There are lots of compelling reasons to add yogurt with no added sugar to your diet. For one, it’s a good source of protein to fill you up, and calcium for bone health. On the other hand, you can get protein and calcium from other dairy products. What makes yogurt unique is it’s a fermented dairy product, meaning it potentially contains gut-friendly probiotic bacteria.
Why is the probiotic issue so important? There’s growing evidence that gut bacteria impact the health of your digestive tract AND your immune system. After all, more than 70% of your immunity lies in your gut and the health of your gut immune system is influenced by the type of bacteria that reside there, all 100 trillion of them. Collectively, this conglomeration of bacteria weighs almost 3 pounds!
Although you can buy a probiotic supplement, there’s no guarantee that it contains the number of bacteria listed on the label. When Consumer Labs, an independent testing firm, evaluated 19 probiotic supplements, 2 of them didn’t contain the number of colony-forming units specified on the label. But what about yogurt? How do you know whether the yogurt you’re eating contains enough active bacterial cultures to offer health benefits?
First, be aware that not all products made with yogurt have active bacterial cultures. Yogurt candies, like yogurt-covered raisins and peanuts, might taste good, but they’re devoid of probiotic bacteria. Any time yogurt is exposed to heat it kills the gut-friendly, probiotic bacteria. Don’t be fooled by yogurt-based salad dressing you buy in bottles at the grocery store either. They’re usually not a reliable source of probiotic bacteria. Even some containers of yogurt you buy at the grocery store may not have enough live cultures to be of real benefit.
The Making of Yogurt
To make yogurt, milk is fermented with two strains of bacteria called Streptococcus thermophiles and Lactobacillus bulgaricus, although other strains of bacteria may be added. Under the right circumstances, assuming the product isn’t exposed to heat, these bacteria survive and are in the final product.
How can you be sure you’re getting probiotic bacteria when you eat yogurt and that some of them haven’t been destroyed by heat? The National Yogurt Association, NYA, allows manufacturers to include a seal on a container of yogurt if a product has at least 100 million cultures per gram of yogurt, or 20 billion per 8-ounce serving when it was manufactured. Seeing this seal on a yogurt carton gives you some reassurance you’re getting probiotic bacteria.
Some yogurt manufacturers list the number of probiotic bacteria in the product, usually expressed as colony forming units or CFUs per gram. If you have any questions about whether you’re getting a product that contains viable organisms, research the brand first.
Probiotic Bacteria from Other Sources
Don’t forget yogurt isn’t the only natural source of gut-friendly, probiotic bacteria. Other foods that contain it good bacteria:
. Fresh sauerkraut
. Kimchi
. Miso
. Tempeh
. Soy sauce
. Pickled vegetables
. Natto
. Aged cheese
. Buttermilk
For most people, yogurt is one of the most convenient ways to get probiotic bacteria since it comes pre-packaged and ready to eat. The key is to make sure you’re enjoying a yogurt that contains enough probiotic bacteria to be beneficial.
Other considerations when choosing a yogurt is how much sugar it contains. It’s not uncommon for yogurt to contain 30 or more grams of sugar, especially flavored ones. Milk naturally contains milk sugar, called lactose, but many yogurt makers add extra sugar. Often, low-fat yogurts are the highest in sugar. Stick with unflavored yogurt and flavor it yourself with fresh fruit, extracts, or cocoa powder. In general, Greek yogurt is lower in carbs and higher in protein but also lower in calcium.
What about Frozen Yogurt?
Frozen yogurt is refreshing on a hot, summer day, but does it offer active probiotic cultures? Not necessarily. According to the National Yogurt Association, frozen yogurt doesn’t have to conform to the same standards as non-frozen yogurt. Some manufacturers use heat-treated yogurt, and, as you know, heat destroys active bacteria. Therefore, some frozen yogurt has active cultures while others may not.
To be assured you’re getting living cultures, choose a yogurt brand with the NYA Live and Active Cultures seal. This seal means the product contains at least 10 million cultures of bacteria per gram at the time it was made. Yes, frozen yogurt can contain fewer cultures relative to non-frozen yogurt and earn the NYA seal.
Does Non-Dairy Yogurt Contain Probiotics
These days, you can buy yogurt made from soy milk, almond milk, and coconut milk, to name a few. These non-dairy sources of yogurt are free of lactose, a milk sugar that some adults can’t easily digest. If you suffer from lactose intolerance, non-dairy yogurt may be your best option. In terms of probiotics, non-dairy yogurt can contain as much gut-friendly probiotic bacteria as dairy yogurt. Again, if the final product was exposed to heat, it may have destroyed the bacteria. If you don’t see a seal or verification that a non-dairy yogurt contains live, active cultures, talk to the manufacturer to be sure.
The Bottom Line
If you’re eating yogurt to seed your gut with probiotic bacteria, choose your yogurt widely. Look for yogurt with the NYA seal as an indication that it contains another probiotic bacteria to be worthwhile. If possible, diversify your probiotic sources by eating fermented soy, like tempeh, or other fermented foods. However, you choose to get them, make sure you’re seeding your gut with healthy bacteria that will, in turn, help YOU stay healthy.
References:
Consumer Labs. “Product Review: Probiotics”
National Yogurt Association. “Live and Active Culture Yogurt”
Today’s Dietitian. Vol. 16 No. 8 P. 32. August 2014.
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Does All Yogurt Contain Probiotics and Active Cultures?
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The Problem with Probiotic Supplements: Are They What They Seem to Be?
Fermented Foods vs. Probiotic Supplements: Is One Better Than the Other?
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