of your diet.

Because of its diversity, all of our Optibac supplements are suitable for those choosing to follow a Paleo diet.

Ketogenic diet

The ketogenic diet, also known as ‘keto’, has received a lot of attention for its celebrity endorsements and quick weight loss results. The ketogenic diet requires high consumption of fats and proteins (e.g. eggs, greens, cheese, avocados, nuts), versus very low levels of carbohydrates.

If you’d like to follow in the footsteps of Halle Berry, all of our supplements are suitable with a ketogenic diet too!

Find out more about friendly bacteria and diet here, in the Probiotics Learning Lab.