Probiotics are a popular supplement for their effects on gut health and digestion. Today, we’re going to dig into the best vegan probiotics on the market and give you a buyer’s guide with everything you need to know to choose the right one for you.
What is a Vegan Probiotic?
Before we jump into our list of top products, you might be wondering what a probiotic is. Probiotics are live bacteria and yeast that help your body. While there’s a tendency to think of bacteria as bad, there are all sorts of good bacteria in your body. Ingesting probiotics provides your body with more of these good bacteria and have numerous benefits on your gut health and digestion.
Probiotics are generally divided into two strains – Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium. But even within these two categories, there are many different strands. Lactobacillus is mostly found in yogurt and certain fermented foods. Bifidobacterium is found in some dairy products.
As you can imagine, because of their prevalence in dairy and milk products, not all probiotics are vegan. But there are plenty of effective vegan probiotics to choose from, and we’ll look at that next.
1. Best Premium Option: RAW Probiotic
Let’s start with one of our top picks, RAW probiotics.
This is a very effective probiotic supplement that has 100 billion CFU guaranteed. CFU is the Colony-Forming Unit, which represents the number of live or active micro-organisms in each serving of probiotics. It’s a little complicated, but more is better in this case. These are the most potent probiotic on our list, which is why they got our choice for the best premium option.
This probiotic is made with genuine probiotics and digestive enzymes, and the formula was developed based on clinical research. The quality is guaranteed as it was made in the USA in a GMP certified lab.
RAW claims that this probiotic is directed toward helping gut health, gas relief, bloating, constipation, leaky gut, and weight loss.
When it comes to a probiotic, you should buy from a company you can trust. You want to know that the formula was developed according to sound science and that it was manufactured to rigorous quality control standards. Let’s face it, science is a bit complicated for most, so trust becomes a key issue. You can trust RAW Probiotics. We think they’re a great choice!
Pros:
- 100 billion CFU guarantee
- Trustworthy brand and manufacturing process
Cons:
- Expensive
2. DEVA Vegan Probiotic
Next up we have DEVA vegan probiotic. We like this vegan probiotic, and it is a great value, too.
This formula contains two billion CFU bacillus coagulans and 100mg Fructooligosaccharides. That’s all a mouthful, but it’s an effective formula that we like. These probiotics weren’t grown on dairy, so they are vegan friendly.
We also like DEVA’s focus on sustainability. Their packages are very compact, to prevent plastic waste and to maximize efficiency.
Overall, we like this probiotic, and it’s an extremely economical choice.
Pros:
- Great probiotic blend
- Environmental sustainability
Cons:
- Not as strong as other formulas
3. Daily Probiotics
Daily probiotics are another premium probiotic blend that we like.
Its probiotic formula contains both major types of probiotics (lactobacillus and bifidobacteria). The brand guarantees 60 billion CFU and 12 strains of probiotics. All of this is possible from a veggie capsule!
The moisture-proof bottle ensures that no refrigeration is required.
Most importantly, you can trust this manufacturer. The product is third-party verified and non-GMO project verified. When it comes to any supplement, trust is a big issue, and these come from a reputable manufacturer.
It’s a bit on the expensive side, but we’ll take quality over price any day.
Pros:
- 60 billion CFU
- 12 strains of probiotics
Cons:
- Expensive
4. Ora Trust Your Gut
Here’s a probiotic supplement that you might find convenient if you prefer to take your probiotics in powder form. A powder allows you to have more control over your dosage. Just mix into a drink, sprinkle on a smoothie, or ingest however you like!
This probiotic blend has 20 billion CFU per serving with seven probiotic blends. They picked these strains because of their research-backed health benefits. It’s good to know that so much science-based research went into developing this formula.
The probiotics themselves were also derived from natural organic materials. This includes organic Jerusalem artichoke and organic tapioca.
The main focus of this probiotic is helping with stomach issues such as bloating, pain, and poor nutrient absorption.
To top it all off, it tastes great! It comes in a couple of flavors, with our favorite being Lavender Lemonade.
Pros:
- Science-based blend
- Tastes great
Cons:
- Expensive
5. Naturelo Probiotic
Naturelo probiotic is another top choice on the market. This mixture has 11 probiotic strains and 50 billion CFU. It is a once-daily tablet for extra convenience.
This formula contains all essential lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium strains. We love formulas that are based on sound science, and this one is. It has a strong focus on digestion issues such as intestinal comfort, gas, and bloating.
The capsules are made with delayed-release technology. This protects the tablets from your stomach acids and ensures that they are alive when they reach your intestines, allowing for more of the beneficial effects to reach your digestion.
Overall, it’s a solid choice in the probiotic supplements market. The product has an affordable price for 30 vegan capsules. There is no refrigeration required, and we think you’ll be happy with what you get.
Pros:
- Science-based formula
- Delayed-release technology
Cons:
- Only 30 capsules
6. Mary Ruth’s Probiotic Beauty+
Mary Ruth’s probiotic blend was made with a specific focus on beauty. This means that the probiotic and nutrient complex was designed to support skin health, collagen production, and provide nourishment to hair and nails. This is why it’s the “Skin, Hair, Nails” formula.
This formula contains a healthy amount of probiotics and phytoceramides. It is geared towards a woman’s nutritional needs. There is a 63 billion CFU probiotic blend, as well as Biotin, Vitamin C, and Silica.
Overall, we like this product. It is science-backed and built to promote a healthy you, inside and out. Mary Ruth Organics is a well-established supplement brand that you can trust.
Pros:
- Beauty focused blend
- Science-backed formulas
Cons:
- Expensive
7. Vitaburst Gummies
Here’s a fun option for probiotics. These come in tasty gummies! This is a once-daily probiotic for adults and kids. The gummies are berry flavored and taste great.
But the flavor isn’t that important if the probiotic itself isn’t effective. We are happy to report that it is. The gummies contain 5 billion CFU per serving. The main focus is on gut health, gas relief, constipation, and weight loss.
This probiotic is also prebiotic. The prebiotics act to boost the growth of the probiotics. Pre and probiotics work magnificently together for this reason.
On top of all that, these gummies were also fortified with an organic berry extract for extra Vitamin C (and great taste!).
Overall, this is a great choice. If you prefer gummy supplements, then this product should be at the top of your list of considerations, and the price is great!
Pros:
- Great probiotic blend
- Contains prebiotics
Cons:
- Some may prefer capsules
8. Best Value: Revly Probiotic
Revly probiotics are another great gummy option. There are a few natural flavors to choose from, but we enjoy the berry one. The flavors and colors are all-natural and delicious.
The probiotic formula is great. It contains 2 billion CFU per serving and was specifically formulated to help digestion. It’s not quite as potent as many of the other probiotic formulas on our list, but it’s pretty great for a budget product.
This product was manufactured to top-notch quality standards, including GMO-free, gluten-free, and vegan. And since this is an actual Amazon brand, you can trust that it is in line with all its established manufactured standards. You can even call its hotline for a full refund within one year – for any reason!
Overall, it’s a solid budget choice. It’s not the best probiotic, but it’s a solid formula, it tastes great, and you can’t beat the price.
Pros:
- 2 billion CFU
- Money-back guarantee
- Price
Cons:
- Not as effective as some more premium options
9. ZenWise Gummies
ZenWise is another brand we like. Here is the gummy option of their probiotics.
The formula is impressive, with 5 billion CFU per serving. The focus is on gut health. These chewable supplements support gut flora for more healthy digestion. They also contain proprietary DE111, which is a spore-forming probiotic which helps to replenish your microbiome.
These gummies are meant to be taken twice a day, which isn’t quite as convenient as the single-use formula, but it does help to spread out the benefits.
Overall, these are solid probiotic gummies at an affordable price.
Pros:
- Great price
- 5 billion CFU and include DE111
Cons:
- Twice a day formula
10. Proviotic
Proviotic claims to be “the purest probiotic on Earth”. While it is difficult to verify such claims, this specific probiotic formula is impressive.
The probiotics were collected from flowers in the mountains of Europe and grown with organic vegetables. Their process has even been featured in the Wall Street Journal!
The probiotic blend is quite strong, at 5 billion CFUs per serving.
Overall, we like this product because it comes from a company that you can trust. Its process is highly touted and has been heavily publicized for this reason. It is a pure probiotic, and you don’t need to worry about inconsistencies or impurities. If you’re seeking a probiotic that was rigorously developed and manufactured, then this one is probably for you.
Just be aware that all this purity comes at a pretty hefty price tag!
Pros:
- Pure probiotic blend
- 5 billion CFU per serving
Cons:
- Expensive
Buyer’s Guide to Vegan Probiotics
Here’s our buyer’s guide to help you make your decision. We’ll cover some frequently asked questions about probiotics, and then tell you what you need to know to help you choose from the options above.
Difference Between Probiotics vs. Digestive Enzymes
As we lightly touched upon in our list, two major supplements tout digestive health – probiotics and digestive enzymes. They often promote such similar benefits that people become confused as to the difference, but there are important differences.
As we examined above, probiotics are living bacteria that assist with gut health and digestion. They help to replenish the body’s supply of these bacteria, and the organisms produce beneficial effects.
Digestive enzymes are molecules that help your body break down food. They contain many similar benefits to probiotics, but their scientific makeup is not the same. While we have thousands of enzymes in our body, we have trillions of bacteria. Digestive enzymes can help with many uncomfortable sensations associated with eating and digestion, such as acid reflux, gassiness, and IBS.
While these two supplements are easy to confuse due to similar benefits, they both work in very different ways. There’s nothing wrong with taking both!
Buying Guide
You might still be wondering one thing – how do I choose? There are indeed many probiotic supplements on our list, and choosing between them can be a difficult task. Here are some factors you should consider to make the best decision:
Ingredients
We know, the ingredients of a probiotic bottle are extremely complicated! All the different strains, probiotics, CFUs, and various other technical words … It can all be a lot to take in!
We suggest you focus on a few major factors. The main things to look for are more CFUs per serving and more strains of probiotics. These are typically clearly labeled on the bottle. The bottle may also explain what the probiotic is designed to help with. Keep it basic, and decide based on these factors, because you might have a difficult time understanding the rest of the information unless you’re a scientist!
Manufacturing Standards
Manufacturing standards are hugely important when buying supplements. Simply put, you can’t always trust what’s on the bottle. The supplements need to be properly made to hold onto the benefits through the whole manufacturing process.
Look for products that are domestically made, third-party tested, and held to Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP). These standards were put in place to verify that you can trust the ingredients in the bottle, and they’re important to your purchasing decision.
Method of Consumption
We can’t forget the process of taking the supplement! Whether you prefer a capsule, gummy, or liquid or powder form, many options are available. It comes down to personal preference, and you should pick the one you are most comfortable with.
Do keep in mind that capsules tend to be the least expensive option. So, if the price is your primary concern, then you may want to go this direction.
Aside from that, we gave you plenty of excellent options in our list above! We are confident that you can choose a probiotic supplement that is perfect for you.
