Yogurt is a part of the dietary intake of many on a daily basis. The main ingredient in yogurt is probiotics, which are micro-organisms. This is considered as a useful agent in enhancing digestion and regulation of functioning of the digestive tract. Although probiotic is not an indispensable nutrient, it is definitely beneficial to one’s good health. One can choose from a whole range of yogurt available off the shelves.

The main criterion while choosing yogurt is the availability of lactic acid bacteria, such as acidophilus, in adequate amounts along with other digestive enzymes. The National Institute of Health states that bacteria, like lactobacilli, are good bacteria and assists in activities like breaking down food, absorption of nutrients and wading off harmful organisms which can cause diseases of the digestive tract like diarrhea.

The American Cancer Society has recommended consumption of at least 1 to 10 billion friendly bacteria daily. The yogurt chosen for consumption should preferably have the stamp ‘Live and Active Cultures’ of the National Yogurt Association thus ensuring that it contains a minimum of 100 million bacteria. Some commonly available brands with most probiotics include Activia, Yoplait Yoplus, and Stonyfield.

Activia comes in flavors like vanilla, strawberry, mixed berry, prune and cherry. The forms of probiotics available are lactobacillus bulgaricus, befedobacterium lactis and streptococcus thermophilus. A studyconducted by Marina Eli was published in 2006 in Applied and Environmental Microbiology. This stated that lactobacillus bulgaricus and streptococcus thermophilus have the ability to survive through the entire digestive tract thus attributing to digestion and regularity. Dannon, who are manufacturers of Activia state that consumption of 4 oz of yogurt will ensure ingestion of almost a billion bacteria in to our body.

Yoplait Yoplus contains probiotics like bifidobacterium. It also contains vitamins E and A, and essential fibers. The probiotic, bifidobaterium, is said to assist in balancing a good flora of friendly bacteria in the body. These reports were published after a study conducted in the year 1994, in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. This bacterium is also said to have the ability to suppress the infections which can result due to Helicobacter pylori. The nutritional value of the Yoplait Yoplus is listed on the label. Each serving is said o contain 110 calories and 3 grams of fiber. Some of the flavors are blackberry, vanilla, strawberry, cherry, blueberry, peach and pomegranate.

Stonyfield is an organic food. It contains almost six probiotics. Lactobacillus-acidophilus, casei, rhamnosus regulate the digestive tract. The flavors of Stonyfield include strawberry, key lime, peach, pomegranate, vanilla, raspberry and others.

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