Probiotic yogurt is a dairy product made by fermenting milk with bacterial cultures. Thanks to its health benefits, it has become a staple food in many countries worldwide. One of the most important reasons people reach for probiotic yogurt is its good bacteria content. Good bacteria increase the diversity of the gut microbiota and greatly improve digestion. Here are the top three ways probiotic yogurt helps promote a healthy gut.

Regulates the digestive system
Natural probiotic yogurt contains healthy bacteria, such as Bifidobacteria and Lactobacillus. These bacteria restore the balance in the gut and regulate the digestive system. In doing so, they reduce the risk of diarrhea, constipation, bloating, and other digestive problems that have become relatively common due to modern eating habits. The healthy bacteria in probiotic yogurt can also help treat or manage gastrointestinal conditions like IBS and colon cancer.

Provides vitamins and minerals
Besides good bacteria, probiotic yogurt is rich in vitamins and minerals like calcium, vitamin B12, potassium, phosphorus, riboflavin, and selenium. These nutrients keep the gut strong and help with digestion. They also provide other benefits, like improving bone and cardiovascular health, reducing inflammation, and even helping improve the absorption of other vitamins and minerals in the body.

Aids digestion of lactose
Over 70% of the global population is lactose intolerant. When these individuals eat dairy products, they develop issues like diarrhea, nausea, or constipation. Luckily, probiotic yogurt contains meager amounts of lactose. During fermentation, much of the lactose is converted to lactase, an enzyme that helps digest lactose. Given its consistency, yogurt also slows the movement of lactose through the digestive tract, giving the body a better chance to process it.

Besides promoting a healthy gut, probiotic yogurt has other benefits. For example, it boosts the immune system and helps fight infection. Some studies have shown that yogurt can reduce the incidence, duration, and intensity of the common cold. This benefit is because it has vitamins and minerals like vitamin D, magnesium, selenium, and zinc. Probiotic yogurt can also help reduce fasting blood sugar levels and manage chronic conditions like diabetes better by supporting the bacterial colonies in the gut.