The Digestive Benefits Of Yogurt

An 8 oz. serving of yogurt contains approximately 14 g of milk protein and almost 50 percent of the recommended daily allowance (RDA) of calcium and is a respectable source of vitamins B2 and B12, phosphorus, potassium, zinc and magnesium. Its acidity aids in iron absorption. Most of the digestive benefits of yogurt are attributed to the actions of probiotics, or friendly bacteria found in fermented foods. Yogurt consumed for digestive benefits should be labeled with active cultures; a larger quantity and greater variety indicate higher quality. To improve the survival of probiotics in the digestive tract, yogurt should be eaten frequently and between meals.

Satiety

Researchers at the University of Washington in Seattle tested the effect of yogurt and yogurt drinks on hunger by comparing them to the effects of other dairy drinks and fruit drinks. Thirty two healthy volunteers consumed 200 calories of yogurt or another substance 90 minutes before lunch. When lunch was served, the subjects who didn't have yogurt reported being much hungrier. No difference was noted between yogurt drinks and yogurt eaten with a spoon.

Regularity

Yogurt's ability to relieve constipation and control diarrhea are due to its ability to support the growth of valuable intestinal bacteria. With more organisms at work on fecal matter, bowel movements are more timely. Antibiotic use is responsible for many cases of diarrhea because these medicines kill beneficial intestinal flora along with pathogens. Yogurt can replace friendly organisms and firm stools when this type of imbalance occurs.
Irish researchers reviewed animal models in probiotic treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), specifically Chron's disease and ulcerative colitis, conditions caused by abnormal immune responses in the gut. Clinical improvements were seen and may be due to the ability of probiotics to stabilize the intestinal mucosal barrier. Human trials also demonstrated that probiotics can help maintain remission of chronic pouchitis, a complication following surgical treatment of ulcerative colitis.
People who are lactose intolerant have a deficiency of the enzyme lactase. This condition causes bloating, abdominal cramps and diarrhea after consumption of cow's milk and ice cream, but these individuals can enjoy yogurt because the cultures in yogurt create lactase, correcting deficiency. Additional enzymes make yogurt and its nutrients highly digestible.

Protection

Eating yogurt may prevent or lessen the severity and duration of gastrointestinal infections. Colonizing the bowel with beneficial bacteria creates competition for receptor sites and nutrients, making it less likely that pathogens will gain hold and cause illness.
According to nutritionist Phyllis Balch, author of "Prescription for Nutritional Healing," yogurt also may have a protective effect against H. pylori, the bacteria responsible for peptic ulcers. As for claims that eating yogurt can reduce the risk of bowel cancer, Balch writes that probiotics may stop the conversion of bile, nitrates and nitrites into carcinogenic substances. Calcium in yogurt also may reduce irritation in the colon wall.