Look For Active Cultures And Probiotics
To make sure your yogurt contains active cultures, check the label. Most brands will have a graphic that says “live and active cultures.”
If you want to know which specific active cultures your yogurt contains, look to the label again. Under the list of ingredients, many brands list the specific active cultures. And different cultures are thought to have different benefits.
Your Gut Will Be Healthy
Gut health might not be something you think about all of the time, but it’s something that’s very necessary to maintain in order to keep an overall healthy lifestyle. Our gut is responsible for digesting food and absorbing nutrients, so it’s of the utmost importance to have it running smoothlyone thing that can help in that process is yogurt.
“Probiotics are beneficial bacteria that are used in the yogurt-making process,” says Melissa Schuster, RD and owner of Schuster Nutrition. “These bacteria help sustain a healthy gut microbiome, which is important in digesting fiber into short-chain fatty acids and synthesizing vitamins. A healthy gut microbiome can reduce inflammation.”
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Why You Should Eat Probiotic Food On An Empty Stomach
For the beneficial bacteria in probiotic foods to make it to your large intestinethe gut of your gut microbiomeit must first pass through your harsh stomach acids. Your stomach is designed to break down food, drink, and any other particles. Unfortunately, that includes probiotics.
When you eat, the production of gastric acid in your stomach is increased to aid the digestion process. But while this acid is crucial for digestion, it can be greatly detrimental to probiotic foods. In fact, when eaten at the wrong time, a whopping 60% of the beneficial bacteria could be killed by gastric acids!
You want to give the beneficial bacteria in your food the chance to make it through that hostile acidic environment relatively unscathed. That means consuming probiotic-friendly food when your stomach isnt in digestion mode, to minimize the amount of gastric acid that might attack the probiotics.
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Does Yogurt Interact With Antibiotics
Yogurt, as well as other types of dairy products like milk and cheese, can interfere with antibiotics. Its important to space out the time between the consumption of each of these by at least 3 hours especially if you are consuming yogurt with a high calcium content.
Common antibiotics including ciprofloxacin, doxycycline, and tetracycline are known to interact with yogurt. They can bind to the calcium content in milk used for yogurt, which results in a substance that cannot be absorbed or digested in the stomach as well as the upper small intestine. Furthermore, the binding of calcium with antibiotics means that it reduces the chances of the medication to make it to the bloodstream in order to fight infection.
Small amounts of calcium in yogurt will not have this effect, so its best to go for yogurt with as low a calcium content as possible under 200g per serving.
What Are The Side Effects Of Drinking Warm Water With Honey
On the other hand, warm honey has the tendency to cause ama in the body, which is kind of toxic substance which forms when the body faces problems in digestion. As honey slowly gets digested in the body, its properties turn similar to that of a poison, which in turn can lead to many different diseases.
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If You Eat Yogurt Every Day Your Risk Of Gastrointestinal Disease May Decrease
Having a daily serving of yogurt can have long-term digestive benefits, according to registered dietitian Laura Gilstrap. “Eating yogurt every day may lower your risk of gastrointestinal diseases such as diverticulitis, SIBO, or leaky gut,” she explained to The List. “That’s because yogurt contains active cultures called probiotics or ‘good bacteria,’ which can strengthen the immune system and promote a healthy digestive track.”
That’s not all, though. Yogurt can also help you fight off other bugs, according to Mickey Rubin, vice president of nutrition research for the National Dairy Council. “The common cold and its symptoms are an inflammatory response to the bug … such that if yogurt or other foods reduced inflammation, it could in theory be beneficial,” he revealed in an interview with CNN Health. He added that more research is needed to know for sure, but certainly eating yogurt can’t hurt!
Your Immune System Will Get Some Support
Speaking of probiotics, Glazer notes that having a healthy gut plays a key role in making sure you can fend off illness by regulating what gets to pass through the lining and enter your bloodstream.
“Kind of like a bouncer that decides who gets to come into a nightclub, our microbiome prevents dangerous bacteria from getting inside our body, thereby aiding immune function,” says Glazer. “Since yogurt contains probiotics that create a healthier gut and the gut regulates immune function, eating yogurt can improve immunity.”
Kane also points out that probiotics have been shown to prompt the synthesis of natural antibodies and immune cells like lymphocytes and Natural Killer T cells, which can attack invading viruses and toxins.
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Is It Ok To Eat Probiotic Yogurt Every Day
There have been no adverse effects or side effects reported in the studies we have done on Activia when 1 to 3 containers are eaten per day as part of a balanced diet and healthy lifestyle. However, the Activia benefit is associated with regular consumption and ceases 2-3 weeks after discontinuation of consumption.
Best No Fat Greek Yogurt Organic Meadow
- Per serving : 120 calories, 0 g fat , 85 mg sodium, 6 g carbs, 1 g fiber, 5 g sugar, 18 g protein
- Probiotic strains: 1 Billion+ Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus, Streptococcus thermophilus
Organic meadows nonfat plain Greek yogurt contains only 2 ingredients- organic skim milk, and active bacterial cultures.
It provides more than 1 billion live probiotic cultures per serving, is an excellent source of calcium, and is high in protein. Since it is plain, it is very low in sugar, making it a very healthy option for breakfast or a snack.
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Best Yogurt For Probiotics
There are many different kinds of yogurts on the market, however, theres a common problem and a key drawback with many The amount of added sugar.
Many research studies have concluded that the beneficial probiotics found in yogurt are not as healthy as wed expect them to be, mainly because all these yogurts are filled with sugar.
And sugar, as we all know, feeds the bad bacteria in your gut, which in turn eliminates all the good bacteria in your gut, that were all trying to boost up.
We truly advise against consuming massive amounts of yogurt to reach your daily probiotic requirements, but to answer your question
The best yogurt for probiotics is the Greek-style yogurt Chiobani, as it contains more Lactobacillus acidophilus than any other yogurt on the market.
Ways To Eat Yogurt As A Bedtime Snack
We know that tryptophan helps induce sleep. To enhance the production of tryptophan, you should combine proteins and complex carbohydrates.
Having yogurt with carbohydrates clears amino acids from the blood and helps tryptophan reach the brain quickly and efficiently. However, you should be careful about eating yogurt before bed as not all yogurt may help you sleep.
Yogurt that has high amounts of sugar can spike the blood sugar level and disrupt sleep. You should opt for plain yogurt or those varieties with a low sugar content. To make plain yogurt sweet, you can add naturally sweet foods such as berries or dried fruits.
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Stomach Acid And Timing Probiotic Use
The vast majority of your beneficial gut bacteria live in the small and large intestine where they are not exposed to stomach acid. To reach the small and large intestine, the beneficial bacteria in your probiotic supplement need to travel through the stomach.
Certain factors such as the timing and size of your last meal determine how quickly your probiotic bacteria can pass through the stomach into a more hospitable environment.
You’ll Get A Rush Of Many Vital Nutrients
In addition to probiotics, yogurt is packed with so many other nutrients that your body can benefit from. For example, Kane says you’ll get a decent dose of calcium , phosphorus , magnesium , and potassium . And that’s not all, either.
“Probiotics actually produce vitamin K as well, which is used for healthy blood coagulation to support healing,” says Kane.
The best way to ensure that you’re reaping the full health benefits of yogurt is to take a close and careful look at the nutrition label before adding it to your shopping cart. Ideally, Kane advises selecting one that contains multiple strains of bacteria.
“Think of this as diversifying your roster for a sports team,” she explains. “You need all sorts of players to build a versatile unit, each contributing different skills and talents to create a strong and resilient squad capable of handling any opponent that comes their way.”
Other than that, as long as you go for a product that doesn’t contain heaps of added sugar, yogurt can definitely be a super healthy component of your daily diet.
Get creative with these 26 Things You Can Make with Yogurt.
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Can Probiotic Yogurt Upset Your Stomach
Because microbes used as probiotics already exist naturally in your body, probiotic foods and supplements are generally considered safe. They may trigger allergic reactions, and may also cause mild stomach upset, diarrhea, or flatulence and bloating for the first few days after starting to take them.
When Should I Take A Probiotic
Because supplements like probiotics aren’t regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, each probiotic supplement may come with different directions on dosing and timing. The most important advice is to choose a time you’ll actually stick to, especially if you have trouble remembering to take pills in the first place. “Consistency is the key with taking probiotics if one wants to reap the potential benefits,” Dr. Asike says.
While the time of day is ultimately up to you, this expert suggests that probiotics may be most effective if you plan to take them about 30 minutes before a mealand most effective if you take your supplement before breakfast. Probiotics will have a greater effect in your small intestine if you take them before you eat: “During a fast or prior to eating, the stomach won’t be as acidic and this will allow the probiotic capsule or tablet to be able to make its way into the intestine,” he explains.
Adding a probiotic into your routine first thing in the A.M., then, will likely keep your stomach from sabotaging your efforts. “Breakfast is usually eaten around the same time daily, and tends to be smaller and more easily digested,” Dr. Asike says.
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Portioning Out Your Probiotic Versus Having It All At Once
If you really want to, you can even split up your probiotics dose to rev up its impact on your gut. “If youâre splitting up your dose, it might make sense to take one half in the morning and one half in the evening to maximize the beneficial effect on your gut flora,” says Richards. Dr. Sonpal agrees, noting that taking probiotics this way won’t overwhelm your gut, and “it’ll help you assess your system’s reaction to the probiotic in increments instead of all at once,” he says. “It also gives your system the opportunity to adjust to the effect of probiotics at smaller doses.”
So, since the time itself doesn’t exactly matterâyou don’t have to take them in the a.m. or p.m. specifically, just plan it around your meal timesâGreenfield says the only downside to not taking them at one of these optimal times is that there would be a decrease in potency. But you really don’t want that, so stick with what the pros say for the sake of your healthiest gut ever.
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The Best Time To Take Probiotics
The best time to take a probiotic is on an empty stomach, Dr. Wallman says. For most people, that means taking a probiotic first thing in the morning , or right before you go to sleep. Leave the probiotic by your bed so you dont forget.
Why take a probiotic on an empty stomach? The goal is to deliver the probiotics to the large intestine tract, Dr. Wallman explains. Or, to be more specific, the goal is generally to get anywhere between five and 100 billion colony-forming units to the large intestine, where the microorganisms ultimately do the most good. If you already have food in your stomach, your stomach becomes more acidic, likely killing off some of the specialized bacteria and limiting the ultimate number of CFUs that make it to their final destination, Dr. Wallman says.
Be sure to check the dosage instructions, though, as that can affect what time is best to take your probiotic. Some research suggests its best to take a probiotic with, or just before a meal. A 2011 study published in Beneficial Microbes, for example, shows uncoated probiotic supplements may be best taken with, or just prior to a meal containing fat. Why? Fat helps keep the stomach less acidic, which ensures more bacteria from the probiotic supplements can survive long enough to make it to the large intestine.
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Benefit No : Yogurt May Reduce The Risk Of High Blood Pressure
One study, which followed more than 5,000 university graduates in Spain for about two years, found a link between dairy intake and risk of high blood pressure.
“We observed a 50% reduction in the risk of developing high blood pressure among people eating 2-3 servings of low-fat dairy a day , compared with those without any intake,” Alvaro Alonso, MD, PhD, a researcher in the department of epidemiology at the Harvard School of Public Health, says in an email interview.
Although most of the low-fat dairy consumed by the study subjects was as milk, Alvaro believes low-fat yogurt would likely have the same effect. Dutch researchers recently reported that higher dairy consumption was modestly linked to lower blood pressure in 2064 Dutch men and women ages 50 to 75.
Best Yogurt Drink Danone Danactive
- Per serving : 80 calories, 1.5 g fat , 50 mg sodium, 13 g carbs, 0 g fiber, 10 g sugar, 3 g protein
- Probiotic strain: Lactobacillus casei DN-114 001
- Studied benefits: decrease the frequency and length of the common cold
This is actually a yogurt drink, which makes it easy to take with you when youre on the move. It contains 10 billion active probiotic cultures in every bottle, and is a source of calcium, vitamin D, and vitamin A.
The drink comes in 7 flavours, including strawberry, vanilla, and mixed berry.
The only downside is that it does have a fairly high amount of sugar, with 10 grams per bottle, with sugar listed as the third ingredient on the label.
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What Are The Bad Effects Of Eating Yogurt
Like other dairy products, Greek yogurt contains natural hormones, which can be harmful to people with hormonal imbalances. The pasteurized and homogenized milk used in the yogurt can lead to histamine problems such as acne and eczema, as well as gastrointestinal problems for some people.
Your Bones Will Thank You If You Eat Yogurt Every Day
It might not be something that you think much about when you’re younger, but good bone health is incredibly important, according to the Mayo Clinic. That’s especially the case for women, who are more susceptible to bone loss and damage than their male counterparts.
Fortunately, if you enjoy a cup of yogurt every day, you’re doing your part to protect your skeleton, as noted by registered dietitian Brianna Elliott. “Yogurt contains some key nutrients for maintaining bone health, including calcium, protein, potassium, phosphorus and, sometimes, vitamin D,” she penned in an article in Healthline. “All of these vitamins and minerals are especially helpful for preventing osteoporosis, a condition characterized by weakening of the bones.”
With osteoporosis, you have a higher risk of bone fractures, something that Elliott says daily yogurt consumption can help protect you against. “Research shows that consuming at least three servings of dairy foods, such as yogurt, on a daily basis may help preserve bone mass and strength,” she continued.
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The Right Dosage Of Probiotics
It’s also important to make sure you’re getting the proper dosage. If you don’t get enough probiotics, they may not work as effectively. Although there’s no one-size-fits-all recommendation for exactly how much you should take, Harvard Health points out that most adults need somewhere between 5 billion and 10 billion colony-forming units, or CFUs, per day and that it’s best to take just one dosage, rather than splitting up your intake throughout the day.
If you’re taking probiotic supplements, you’ll also need to make sure you’re storing them properly. Harsh conditions, like high temperatures and too much light, can kill the probiotics, rendering them ineffective before they even leave the bottle. Take care to protect them from heat, dampness and air, and refrigerate them, if required.
Before taking probiotics or any natural supplements, however, you should get clearance from your health care provider. Probiotics can potentially be harmful for people with compromised immune systems or those who are allergic to some of the ingredients in the supplements.
