Both probiotics and live cultures are bacteria and yeasts. However, these two terms are not interchangeable. In short, all probiotics are live cultures, but not all live cultures are probiotics.
Probiotics and live cultures are good microorganisms that help our health and they are found in fermented foods and supplements.
Probiotics are specific living microorganisms (bacteria and yeasts) that have been well-studied to bring specific health benefits (improve numbers, prevent conditions, etc) with a specific dose. The keywords are “specific” and “well-studied”.
On the other hand, live cultures is the umbrella term of good microorganisms that cover probiotics and living microorganisms that are being studied and yet to be discovered.
So, how specific is “specific” organism?
They are defined down to the strain of bacteria and yeasts, which are identified by letters and numbers after the microorganism name.
Name of probiotic = genus (capitalized first letter, italicized) + species (italicized) + strain (letters and numbers)
Examples: Lactobacillus acidophilus LA-1, Lactobacillus rhamnosus GR-1, and Bifidobacterium animalis DN 173 010
When these specific strains have enough evidence to show specific health benefits with a set dose, they are called probiotics.
In other words, if organisms are not studied, they are not probiotics.
In Everyday Life
Science and research are cool but it gets confusing and makes grocery shopping overwhelming.
What’s important is the VARIETY of live cultures over which probiotic. The range of diversity in fermented foods is beyond what you can fit in supplement capsules.
Unless manufacturing companies can prove that the product contains specific strains of bacteria and yeasts with health benefits and specific amounts, fermented products can’t be claimed to contain probiotics. So, fermented products often don’t qualify as probiotics and use “contain live cultures”.
In contrast, strains and the amount of microorganisms in supplements are easily controlled. So, they are more likely to have “probiotics” on their packaging.
PSA for Decision Making
Fermented foods
Look for them in REFRIGERATED sections of grocery stores.
“Pantry stable” means live cultures have been killed to stop fermentation activity by the microorganisms. Without killing them, containers would explode from accumulation of carbon dioxide (CO2). Keeping them in a cool environment slows down the fermentation activity.
If there are no live bacteria and yeasts, there are no live culture health benefits. Foods would still have health benefits from other food components.
Examples: Sauerkraut, yogurt, kefir, fermented pickles (not vinegar pickled), kimchi, natto
Supplements
If you are interested in probiotics, check in the nutrition label that they have strains listed (letters and numbers after the name)! You would have homework to research for the health benefits for each strain, if you want to be thorough.
Again, choose one with a variety of probiotics.
Variety over specific!
Let me know what other fermented foods you eat now or grew up with :)
Learn More
References
International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics (2020). Do all fermented foods contain a probiotic?. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health. Retrieved December 7, 2023, from https://isappscience.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/ProbioticsvsFermentedFoods.pdf
NIH, Office of Dietary Supplements. Probiotics (2023). U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health. Retrieved December 7, 2023, from https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Probiotics-HealthProfessional/
Petroval, M. (2019). The ISAPP quick guide to probiotics for health professionals: History, efficacy, and safety. International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics. Retrieved December 7, 2023, from
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