Are Optibac supplements natural live cultures?

None of our Optibac supplements contain chemicals, parabens or added sugars, and they are all free from artificial flavourings, colourings and preservatives. It might also worth be noting that none of the strains in any of the products in the Optibac range are genetically modified in any way.

What are organic live cultures?

It's difficult to label live cultures as organic, due to strict organic certification and legal requirements. Generally speaking crops and animals are considered healthier and more natural when grown and reared organically and organic produce is thought to be better for our health¹. However, the same concept does not apply to live culture supplements like the ones that Optibac offers.

Live cultures, including the yeast Saccharomyces boulardii, are more simple in their structure and function than the fruits, vegetables, grains & meat we consume. Live cultures are not thought to be affected by whether the fermentation medium on which they are grown (the 'food they eat') is organic or not - the natural quality of the bacteria remains the same.

As well as live bacteria supplements, foods containing live cultures are another way of naturally improving your health. If the foods below are made with organic vegetables and other ingredients then all the better!

5 of the best natural live cultures foods

• Kimchi - a classic Korean dish of fermented vegetables, usually cabbage, carrot and radish, which is similar to sauerkraut
• Kombucha - this popular fermented tea is made with a few simple ingredients: tea, natural cane sugar, and a live bacteria culture. The result is a delcious natural sparkling drink!
• Tofu - a fermented soy bean food, similar to tempeh, which can make a great substitution for meat if you are vegan or vegetarian
• Kefir - a delicious fermented drink traditionally made from cow's milk . Thick, tangy and packed full of beneficial bacteria!
• Yoghurt - another type of fermented milk product and a popular source of natural probiotics²

The important thing to understand is that live cultures themselves cannot be considered organic or non-organic. Although the 'organic' question does not apply to our products, our nutrition team endorse organic, natural foods and supplements as part of a healthy way of life. To find out more about what is important to us as a company, take a look at our values page. For more information on our ingredients, visit our product pages or read our full list of ingredients FAQ.

References

1. Vigar V et al., (2020) A Systematic Review of Organic Versus Conventional Food Consumption: Is There a Measurable Benefit on Human Health? Nutrients, 12(1): 7.
2. Almghawesh E, Slik S, Okkou H. Processing of Functional Yoghurt-Like Product from Soymilk Supplemented by Probiotics. Int J Food Sci. 2022 Feb 23;2022:5898537. doi: 10.1155/2022/5898537. PMID: 35252437; PMCID: PMC8890885.