Are You Taking REAL Probiotics?

Probiotics are so popular that you can find them in almost every type of product.  I’ve seen them in deodorants, chocolate and even chips!

There’s a reason for it. Probiotics are amazing for everyone’s health. Because of our eating habits, depleted soils and sterilization, our gut lacks the beneficial bacteria it needs to maintain optimal health.

It’s scary! Almost everyone I know suffers from gut-related issues from constipation to more serious issues such as Crohn’s disease.

It has been discovered that there is a gut – brain connection, which means that people who tend to be stressed out have more gut health issues. Nowadays, who isn’t stressed out?

So, keeping a healthy gut should be everyone’s priority.

Why should you be taking probiotics?

• They help keep you regular
• Probiotics help you digest your food properly, meaning you better absorb the nutrients in your food
• They help with bloating and keep you from passing too much unnecessary gas
• They promote a healthy microbiome
• They balance your blood sugar level
• Probiotics even help maintain a healthy weight

In fact, both children and adults see the benefits of taking probiotics. They are even more important if you’ve been sick and taking antibiotics. This is why, most likely, your family doctor has recommended that everyone in your family takes probiotics.

Our doctor also told us to take probiotics but didn’t specify which brand, which naturally meant I have spent endless hours researching probiotics, and have tried lots and lots of different brands. It is difficult to figure out which is the right probiotic to take with so many different claims out there.

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Fillers in probiotics

What I didn’t know is that most probiotics need an agent to attach to, also known as a filler, and in most cases the fillers that are being used are not things you really want to be taking, especially when there are clean alternatives.

Some probiotics contain flow agents, preservatives, colorants and sweeteners. What’s the point of taking something to keep you healthy when it contains not-so-healthy ingredients? Yes, the doses of these are small but there are better options out there, ones that don’t contain all this crap.

After looking closely at some popular probiotics brands, I discovered that some of them contain tons of others things. Some even list 9 to 10 ingredients; some of the ingredients listed are:

Microcrystalline Cellulose, Hypromellose, Sucrose, Magnesium Stearate, Sodium Caseinate, Titanium Dioxide, Trisodium Citrate Dihydrate, Propyl Gallate, Gellan Gum, Silica, Cellulose Cell, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, Silicon Dioxide, Added Color, Maltodextrin, Hypromellose, Magnesium Stearate, Titanium Dioxide, Cellulose, Silicon Dioxide, Chlorophyllin, Stearic Acid, Sodium Carbonate.

I don’t know about you, but I want a probiotic that is just that: a probiotic and one that doesn’t use all these unnecessary fillers, colors, flavors and ingredients I can’t even pronounce.

Not only that, but a recent study done to 16 different probiotic supplements discovered that only ONE brand contained the strain specified on the label, so this is why it’s important to buy probiotics from a company that does third-party testing and that you can trust.

When in doubt, you can always reach out to the company and ask questions. If they’re transparent in their ingredients, they’ll be more than happy to share reports, testing and answer your questions.

The probiotic we take and trust

Recently I was at a conference and I met representatives for Regular Girl, a probiotic supplement. I never talked so much about poop and probiotics like I did that day! That’s when I learned that most probiotics are attached to fillers even before they make it to the company that packages them.

You see, when a probiotic is delivered by the manufacturer, it most often is tied to something; and cheaper fillers are the way to go for many companies. But not with Regular Girl, which avoids all the fillers and carriers. They combine their probiotic and prebiotic fiber, which is something your body (and the probiotics) need to thrive.

If you’re a female, you need about 25 grams of fiber a day to be regular and maintain a healthy gut. I don’t know about you, but I don’t always take this much and it’s probably why sometimes my digestion is not ideal.

So, I love that they were able to tie those ingredients together to create a high-quality probiotic. Plus they are all about clean ingredients and transparency, so what’s on the label is what is in the actual product.

There are only two ingredients in Regular Girl: 5 grams of a clinically proven prebiotic fiber (Sunfiber guar bean fiber) and 8 billion active, clinically proven probiotics (Bifidobacterium lactis).

Nothing else. 

The prebiotic fiber along with the probiotic help grow the healthy bacteria in your gut. Regular Girl is also Non-GMO Project Verified and 100 percent gluten-free.

After learning so much about Regular Girl, I decided I wanted to try them and got a bunch of free samples. We have been using it for a while now and absolutely love it!

I love that they don’t need refrigeration because I can just carry them with me. Regular Girl uses highly shelf-stable probiotics that are strong enough to stand the temperature in your home as well as your stomach. If a probiotic can’t stand the temperature in your home, how could it survive in your stomach long enough to make it to your intestines?

Regular Girl has a starter kit that comes with the cutest BPA-free water bottle, so now I fill that up with water, add a pouch of Regular Girl and drink it throughout the day.

A huge plus is that Dr. William Sears recommends this probiotic supplement for kids, so my kids are taking it too! I’ve really noticed a difference in my 4-year-old’s poop, for the better!

You can get Regular Girl in a big bag and just scoop it out, or in convenient on-the-go packs. I prefer the on-the-go sticks because I just keep a few in my diaper bag. This way I remember to take my probiotics even when I’m out with the girls.

And one of my favorite things is that they offer a subscribe and save program, so you can get a discount on the product and it gets delivered to your home once a month. As a busy mom I love that I don’t have to remember to order it!

I liked their product so much that I was able to get 10% off discount code for you, so this means that if you do the subscription you’ll be saving $5 + 10%! Click here and use code “MAMAINSTINCTS10” at checkout. You can also get Regular Girl on Amazon but the discount code is only valid if you get directly on their site.

If there’s one thing I want you to take away from this post is that lots of probiotic supplements contain ingredients you DO NOT want in your body. So please check the label on the probiotics you have at home and make sure you’re not taking something with tons of unnecessary ingredients. Also, keep in mind that for optimal gut health you need to combine your probiotic with a prebiotic.

Your family’s health is the most important thing to take care of, so please buy clean-label supplements. Remember, clean-label doesn’t mean expensive!

What probiotics do you take?