Our gut health is significantly impacted by the unhealthy foods we consume and the daily stressors we encounter in our personal and professional lives. When our gut is not functioning optimally, it can adversely affect nearly every bodily system, including our immune and musculoskeletal systems. Supplements can provide relief from a variety of health issues, but it's important to note that different supplements target different conditions. For a deeper understanding of this, you can refer to our beginner’s guide to supplements.
Regular consumption of synbiotics can greatly enhance our overall fitness and help us maintain a healthy lifestyle. If you're unfamiliar with synbiotics and their mechanisms, we’ll delve into those details shortly.
Furthermore, if you're curious about which synbiotics might be worth trying, we will highlight a few. Two of the most reputable brands in the probiotic space are Seed and Ritual. If you’re considering choosing between the two, let’s explore which one might be more beneficial for you.
What are Synbiotics?
Synbiotics are specialized supplements that combine probiotics—live microorganisms like bacteria that help restore and rejuvenate the gut microbiota—with prebiotics, which serve as food for these beneficial microbes. Probiotics alone cannot function effectively without an energy source, which is where prebiotics come into play by supplying the necessary nutrients. Prebiotics typically consist of high-fiber foods such as whole grains and fruits.
While we can certainly take probiotic supplements and consume prebiotics through natural foods, the reality is that many of the foods we eat lack sufficient amounts of these essential components. Therefore, synbiotics serve as comprehensive supplements designed to support gut health and bolster our immune system.
What are Seed Probiotics?
Seed’s daily synbiotic supplements provide benefits beyond merely promoting gut health; they also support gastrointestinal function, cardiovascular health, immune response, skin vitality, and micronutrient synthesis. The capsules feature an outer coating enriched with prebiotics and an inner capsule containing probiotics.
Seed boasts a diverse range of strains, and each final product undergoes rigorous third-party testing to ensure premium quality. Additionally, these capsules are vegan and free from common allergens such as corn, gluten, soy, nuts, shellfish, sesame, dairy, glyphosate, preservatives, and binders.
Seed synbiotics are developed through a bio-fermentation process that carefully maintains over 30 factors, including temperature and pH, under constant supervision and testing at every stage.
What are Ritual Probiotics?
Ritual probiotics primarily focus on improving gut health and enhancing immunity. This supplement contains a blend of prebiotics, probiotics, and postbiotics that contribute positively to gut physiology and anatomy. Although it has fewer probiotic strains, these strains have been extensively studied and are known to effectively promote gut health while alleviating issues such as bloating.
Like Seed, Ritual Probiotics is also tested by third-party organizations for identity, purity, strength, and composition. Additionally, it is vegan, non-GMO project verified, gluten-free, and free from allergens.
The capsules utilize delayed-release technology, ensuring that they reach the intestines intact without being digested in the stomach.
Seed vs. Ritual Probiotics: Which Synbiotic is Superior?
Let’s compare Seed and Ritual probiotics across various dimensions to better understand their differences.
1. Formulation:
Prebiotics:
Seed synbiotics incorporate 400 mg of prebiotics known as MAPP (Microbiota Accessible Polyphenolic Precursors), which includes whole Indian pomegranate fruits rich in phenolic and polyphenolic compounds, along with Chaga mushrooms and pine bark.
In contrast, Ritual Synbiotics contains 15 mg of prebiotics referred to as PreforPro. These prebiotics have been clinically tested on humans and originate from Deerland, featuring a prebiotic bacteriophage blend.
This indicates that Seed relies on fruit-based sources for its prebiotic formulation, while Ritual employs a well-researched bacteriophage blend.
Probiotics:
Seed boasts four probiotic blends comprising 24 strains of microorganisms, totaling 53.6 billion AFU probiotics. This includes a gut immunity blend with strains like Bifidobacterium longum SD-BB536-JP and Bifidobacterium breve SD-BR3-IT, a skin health blend with Ligilactobacillus salivarius SD-LS1-IT, and a heart health blend, among others.
Conversely, Ritual probiotics provide 11 billion CFU with only two strains: Lactobacillus rhamnosus LGG and Bifidobacterium animalis BB-12.
As such, Seed synbiotics offer a wider variety of strains and a higher total probiotic count than Ritual, although Ritual features two of the most thoroughly researched strains for gut health.
Postbiotics:
Postbiotics, which are soluble metabolites beneficial for the consumption of pre- and probiotics, are absent in Seed synbiotics.
Ritual Synbiotics, however, contains 300 mg of postbiotics known as microbiome tributyrin, which aids in enhancing gut function and integrity.
2. Viability and Stability:
Viability refers to the likelihood of a supplement reaching its intended location in the gut without undergoing digestion in the proximal gastrointestinal tract. As synbiotics are meant to be absorbed in the intestine, they must pass through the stomach intact.
Both Seed and Ritual employ different methods to ensure viability, and both are effective. Seed utilizes a 2-in-1 nested capsule design through cap delivery technology, while Ritual implements a slow-release capsule mechanism for optimal viability.
Stability pertains to how well the capsules can withstand extreme temperatures or moisture. Seed synbiotics remain stable for up to 18 months at 70 degrees Fahrenheit, unaffected by temperature, moisture, oxygen, or light.
On the other hand, Ritual Synbiotics utilizes patented moisture control bottle technology to maintain stability, and both brands do not require refrigeration.
3. Uses:
While both Seed and Ritual probiotics primarily target gut health and share similar applications, there are still some distinctions.
Seed synbiotics are beneficial for stimulating digestion, enhancing gut immunity, improving gut barrier integrity, reducing bloating, preventing gas, enhancing skin texture and hydration, preventing cardiovascular issues, and increasing the production of essential vitamins and minerals.
Ritual synbiotics focus on gut-related issues and enhancing immunity, assisting in preventing blo
