Probiotics for Vegan: 12 Best Dairy-Free Probiotic Foods

Whenever we think of fermented food or probiotic food, yogurt always comes to mind first. Other popular probiotics are traditional buttermilk and kefir. However, these are all dairy products and are not conducive to a vegan diet. Most commercial probiotic drinks in the market also tend to be milk-based.

This can often be a cause for concern among vegans.

Vegans do not eat any kind of animal meat. Their diet includes a variety of plant foods such as grains, legumes, vegetables, fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, etc. Unlike many vegetarians who also have milk, butter, cheese, eggs, honey, etc. Vegans prefer to avoid all animal-sourced products for health, environmental, and/or religious reasons.

A vegan diet is a healthy lifestyle choice. But deficiencies can occur if a conscious effort is not made to include food sources that offer a balanced nutritional profile. Probiotic foods should also be a regular part of vegan diets.

Do Vegans Need Probiotics?

Both good and bad microbes reside in our guts. Maintaining the delicate balance between the two is vital for good health. When the population of bad bacteria is more than that of good bacteria, it can lead to many health complications.

Probiotic foods are packed with good bacteria that help rebalance the gut microflora. Such foods with live bacteria and/or yeast offer incredible benefits when consumed regularly (1).

The 12 Best Vegan Probiotic Foods

Probiotic foods are a result of fermentation, a century-old process of preservation. Here the food is allowed to be worked on by the bacterias and/or yeast. This eventually converts the sugar in the food into organic acid.

This acid preserves the food and makes it tart and zesty. When consumed, these foods deliver the good bacteria that replenish the already existing colony in our body, especially the gut.

After fermentation, if the food or the beverage is exposed to excessive heat, the microbes will die. So fermented food that’s cooked before consumption is not probiotic food.

We have looked into every cuisine across the world to bring you this list of 12 healthy probiotic foods that are suitable for vegans.

1. Water Kefir

Water kefir is a delightfully effervescent probiotic drink that’s tart, yet sweet.

Kefir is a popular fermented drink made using goat’s or cow’s milk. It has the consistency of thin yogurt. Even though this Eastern European drink is packed with probiotic bacteria, vegans can’t drink it, considering its dairy origin.

Its vegan counterpart is water kefir. It is believed to have originated in the late 1800s. Nowadays, you can find recipes for kefir made from coconut water, coconut cream, and so on.

Water kefir is also known as ‘tibicos’. It is made by combining sugary water with kefir grains. The mixture is left to ferment for 24-48 hours that finally produces water kefir.

These kefir grains contain around 56 different strains of bacteria and yeast. The common ones are Lactobacillus, Saccharomyces, and Bifidobacterium. This makes water kefir highly nutritious and a better source of probiotics than yogurt (2). Therefore, water kefir is a great way to ramp up your probiotic intake without consuming any animal products.

2. Tofu

Tofu is the best substitute for cheese such as cottage cheese and ricotta. It is a vegan-friendly probiotic food that contains lactic acid bacteria. Tofu is a great protein source for those who are lactose intolerant or allergic to dairy.

Tofu is a Chinese staple and is made from condensed soy milk or soybean curd. It is a complete protein containing all the nine essential amino acids that our body requires from food.

Rich in essential nutrients such as vitamins and minerals, tofu is one of the richest and nutritious vegan probiotic foods (3).

3. Pickled Cucumber

Pickled cucumber helps in digestion, curbs sugar spikes, increases insulin sensitivity, and fights diseases. They are high in antioxidants such as beta-carotene.

Always go for the product that is pickled traditionally using a fermentation process. This is what makes it rich in probiotics.

In Nepal, pickled cucumber goes by the name “Kalpi” whereas in Taiwan it is called “ Jiang gua” and in Korea, it is called “Oiji”. The microflora present is mainly lactic acid bacteria. This includes species such as Leuconostoc mesenteroides, Weissella cibaria, and many more (4).

4. Sauerkraut

Sauerkraut is basically a version of fermented cabbage. It is considered a national dish of Germany.

Sauerkraut is made by lactic acid fermentation. Cabbage naturally contains lactic acid bacteria (LAB). Therefore, when it is finely shredded, layered with salt, and left to ferment, these bacteria work on the cabbage and ferment it.

Sauerkraut is a high source of vitamin C and K, calcium, magnesium, dietary fiber, folic acid, iron, potassium, copper, and manganese. It aids in digestion, promotes heart health, helps lose weight, and boosts your immune system (5).

5. Kimchi

Kimchi is a traditional Korean preparation that is served as a side dish. It is also added to soups and stews.

Kimchi is very similar to sauerkraut. However, sauerkraut is traditionally made using only cabbage whereas kimchi recipes include napa cabbages and Korean radish with a variety of seasonings such as gochugaru (red chili flakes), spring onions, garlic, ginger, etc.

In earlier days, people used to make kimchi in large earthen vessels and bury them inside a pit. This was done to improve fermentation during the cold winter climate and yet keep it cool enough for slow fermentation during summers. This helped preserve the kimchi all throughout the year. But nowadays, kimchi is kept out only for a few days before refrigerating it.

Just like sauerkraut, kimchi also contains lactic acid bacteria, the live organisms responsible for the fermentation process (6). When you are buying kimchi, make sure you do not buy the pasteurized one. This process actually kills off most of the good bacteria.

6. Naw Mai Dong

Fermented bamboo shoots are considered a delicacy among probiotic foods. It is a staple in the majority of Asian countries like China, Japan, North-east India, Thailand, Korea, Malaysia, and more.

Every place has its own name for its version of fermented bamboo shoots. In North-east India, they go by the name soidon, soijim, mesu, etc. whereas in Thailand it is popularly known as naw mai dong.

Lactic acid bacteria are the dominant probiotic strain and endow it with nutritional and medicinal properties (7). Beyond its probiotic offerings, it is really nutritious as well. It is high in potassium, vitamins, minerals, dietary fibers, and antioxidants.

7. Bread Kvass

Kvass is a traditional Russian probiotic beverage. This fizzy fermented drink used to be made with rye bread or black bread. Nowadays barley and wheat bread are also used.

It used to be considered a poor man’s drink. Slavic peasants doing hard labor consumed Kvass to overcome fatigue and restore strength. With the widespread acknowledgment of its probiotic benefits, kvass production has now turned into a multimillion-dollar industry.

The bread is mixed with water and yeast, allowed to brew. Herbs such as mint and fruits such as strawberries may be added for flavoring. This drink has a distinct, earthy smell of bread.

Generally, it has less than 1.5% alcohol by volume, but if you allow it to ferment longer, the alcohol concentration can build to over 2.5%.

The most dominant probiotic strains in Kvass are Leuconostoc mesenteroides, Lactobacillus casei and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Kvass helps restore balance to the gut microbiome, reduce inflammation, improve mood, break down toxins and prevent infections (8).

8. Beet Kvass

Beet Kvass is a traditional probiotic tonic that’s popular in Ukraine and Russia.

As the name suggests, this variety of kvass is made from beets. The beets are put in slightly salty brine with kvass starter culture for a few days and allowed to ferment. This produces a vibrant pink-red drink with a sour, earthy flavor.

In Beet kvass, the good bacteria break down the complex carbs and protein into a simple bioavailable form that is easily digested. It also contains L. plantarum that easily survives the digestive procedure and reaches the gut (9).

Beet kvass is a perfect marriage of kvass and beet, both being highly nutritious in their own way. Kvass is a probiotic powerhouse while beet is rich in vitamins, manganese, potassium, iron, etc.

9. Tempeh

Our list of vegan probiotic food will remain incomplete if we do not mention tempeh. This traditional Indonesian food is made using soybeans. For vegans, tempeh is highly recommended as a rich protein source in their diets.

A fungus known as Rhizopus oligosporus is used as the tempeh starter (10). Fermented soybeans are pressed into a compact cake to make this nutty and chewy dish.

Considering tempeh has a firm texture and can be cut into thick slices, you can use them as meat substitutes in a burger. It serves as a versatile ingredient that can be marinated and sautéed or baked to create various delicious dishes.

Regular consumption of tempeh helps lower cholesterol and blood pressure, improves insulin sensitivity, lowers inflammation and the list continues (11).

10. Miso

It can be said that miso is an elixir that gifted the Japanese with long life. Miso is basically soybean paste that has been fermented with a starter called “koji”. This contains the fungus Aspergillus oryzae.

Rice, wheat, and barley can also be used in the making of miso paste (12). Miso paste is used to make miso soup. It is also used as a marinade and in salads.

As a probiotic food, Miso contains millions of beneficial microbes per gram (13). It is a rich source of B-vitamins, vitamin E, K, and vitamin B6.

11. Umeboshi

Umeboshi is also popularly known as “Samurai’s secret pill”. This Japanese delicacy is a pickled plum that has a salty and sour taste.

Its mouth-puckering sourness has taken the new generation of Japanese away from this superfood. The young Japanese have these much less than their earlier generation. However, Umeboshi has made its way back on the international map due to its numerous probiotic health benefits.

Studies have shown umeboshi to have a strong anti-microbial effect against pathogens such as Streptococcus mutans that may cause dental cavities (14).

Umeboshi can fight Helicobacter pylori, a bacteria that causes stomach ulcers. It has very strong antioxidant effects. Even a very small ume contains 2-3 times more citric acid than lemon. This superfood can help reduce intestinal inflammation, improve digestive health, and detoxify your body (15).

12. Kombucha Tea

Kombucha is another traditional beverage from China. This fermented tea has a fizzy sweet and sour taste. Rich in probiotics, Kombucha is considered a health tonic for boosting immunity.

Kombucha is made by combining black or green tea, yeast, and sugar. A symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast known as SCOBY is used as the kombucha starter.

During the fermentation process, acetic acid is produced. Acetic acid is known to have antimicrobial properties. Kombucha is rich in antioxidants and it may help reduce the risk of drug-induced liver damage (16).

Kombucha has been known to aid in digestion and help with digestive complaints (17).

Takeaways

Probiotic foods have enormous health benefits. Even though the common probiotic foods are dairy-based, there are many to suit a vegan palate.

Sauerkraut, kimchi, tofu, tempeh, water kefir and kvass are to name a few. Try and incorporate them into your regular diet and enjoy their benefits lifelong.

Probiotic supplements can help quickly replenish the microflora with beneficial microbes. You can easily buy them online. Choose a vegan product that has been third-party tested and is Non-GMO.

When buying a probiotic supplement, don’t forget to select one with a high number of CFUs and diverse strains. The more the number of strains, the better. It is also important to have a diet rich in prebiotic foods which helps the probiotics thrive and grow in abundance.