Gut Health

How To Take Probiotics For Lactose Intolerance

Growing evidence shows that you can use dairy free probiotics for lactose intolerance. However, many people who are lactose intolerant may not be aware of the many sources of probiotics that are available. When we think about lactose free probiotics, the first thing we usually think about is a supplement. While probiotic supplements can be helpful, you can also get lactose free probiotics from your diet too.

Consuming dairy-free probiotics through your diet can be considered to be the best way. This is because the nutrients and probiotics in food are almost always better than those in their isolated forms.

But what are the sources of dairy free probiotics? Keep reading to find out more.

In this article:

Have Some Kimchi
Load Up on Sour Pickles
Substitute Meat for Tempeh
Fill Sandwiches with Sauerkraut
Make Yummy Dishes with Miso Paste
Slurp Up Vegan Yogurt
Pickle a Vegetable or Two
Drink Kombucha Tea
Try Probiotic Supplements
How to Take Probiotics for Lactose Intolerance

Probiotics for Lactose Intolerance: 9 Dairy-Free Sources for a Healthier Gut

What is lactose intolerance? To put it simply, there are two forms of being lactose intolerant. First, some people have the inability to digest the lactose that is found in dairy products. If consumed, it can often lead to uncomfortable symptoms such as gassiness, bloating, and diarrhea. Secondly, there are people who have an allergy to the dairy protein. While there are two different types, they have the same end result – these people cannot consume dairy products.

How do lactose free probiotics help? Overall, it is important to remember that not all probiotics are helpful for digestion. However, those that are helpful in the digestive tract can help in many ways. Lactose free probiotics can help by preventing food from clogging as well as speeding up the amount of time it takes to clear from the system. Essentially, probiotics help to get things moving along swiftly.

Dairy free probiotics are able to help the symptoms that are associated with lactose intolerance. Probiotics are a form of friendly bacteria that is great for your gut health. While it is best to avoid dairy if you have an intolerance, some people who still consume small amounts can get relief by consuming dairy free probiotics alongside it.

Not only that, but probiotics can also help by digesting food for you. This helps by making sure that the nutrients within the food are available for your body to absorb. Overall, probiotics help your whole gut.

1. Have Some Kimchi

Kimchi is Korea's national dish. There are various types of kimchi, but the most popular type is the spicy pickled cabbage. Kimchi is usually served as a side dish and paired with a variety of dishes. Here are a few ways you can enjoy kimchi:

Have it as a side dish.
Use it as a stuffing for dumplings.
Mix it into rice or noodles.
Make it into a stew.

Whichever way you try, you know you're sneaking in some of that good bacteria! It's rich in Lactobacillus kimchii, a special probiotic strain only found in this delicious side dish. Apart from that, it's also full of other vitamins and nutrients, such as iron, riboflavin, and vitamin K.

2. Load Up on Sour Pickles

Sour pickles aren't just a popular ingredient in many dishes, but they're also a great source of dairy-free probiotics. Here are some ways you can add sour pickles to your diet:

Have it with burgers.
Add it to salads.
Enjoy it as a delicious and healthy treat on its own.

Keep in mind that sour pickles are different from vinegar pickles. Vinegar pickles don't contain the probiotics sour pickles do. Sour pickles go through a lactic acid fermentation process. This process allows the growth of all that good bacteria which make up probiotics.

3. Substitute Meat for Tempeh

Tempeh originates from Indonesia. It's a soy product that has become a popular vegan substitute for meat. The fermentation process binds the soybeans together to form a kind of cake. Tempeh has a rich and savory flavor, so you can slice or cube it for:

Sandwiches
Salads
Curry
Frying (as a bacon substitute)

When you use tempeh as a meat substitute in your favorite dishes, you're not only benefitting from probiotics. It's also rich in protein, manganese, iron, zinc, calcium, and phosphorus.

4. Fill Sandwiches with Sauerkraut

Sauerkraut is a popular German side dish. It is made from fermented, finely cut cabbage. Here are a few ways to incorporate this slightly sour side dish to your diet:

Pair it as a side dish with various savory meats.
Add it to sandwiches (like the popular Reuben sandwich).
Enjoy it as a condiment on sausages (similar to how others would put mustard or ketchup on their hotdogs).

Sauerkraut is a great source of non-dairy probiotics, fiber, manganese, and iron. Keep in mind though, only unpasteurized sauerkraut is rich in probiotics. The process of pasteurization kills all the good probiotic bacteria along with the bad bacteria. So make sure you read the label before making your purchase.

5. Make Yummy Dishes with Miso Paste

Miso paste is a type of seasoning from Japan. This versatile paste is a staple in most Japanese homes and restaurants. If you translate the word miso in English, it actually means fermented beans. Specifically, miso is made from soybeans that have been fermented with salt and a special type of fungus. It's famous for its unique umami flavor. You can use miso paste in the following ways:

Turn it into soup.
Use it as a sauce.
Make it a salad dressing.
Use it as a marinade for fish or meats.

Miso is a good source of probiotics, protein, fiber, copper, vitamin K, and manganese.

6. Slurp Up Vegan Yogurt

Regular yogurt is usually the go-to product for a quick probiotic fix. Unfortunately, it isn't really an option if you're lactose intolerant. This is where vegan yogurt comes in. It is usually made from coconuts, almonds, soy, hemp, or cashew. The texture and consistency of vegan yogurt are strikingly similar to regular yogurt. And depending on the brand you choose, it also comes in a variety of flavors. Here are a few ways you can enjoy vegan yogurt:

Add your own mix of fresh fruits to flavor your yogurt.
Turn vegan yogurt into creamy smoothies.
Freeze it and turn it into a refreshing ice cream substitute.

Just like regular yogurt, vegan yogurt is great for your digestive health. It's a source of probiotics, protein, fiber, and calcium.

7. Pickle a Vegetable or Two

If regular pickles or cabbage aren't really your thing, you can actually pickle your vegetable of choice!

Ingredients:

4 1/2 cups chlorine-free water
1 1/2 tablespoons salt
Wide-mouth jar
Sliced vegetable of choice (ex: red onions, jalapeños, green beans, cauliflower, carrots, etc.)

Instructions:

Mix water and salt in a separate bowl. Dissolve the salt.
Place sliced vegetable in the jar.
Pour water into the jar. Make sure to leave 1 inch at the top.
Cover the jar with the lid, but don't seal it completely. Twist on the cap halfway.
Store the jar in a dark place. It's also important to store it in an area that maintains room temperature (around 75°F).
Unscrew the cap once a day for 5-7 days.

The fermentation process should be complete within 5 to 7 days. To finish, you are able to store your jar in the refrigerator for up to 2 months. However, the is one drawback to consuming pickled vegetables. Snacking on pickled vegetables that are high in sodium can be unhelpful for anyone who has certain medical conditions. Because of this, if you are currently under a low-sodium diet for certain medication conditions, you should go easy on the pickled vegetables.

8. Drink Kombucha Tea

You do not always have to eat your probiotics! Did you know that you can actually drink them? Kombucha tea can be a good source of lactose-free probiotics. Kombucha is a type of black or green tea that contains different types of probiotics.

This is a popular drink in Asian countries such as Japan and China. The fermentation process is what brings out the unique flavor in this tea drink. In addition, it is fizzy, sweet, and tart all at the same time. While that may sound like a strange combination for some, others say that the flavor grows on you. As you drink Kombucha regularly, you will soon get used to its uniqueness. Here are a few ways you can ease yourself into drinking Kombucha:

Choose a flavor you are already familiar with and you enjoy.
Don't drink it warm. Chill for a few hours before drinking.
Enjoy it as a refreshing drink in between meals.

However, due to the fermentation process of Kombucha, it may be unsafe for some people to consume. As a result of the fermentation, traces of alcohol may remain in this tea drink. So much so that certain variants are actually categorized as beer. And so, it may be unsafe for children, teenagers, pregnant women, and nursing mothers to consume the drink.

9. Try Probiotic Supplements

If you want to experience the full benefits of probiotics, it is important to consume probiotics regularly. For times when you may find it difficult to get a consistent supply of probiotics from natural sources, probiotic supplements can be helpful. People who are lactose intolerant can often find it difficult to get a good supply of probiotics. Even if a type of food is naturally rich in probiotics, sometimes the process of preserving the food for commercial use can actually kill off all that good bacteria that you want to take in.

In addition, it may also be difficult and tiresome to keep eating the same things over and over again. You will want to get some variety in your diet, but if you are struggling to get a consistent supply then variety will no doubt also be difficult.

In this case, taking a probiotic supplement can be a great way of getting your daily dose of probiotics. If you are lactose intolerant, you will want to make sure that you are choosing a probiotic supplement that is vegan. By doing this, you will be reducing the risk of exacerbating your symptoms.

10. Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar is a great source of probiotics, especially in its raw and unpasteurized form. It is delicious for adding to homemade salad dressings, to give your salad a boost of probiotics. Apple cider vinegar has a cloudy look, which comes from the build up of bacteria. Essentially, the cloudier your apple cider vinegar is, the more bacteria it has – which is great for a probiotic boost.

How to Take Probiotics for Lactose Intolerance

1. Drink Filtered Water

Before taking your probiotic supplement, you should drink one glass of filtered water. Filtered water will help to balance out the acidity in your stomach. This will then help the good bacteria to survive.

2. Take Probiotics Before Meals

It is best to take your probiotic supplement first thing in the morning and at least 30 minutes before your first meal. Doing this will help to prevent the probiotics from getting stuck behind any food that you will be digesting.

Here are 9 reasons to choose probiotics from BIOHM Health:

One of the benefits of probiotics is that it helps restore gut health by making your digestive system more functional. In other words, they help digest food and absorb more of their nutrients. While most of the popular natural sources of probiotics are dairy products, there are other sources of non-dairy probiotics, including BIOHM supplements.

Do you have lactose intolerance? How do you get your regular dose of probiotics? Let us know how we can help in the comments below. Up Next: