Probiotic properties of fermented dairy products, such as yogurt and kefir
Are yogurt and kefir good probiotics?
Yogurt, bifidus yogurt, and kefir are dairy products obtained from the fermentation of milk. One of the best-known benefits of fermented dairy products is that they are probiotic, meaning their bacteria settle in our intestines and exert a protective and beneficial effect on the intestinal flora (probiotic effect).
There are studies that question whether bacteria can survive in the stomach, so it is doubtful that these fermented dairy products serve as probiotics.
Does stomach acid kill the probiotic bacteria in yogurt?
It’s true that the probiotic bacteria contained in fermented dairy products are sensitive to stomach acids, which can kill them and prevent them from reaching the intestine intact so they can colonize it and exert their beneficial effects.
For this reason, to prevent the bacteria from dying before they reach the intestine, probiotic supplements (containing bacteria) are usually taken in protective capsules that resist stomach acids (enteric-coated capsules), or in megadoses, taking into account the loss of bacteria due to stomach acids. The presence of an enteric-coated capsule is an important aspect to consider when purchasing a good probiotic supplement.
What do experts think about probiotic dairy products?
At the Gut Microbiota for Health World Summit, it was even said that yogurts could not be considered probiotics for this reason (the current position of the association is unknown).
However, this is a fairly theoretical assumption. Studies have observed that fermented dairy products provide certain benefits, such as reduced inflammation, cholesterol, hypertension, glucose tolerance, etc. This may be due to the probiotic effect (healthy bacteria colonizing the intestines), the ingestion of components that release bacteria into dairy, etc.
On the other hand, some experts argue that fermented dairy products are good probiotics because they believe that stomach acid is neutralized by milk, which increases the survival of probiotic bacteria.
Are fermented dairy products recommended?
In conclusion, fermented dairy products are the type of dairy products that have the most studies in their favor. They don’t seem like a “bad” food, although they are obviously dispensable, and in certain very specific cases, it might be advisable to avoid them.
We hope we’ve clarified your doubts a bit, although nothing in nutrition is 100% known.
Prebiotics to improve the effectiveness of yogurt
In any case, it’s important to combine probiotics (both in supplements and fermented dairy products) with prebiotics because they encourage healthy bacteria colonize or establish themselves in the intestine.
Not all types of fiber have a prebiotic effect; that is, not all fiber ferments, and within the fermentative fibers, some are better than others. For example, wheat bran and fiber-type cereals are intestinal irritants, laxatives, and have low fermentative activity; they do not harm the composition of the intestinal flora. Furthermore, some foods have better prebiotic properties than others. For example, prebiotic potatoes, resistant starch, or baked apples are excellent for the microbiota or intestinal flora.
More information on prebiotics and probiotics
