Garden of Life probiotics: A small price to pay for better gut health

Rating: 9.5/10

• Number of CFU: 100 billion
• Variety of bacteria strains: 34 raw strains
• Quantity per packet: 30 capsules

What’s inside?

Garden of Life raw microbiome ultimate care ticks the boxes in terms of what we should be looking for in a probiotic product. It contains an enormous 100 billion CFU per capsule and 34 raw clinically studied bacteria strains, including lactobacillus acidophilus, lactobacillus paracasei and bifidobacterium lactis.

What makes this probiotic supplement special?

Raw microbiome ultimate care has characteristics that make it particularly good for people looking to support their gut health. It contains precisely what it says on the tin – raw ingredients. The bacteria blend is uncooked, untreated and made in conditions below 4C and 30 per cent humidity, meaning the cultures arrive alive and stay that way until the expiry date. The supplement can be stored in a cool, dry place but is best if kept in the fridge once opened.

We especially like that the raw blend is made from naturally probiotic foods, including Bulgarian yoghurt and Eastern European wild kefir. Each pill also contains 45mg of raw Eastern European fruits and vegetables, including cherry, plum, carrot, red pepper and strawberry. There’s added protease, a digestive enzyme that breaks down protein into amino acids.

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The supplement does contain milk, though, so it is not suitable for vegans or people who are lactose intolerant. But it is suitable for people who follow a gluten- or soy-free diet. The brand has a vast range of other gut health supplements formulated for specific needs, including those for women, men, kids and mood. But we think raw microbiome ultimate care is a brilliant option for most adults.

Ease of use

We think we’d all be fibbing if we said we’d never forgotten to take our supplements as often as we should, so we’re fans of those that don’t require any special conditions for use. This one needs to be taken just once a day, whenever suits you (or you remember). It also doesn’t matter whether you take it with or without food, adding more flexibility. If you prefer not to swallow a capsule, you can open them and empty the contents into a glass of water or juice. But the pills are just under an inch long, so they are easy to swallow with water. As for storing the probiotics, it does not need to be kept in the fridge but is best if done so.

Did they make a difference to our gut health?

A month’s trial of the probiotics was enough to allow us to see some improvements in our gut health. The first couple of days of raw microbiome ultimate care did leave our tester feeling a little gassy and bloated, but it soon passed when our system adjusted to taking such a potent probiotic.

Within a week, we discovered we were less bloated than before taking the probiotics and reported that we became more regular and comfortable, despite usually having a sensitive stomach and not always eating the healthiest foods.

The verdict: Garden of Life raw microbiome ultimate care

Garden of Life raw microbiome ultimate care is a super high potency probiotic with a diverse range of bacteria strains. We were impressed that there was a noticeable difference in calming our tester’s digestive system quite quickly after starting use. It does work out quite pricey at more than £1 a capsule, but anyone with a problematic stomach will agree this is a small price to pay for some comfort.