Is Yogurt Good for Gut Health?

A quick cruise around the grocery store will confirm what you already know. 

Whatever your favorite flavor, texture preference, or caloric need, chances are that there’s a yogurt for you. 

From sippable drinks to fruit-filled yogurt to yogurt topped with candy, the dairy aisle at your local grocery store is probably stocked full of every imaginable yogurt variety. 

And many of these proudly proclaim themselves to be “probiotic yogurt.” 

But is yogurt really the best probiotic in the grocery store? 

Let’s explore the benefits and drawbacks of yogurt as we reveal whether or not yogurt supports gut health.

Why Gut Health Matters

Before we get into the specifics of how yogurt can affect your gut health, let’s answer one important question. Why does gut health matter? 

The answer lies where you least expect it: bacteria. 

Your body is teeming with bacteria, and most of them live in your gut microbiome. But that can be a good thing—if it’s the right type of bacteria. 

There are two types of bacterial colonies in your gut. 

• Beneficial (or “good”) bacteria 
• Pathogenic (or “bad”) bacteria

These two types of bacteria vie for the limited space in your gut microbiome. When one colony flourishes, the other weakens and can be crowded out. 

Ideally, the colonies of beneficial bacteria will be the strongest, both in quantity and quality. This will help your digestive health, immune health, and overall physical, emotional, and mental well-being. 

Unfortunately, for most people, the opposite is true. Pathogenic bacteria dominate the gut microbiome. This imbalance is known as dysbiosis, and it can lead to health issues, disorders,  and even chronic illnesses.

Do you have dysbiosis? Probably! Many people do and don’t even know it. 

Here are some of the most common symptoms you may experience with dysbiosis: 

• Aching joints
• Acid reflux
• Anxiety
• Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
• Bloating
• Chronic fatigue
• Depression
• Digestive issues
• Food intolerances
• Gas
• Heartburn
• Inflammation
• Skin issues, including acne, rashes, and psoriasis
• Trouble concentrating
• Trouble urinating
• Vaginal or rectal infections and/or itching

Left untreated, dysbiosis can also lead to more severe effects. 

• Cancer
• Cardiovascular issues
• Central nervous system disorders
• Diabetes
• Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)
• Inflammatory bowel syndrome (IBS)
• Obesity

As you can see, dysbiosis can affect almost every aspect of your health. Because of that, it’s crucial to make sure your gut is properly balanced. 

And the most effective way to do this is with probiotics. 

The Importance of Probiotics

Probiotics are live bacterial strains that are similar, or even identical, to the beneficial bacteria already living in your gut microbiome. They can be found in drinks, food, and supplements. 

When you consume probiotics, they make their way through your digestive tract on the way to your gut. It’s a treacherous journey, and the probiotics have to be strong enough to make it past digestive enzymes, acids, and bile. Most—aside from spore based probiotics—actually do not survive this journey.  

Once they reach your gut, the probiotics get to work. They join the existing colonies of beneficial bacteria, promoting their strength and increasing their numbers. 

As the beneficial bacteria flourish, they’ll effectively crowd out the pathogenic bacteria. This will help to balance your gut so you can reach a state of optimal health and well-being.

It’s important to note that yogurt, even probiotic yogurt, isn’t potent enough to balance your microbiome on its own. But combined with more powerful probiotics, it can be part of a gut-healthy routine.

Let’s take a closer look at yogurt to find out more about how it supports optimal digestive health.

All About Yogurt

Traditional yogurt is a dairy product, made when milk is allowed to ferment. 

During the fermentation process, live bacteria is added to heated milk and left to sit for a period of time. These bacterial strains are important, and you’ll find out why!

The bacteria feed off of the naturally occurring sugar in the milk, known as lactose, and turn it into lactic acid—which gives yogurt its distinct scent and tangy flavor. 

Today, there are many different forms of yogurt. 

• Fat-free or low-fat yogurts, made from skim milk
• Greek yogurt, made by straining regular yogurt to remove extra whey and liquids, resulting in a higher concentration of protein and probiotics
• Vegan or dairy-free yogurt, made from soy, almond, coconut, and other non-dairy milk options

But regardless of its popularity, is yogurt actually good for you? Let’s find out. 

Is Yogurt Good For You?

This simple question has a complex answer. 

Like many foods that are considered to be healthy, yogurt has its benefits—including digestive health—and its drawbacks. 

Before deciding whether or not you should focus on yogurt for gut health, it helps to understand what these benefits are and what other options you may have. 

The Health Benefits of Yogurt

Yogurt is undoubtedly a healthier option than, say, snacking on chips or candy. But aside from that, it does have several key health benefits. 

Probiotic-Friendly

This is one of the most well-known yogurt benefits. In fact, many consumers add yogurt to their diet for its probiotic content.  

As we explained earlier, yogurt is made using live bacteria. The bacterial strain most often used to ferment yogurt is L. acidophilus. 

This specific bacteria comes from Lactobacillus, the most commonly used probiotic. 

This probiotic, when consumed in conjunction with a high-quality spore probiotic supplement, can help support a healthy, happy gut, especially if you’re dealing with these occasional issues:  

• Digestive troubles, including constipation
• Symptoms of IBS or IBD, including Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis
• Slow or suppressed immune response
• High cholesterol
• Childhood eczema
• Pollen allergies

The link between yogurt and digestion is especially important when you take antibiotics, which can wipe out both beneficial and pathogenic bacteria and cause stomach troubles. 

A potent probiotic supplement, paired with a healthy diet high in fermented foods like yogurt, can promote the growth of new colonies of beneficial bacteria, a balanced gut microbiome, and smoother, more comfortable digestion. 

Rich In Nutrients 

Yogurt is a nutrient-dense food. 

These are the main nutrients you’ll find in your cup of yogurt. 

• Calcium
• Vitamin B, particularly B-12
• Phosphorus
• Magnesium
• Potassium 

And, yogurts made with fortified milk will also contain vitamin D. 

Yogurt, especially Greek yogurt, is also a good source of protein, containing almost 13 grams of protein in an 8-ounce serving. 

Lower In Lactose

People who are lactose intolerant will usually skip dairy products—and their associated digestive issues.

Yogurt might be the exception for some though.  

Due to the fermentation process, lactose is turned into lactic acid. As a result, yogurt has a much lower lactose content than most other dairy products.

In fact, studies show that yogurt is not only tolerable for many people with lactose intolerance, but it may even improve your lactose digestion, along with its other benefits. 

So, if you can’t tolerate other dairy products, you might be able to eat yogurt and benefit from the nutrients it contains. 

How to Choose the Best Yogurt for Gut Health

Despite the many benefits of yogurt, not all yogurts are equally healthy. 

There are some things you should consider before settling on yogurt for gut health.

Consider the Probiotic Content

If you’re eating yogurt for gut health, always read the labels carefully. Look for the Live & Active Cultures (LAC) seal from the International Dairy Foods Association, which verifies the probiotic content. 

If it doesn’t contain this seal, look for the words “live culture” or “active culture” to confirm its probiotic content. 

Unfortunately, even with the seal, the probiotic content of most yogurts is an inexact science at best. 

You might be able to read, in CFUs (colony-forming units), the amount of probiotics in your yogurt. But there’s no way to truly know how much of that good bacteria survive the trek to your gut microbiome, intact and ready to work.

The only way to truly guarantee that a probiotic reaches your gut 100% alive is to take a spore probiotic. These bacteria, which come straight from Mother Nature, have a thick endospore shell that acts as an armor, protecting it through your digestive tract. 

A probiotic supplement such as our most trusted one from Just Thrive will “arrive alive,” so you don’t lose precious beneficial bacteria along the way.

And, this supplement doesn’t contain just one strain of bacteria. It’s formulated with four potent spore probiotics, carefully selected for their health benefits.

• Bacillus indicus HU36™, for antioxidants
• Bacillus subtilis HU58™, to defend your body from pathogens
• Bacillus coagulans, to support a healthy digestive system
• Bacillus clausii, to supply your gut with good bacteria, especially during antibiotic use

These strains work together to promote and maintain your gut health, support your immune response, and help you feel better physically and psychologically.

Consider Food Intolerances

Although yogurt may be digestible for some people with lactose intolerance, it’s not true for everyone. 

Even if you’re only mildly lactose intolerant, eating yogurt regularly can lead to digestive issues such as abdominal pain, gas, bloating, nausea, and diarrhea. 

You may also be allergic to some of the other ingredients in yogurt, including whey and casein. These are the ingredients that trigger milk allergies. 

The digestive issues caused by food intolerances will counter the positive effects of the yogurt, and quite possibly make you feel worse. 

Skip the Sugar

For all its proclaimed healthiness, yogurt can also be very high in sugar. 

All yogurt contains naturally occurring sugars. Unfortunately, some manufacturers may try to sweeten the taste of yogurt, especially low-fat yogurt, with added sugars. 

Believe it or not, some yogurts even contain chocolate chips! Delicious, but not necessarily the healthy food you’re reaching for. 

Why does the amount of sugar in yogurt matter for your gut health?

The pathogenic bacteria in your microbiome feed off sugar. It helps them grow, multiply, and thrive. Even with yogurt’s probiotics, your gut microbiome will be thrown off balance when you consume added sugars. 

Look for yogurts that are low in sugar, but be careful! Those sugars may have been replaced by artificial sweeteners, which are just as bad—or worse. Stick to plain yogurt and add sweetness with fresh fruit or a light drizzle of honey or maple syrup.

Avoid Artificial Ingredients 

Be sure to skip yogurts with extra, often artificial, ingredients. 

Ingredients such as fruit puree and fruit juice, which may sound healthy, are full of sugar. You’re much better off buying a plain yogurt and adding your favorite fruit and other healthy toppings.

Other yogurts may contain artificial flavors or colors to make them more appealing. But it’s much less healthy, too. And your digestive system can easily have a negative effect on your gut, causing inflammation and gastrointestinal symptoms.

Once again, it helps to read labels carefully and understand the ingredients. In general, the fewer ingredients, the more natural and healthy it is. 

Final Thoughts

So, is yogurt good for gut health? Maybe; it’s a tricky question, without a clear answer. 

Yogurt can be a delicious way to help support a healthy gut, thanks to the nutrients and digestive benefits it provides. 

But, yogurt isn’t enough on its own. And it has some potential pitfalls, which can actually harm your gut health, such as added sugars. 

If you truly want a strong, balanced gut microbiome, a clinically-proven spore probiotic supplement is the best way to guarantee that your probiotics “arrive alive” in your microbiome and give you the healthy gut you’re looking for!

You May Also Like…