5 Super Dairy-Free Supplements for Smoothies

We hear so much about protein powders and calcium that it is easy to forget about the many other nutrients that our bodies require and may be deficient in. I’ll cover protein powders in a series of reviews soon, but wanted to take a minute to share some dairy-free supplements that I’ve been blending into my morning smoothies for quite some time.

This is not a paid post, nor am I offering any type of medical advice – these are just dairy-free supplements that I’ve researched, trialed, and that work well for me. All are free of gluten and top allergens (note the brands that I use), but a couple are not vegan. I have referenced which of these dairy-free supplements are vegan, too, for your convenience.

Collagen MD Advanced Connective Tissue Formula

Honestly, I didn’t expect this type of product to hit my personal dairy-free supplements list so soon! The concerns of aging hadn’t really hit me, but when a friend in the natural food industry brought Collagen MD to my attention last year, I realized that it might be time to start paying attention. I’m past that 35 age marker, where the body starts to breakdown more rapidly than in the younger years, and I don’t want to go down without a fight!

I exercise regularly to keep my muscles, bones, and tendons strong and my skin healthy, but a little insurance never hurts. Collagen MD gluten-free and dairy-free Advanced Connective Tissue Formula is a powder supplement that is formulated with an “anti-aging” blend of highly-bioavailable collagen type I & III peptides, hyaluronic acid, vitamin C, folic acid, biotin and vitamin B12. It is recommended to be mixed with juice or water (you aren’t supposed to take it with any type of protein), but all-fruit smoothies or ones with coconut milk beverage or coconut milk yogurt (neither have protein) are also delicious ways to enjoy it! I always use frozen fruit for a very creamy delight. See my Healthy Skin Smoothies post for some fun recipe blends.

I’ve trialed this product for several months (I received a 3-month sample supply from the company, but this is not a paid post), and can’t say if my skin looks any younger (I like to think I’m still youthful!), but I definitely noticed strengthening in my nails and hair follicles (we have very hard water here, causing my hair to fall out more easily for years, but it’s stopped) and in healing with a tendon flare that had been bothering me for quite some time.

The product label states that it is free of Dairy, Gluten/Wheat, Soy, Starch, Sugar, Corn, Yeast and Preservatives (I believe it is free of all top allergens – the only note is “may contain sulphite residues”. This is not a vegetarian product.

Be Bright Superfood Oil (vegan) and CorOmega 3 Squeeze

The new Be Bright Non-GMO Superfood Oil Blend was recently introduced by Coromega and it is TASTY! It’s a creamy blend of coconut, chia, avocado, hemp, and black cumin oils that is rich in fish-free omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants. Thus far, I’ve only had a taster of this vegan, gluten-free and allergy-friendly goody, as it wasn’t yet available for purchase at Expo West. Coromega does now have Be Bright for sale on their website, and they are distributing it throughout North America as I type.

In the meantime, I’ve been using Coromega 3 Squeeze Packets, which are also scrumptious oil blends, but these do contain fish oil and egg yolks. The benefits include 650 mg of omega-3 fatty acids and 1000 IU Vitamin D3 per packet. They come in a variety of flavors – thus far, I’ve used the Tropical Orange (straight up and in smoothies), which tastes like sherbet!

L-Glutamine (vegan)

This is an amino acid that is beloved in the bodybuilding communities, but has also been touted for boosting immunity and gut health. The research is mixed, but our physician recommended L-Glutamine for both myself and my husband, and we both noticed digestive benefits within a few weeks of taking it in our smoothies. Eggs, meat, dairy, and wheat are abundant food sources of L-Glutamine, but these foods may be limited in many of our diets.

As far as dairy-free supplements go, this powder is light and just a little is needed, so it goes virtually unnoticed in almost any blended drink.

I use NOW L-Glutamine Powder (though I do occasionally buy other brands), which is labeled as vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free and free of top allergens. Note that glutamine peptides are different, and are sometimes sourced from wheat. If you are looking, seek out L-Glutamine the amino acid, specifically.

Ther-Biotic Complete Probiotic Powder by Klaire Labs (vegan)

So that “high potency” probiotic at the grocery store has a whopping 5 billion CFUs (those live active little healthy bacteria)? Well how about 100 billion CFUs with 12 different probiotic strains in a hypoallergenic formula? Yes, for real. Ther-Biotic Complete Powder (they also offer pills) has been my probiotic go to for years. It is a great dairy-free option for making your own yogurt, but I simply swirl a serving right into my cool morning smoothie.

What I love about this probiotic powder is that a) it works well for me, b) you can simply use less of the powder if you don’t need a full 100 billion CFUs (not preportioned like pills), c) it can be used in cold recipes, stirred in or for culturing, and d) the company has indicated that this is a truly dairy-free formula! (always double check if a severe allergy is a concern for you).

Do you use any Dairy-Free Supplements?

We would love to hear your personal recommendations and thoughts on supplementation, so feel free to share your favorites in the comments!