LISTEN TO YOUR GUT
By John Chetcuti
The gut—filled with trillions of bacteria—is one of our most important body systems, yet it is one of the most neglected. Stressful lives, processed foods, and antibiotic consumption take their toll on our delicately balanced gut flora. Probiotics are live micro-organisms that may be good for your health, especially your digestive system. Our bodies are full of bacteria, good and bad. Probiotics are often called “good” or “helpful” bacteria because they help keep your gut healthy. Probiotics can be supplied through foods, beverages, and dietary supplements. The trouble with most probiotic supplements on the market is that they aren’t properly absorbed by the body or properly stored.
STABILITY AT ROOM TEMPERATURE
I personally feel that not all probiotics are equal and, most importantly, not all Bacillus Coagulans strains are equal.One of the major challenges of probiotics is that many bacteria strains are very sensitive to heat and some have to be refrigerated to preserve the bacterial integrity and quantity. I would recommend DEVA’s new Vegan Probiotic. The special Bacillus Coagulans strain used in this product does not require refrigeration and is very stable at room temperature. This strain tolerates high temperatures so well that it was lab tested in baking conditions (210° F. for up to 30 minutes), and less than a 5% loss in bacterial count was observed. Although I would not recommend exposing the product to high temperatures to ensure best quality, I still wanted to share this information to point out the tough nature of this particular Bacillus Coagulans strain. Please remember not all probiotics are equal and most importantly not all Bacillus Coagulans strains are equal.
Fructooligosaccharides (FOS) are added to each capsule as prebiotics. Prebiotics help probiotics multiply and grow stronger in your gut. Think of prebiotics like fertilizer for probiotics, they help probiotics outnumber the bad bacteria and effectively balance the intestinal flora.
HIGH SURVIVAL RATE IN ACIDITY
Not all strains of Bacillus Coagulans are considered valuable because only some of them are able to survive the high acidity of the stomach, survive in bile salts, and form colonies in the intestines. The special strain in this product, thanks to its tough outer shell, is highly resilient to the harsh conditions of the digestive tract and has a high survival rate that enables it to colonize the gut. It also does not require the use of expensive enteric coated capsules, making it much more affordable than many other products on the market.
AND IT’S VEGAN
As a vegan, I have always found it frustrating trying to find a vegan probiotic. Some so-called “dairy free” probiotics are actually grown on a dairy-based growth medium. The dairy is later removed from the finished product by purification, and it is labeled “dairy free”. DEVA’s probiotic strain is grown in a non-animal, non-dairy growth medium making it truly vegan and approved by the American Vegan Society. For further information about this and other DEVA products, please go to www.devanutrition.com.
John Chetcuti
John Chetcuti is a vegan of 29 years and owner of Atom’s Green Market, a natural products wholesaler. He was president and co-founder of the Michigan Vegan Society and is currently studying plant-based nutrition at Cornell University. Retailers, for wholesale information, call (313)300-7709
