tag:theconversation.com,2011:/us/topics/yoghurt-20466/articlesYoghurt – The Conversation2021-07-19T01:13:10Ztag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1633632021-07-19T01:13:10Z2021-07-19T01:13:10ZWhat should you eat after you’ve been on antibiotics? And can probiotics and prebiotics get your gut back to normal?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/411348/original/file-20210715-15-ogr7wi.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/probiotic-fermented-food-theme-bowl-greek-1317374771">Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Antibiotics <a href="https://www.nps.org.au/consumers/antibiotics-explained">treat infections</a> caused by bacteria. But they can also destroy the good bacteria in your gut. For some people, this results in an upset stomach and diarrhoea. </p>
<p>One <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32958481/">UK review of the research</a> looked at changes in gut bacteria after antibiotics commonly prescribed for respiratory and urinary tract infections found that after treatment, the numbers and diversity in bacteria types rapidly declines. </p>
<p>It also found some types of “bad” microorganisms increased while some “good” ones decreased. </p>
<p>For most people, once antibiotic treatment was stopped, the <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32958481/">gut bacteria recover</a> to some degree. But <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31629863/">other studies suggest</a> some antibiotics can have long-lasting effects on the balance of microorganisms.</p>
<p>It’s important to use antibiotics only when needed, and definitely not for viral infections, because antibiotics can’t kill viruses such as the common cold or COVID-19.</p>
<p>So what should you eat after a course of antibiotics? You might have heard of probiotics and prebiotics, but what are they, and what evidence is there to show they’re beneficial?</p>
<h2>Probiotics contain ‘good gut bacteria’</h2>
<p><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Probiotic">Probiotics</a> are foods, typically yoghurts and yoghurt drinks, that contain “good gut bacteria”: live microorganisms that can recolonise the gut or improve your gut health. </p>
<p>To be called a probiotic, they <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26443321/">must be</a> able to resist stomach acid and digestive processes, and then be able adhere to the gut walls and grow, while not causing any issues for the gut wall. They must also be tested for safety and efficacy in controlled trials.</p>
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<a href="https://theconversation.com/plain-greek-low-fat-how-to-choose-a-healthy-yoghurt-94295">Plain, Greek, low-fat? How to choose a healthy yoghurt</a>
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<p>To be called a probiotic, the dose of microorganisms needs to be sufficient to help restore the “good” bacteria, by elbowing out the “bad bacteria”. </p>
<p>Most yoghurts contain “good bacteria” but not all can survive the acidity of the stomach acid or the bacteria won’t grow in the bowel, so there is no probiotic benefit. </p>
<p>For probiotics to exert these beneficial effects, they not only have to make it to the large bowel, but once there they need the right fuel to help them grow well. That’s where prebiotics come into play – but more on them shortly. </p>
<h2>What does the science say about probiotics?</h2>
<p>Probiotics are widely promoted as being good for your overall health. The science on that <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32498430/">has been mixed</a>, but it does suggest people who are likely to get diarrhoea after antibiotics may benefit from consuming them. </p>
<p>One <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29257353/">review of the evidence</a> found probiotics may be useful for those at high risk of antibiotic-associated diarrhoea, such as the elderly and people in hospital. </p>
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<img alt="Woman in supermarket looks at the packaging of a yoghurt container." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/411779/original/file-20210718-23-1wkz81t.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/411779/original/file-20210718-23-1wkz81t.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=383&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/411779/original/file-20210718-23-1wkz81t.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=383&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/411779/original/file-20210718-23-1wkz81t.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=383&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/411779/original/file-20210718-23-1wkz81t.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=481&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/411779/original/file-20210718-23-1wkz81t.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=481&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/411779/original/file-20210718-23-1wkz81t.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=481&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Most yoghurts contain good bacteria but can’t survive the acidity of the stomach.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/portrait-interested-elderly-woman-shopping-supermarket-1979903105">Shutterstock</a></span>
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<p>The review found side effects were common when taking antibiotics and include taste disturbances, nausea, abdominal cramping, soft stools, fever and flatulence. </p>
<p>But people taking probiotics reported fewer side effects, suggesting they may be helpful in countering some of the side effects. </p>
<h2>So what are prebiotics?</h2>
<p><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prebiotic_(nutrition)">Prebiotics are compounds that</a> help beneficial gut microorganisms grow and survive. </p>
<p><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26443321/">Prebiotic foods</a> contain complex carbohydrates that can’t be digested and dietary fibres that resist digestive processes in the stomach and small intestine. </p>
<p>They pass undigested into the large bowel where they are fermented by the healthy “good” bacteria. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/gut-feeling-how-your-microbiota-affects-your-mood-sleep-and-stress-levels-65107">Gut feeling: how your microbiota affects your mood, sleep and stress levels</a>
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<p>To be called a prebiotic, they need to undergo the processes above, and be shown in clinical trials to <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26443321/">selectively improve</a> the microorganism composition in the gut.</p>
<p>Not all dietary fibres are prebiotic. <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33809763/">Common ones include</a> complex carbohydrates called fructo-oligosaccharides, inulin and resistant starch. </p>
<p>You can find foods at the supermarket with added prebiotics, but non-digestible carbohydrates occur naturally in many everyday foods, <a href="https://www.monash.edu/medicine/ccs/gastroenterology/prebiotic/faq">including</a>:</p>
<ul>
<li><p><strong>grains:</strong> barley, rye bread, rye crackers, pasta, gnocchi, couscous, wheat bran, wheat bread, oats</p></li>
<li><p><strong>legumes:</strong> chickpeas, lentils, red kidney beans, baked beans, soybeans </p></li>
<li><p><strong>vegetables:</strong> artichokes, asparagus, beetroot, chicory, fennel bulb, garlic, green peas, leek, onion, shallots, spring onion, snow peas, sweetcorn, savoy cabbage</p></li>
<li><p><strong>fruit:</strong> nectarines, white peaches, persimmon, tamarillo, watermelon, rambutan, grapefruit, pomegranate, dates, figs</p></li>
<li><p><strong>nuts:</strong> cashews, pistachios.</p></li>
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<img alt="Large bowl of mixed bean salad." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/411780/original/file-20210718-25-1idcnt7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/411780/original/file-20210718-25-1idcnt7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/411780/original/file-20210718-25-1idcnt7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/411780/original/file-20210718-25-1idcnt7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/411780/original/file-20210718-25-1idcnt7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/411780/original/file-20210718-25-1idcnt7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/411780/original/file-20210718-25-1idcnt7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Prebiotics can be found in a range of foods, including legumes.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/five-bean-salad-226518142">Shutterstock</a></span>
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<p>Additional sources of resistant starch include under-ripe bananas, cooked and cooled rice, cornflour, cooked and cooled potatoes. </p>
<p>For babies, breast milk is naturally rich in oligosaccharides. </p>
<h2>So who should have them?</h2>
<p>Prebiotic foods are good for everyone, contain a range of nutrients and help promote a healthy bacterial gut environment. </p>
<p>The benefits of <em>probiotics</em> for a range of health conditions are unclear – they’re likely to be small, and depend on what is being taken and the underlying health issues. </p>
<p>But people at high risk of diarrhoea after antibiotics may benefit from consuming probiotic – as well as prebiotic – foods daily. </p>
<p>There is also emerging evidence that <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26443321/">combining specific probiotics and prebiotics</a> can increase the beneficial effects of both. Both the pro- and prebiotics could be added to the one food, termed a “synbiotic”, or they could be from separate sources but eaten together. </p>
<p>When it comes to antibiotics, the bottom line is only take them when prescribed for bacterial infections. Take them according to instructions from the manufacturer, your pharmacist and your doctor.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/health-check-what-happens-when-you-hold-in-a-fart-98310">Health Check: what happens when you hold in a fart?</a>
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<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Clare Collins is affiliated with the Priority Research Centre for Physical Activity and Nutrition, the University of Newcastle, NSW. She has received research grants from NHMRC, ARC, MRFF, Hunter Medical Research Institute, Diabetes Australia, Heart Foundation, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, nib foundation, Rijk Zwaan Australia, WA Dept. Health, Meat and Livestock Australia, and Greater Charitable Foundation. She has consulted to SHINE Australia, Novo Nordisk, Quality Bakers, the Sax Institute and the ABC. She was a team member conducting systematic reviews to inform the Australian Dietary Guidelines update and the Heart Foundation evidence reviews on meat and dietary patterns.</span></em></p>Antibiotics can destroy the good bacteria in your gut. But some foods can help get it back to normal.Clare Collins, Laureate Professor in Nutrition and Dietetics, University of NewcastleLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1304072020-02-04T10:47:52Z2020-02-04T10:47:52ZBreast cancer: eating yoghurt could help build natural microbiome<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/313254/original/file-20200203-41507-1cij29r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=33%2C8%2C5573%2C3724&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Reducing your risk of breast cancer might be as simple as eating yoghurt. </span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/greek-yogurt-bowl-decorated-mint-leaf-1089948161">Julia Sudnitskaya/ Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>For each year that a woman breastfeeds, the risk that she will ever develop breast cancer is <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0140673602094540">reduced by 4.3%</a>, on average. The breast, like the intestine, has its own <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2016.00492/full">bacterial microflora</a> and breastfeeding <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/srep30751">changes the varieties</a> of bacteria that make it up. These resident microflora help keep harmful bacteria at bay and help repair the lining in breast ducts. </p>
<p>These changes to the microflora from breastfeeding might be what protects against breast cancer. And there might be other ways of changing the breast’s microflora to protect against cancer, too. </p>
<p>When our team compared the results of different studies that looked at a total of over 1.5 million people, we were surprised to find that eating yoghurt was associated with a reduction in breast cancer. This <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S030698771931237X?via%3Dihub#b013">leads us to believe</a> that by eating natural yoghurt, we can promote a microbiome – the collective genome of all microorganisms, including bacteria, which are essential for our body’s immunity – that helps to guard against developing breast cancer. </p>
<h2>Cancer protectors</h2>
<p>The milk ducts are lined by a protective layer of cells, which divide and replicate to <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/mi201563">repair any damage</a>. Damage to the lining can be caused by trauma or inflammation, but cells also die of old age and <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12131664">have to be replaced</a>. The breast’s microflora influences the rate at which these protective cells <a href="https://science.sciencemag.org/content/317/5834/124">divide and die</a> – and in turn, perhaps also your risk of developing breast cancer. </p>
<p>We already know that certain bacteria such as <em><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5852398/">Fusobacterium nucleatum</a></em>, which is part of the mouth’s microflora, and <em><a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/nrc703">Helicobacter pylori</a></em>, which is found in the stomach’s microflora, can also cause inflammation, which increases cell division. When these bacteria cause cells to divide more frequently, over an extended period of time this increases the risk of cancer in organs such as the colon and stomach. A <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3885448/">similar scenario</a> is likely to <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/15/8/1747">happen in the breasts</a>, which would explain the correlation between breastfeeding and the reduced risk of breast cancer.</p>
<p>Breastfeeding does not only benefit mothers. Breast milk contains and supports the growth of beneficial lactose-fermenting bacteria, which dominate the microflora of the baby, protecting them from germs. There are also many other types of bacteria in breast milk, including germs in low doses, which will <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4943041/">train the immune system</a> and help protect the newborn from infections. This training of the immune system provides protection – and also extends to preventing cancer. This is the case through to adulthood. </p>
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<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/313268/original/file-20200203-41516-z4zjnu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/313268/original/file-20200203-41516-z4zjnu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/313268/original/file-20200203-41516-z4zjnu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/313268/original/file-20200203-41516-z4zjnu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/313268/original/file-20200203-41516-z4zjnu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/313268/original/file-20200203-41516-z4zjnu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/313268/original/file-20200203-41516-z4zjnu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Breast milk contains bacteria that prevent infections and cancers.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/manual-breast-pump-mother-feeding-background-295587713">Pavel Ilyukhin</a></span>
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<p>Live yoghurt contains beneficial lactose-fermenting bacteria commonly found in milk. These are similar to the microflora found in the breasts of <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022347603006140">mothers who have breastfed</a>. Eating foods like yoghurt, cheese and kefir, that are beneficial to the bacteria’s survival promote their growth, and boost their protective role inside the body. </p>
<p>Exposure to these beneficial bacteria also <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29097493-gut-microbiome-modulates-response-to-anti-pd-1-immunotherapy-in-melanoma-patients/?from_term=Gopalakrishnan+2017&from_pos=1">helps immune cells</a> recognise damaged cells that can turn into cancer. It does this by influencing the receptors and chemical signals that <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5569373/">immune cells give off</a>, which means they can then kill and eliminate the damaged cells before cancer develops. Many of the new treatments for cancer that harness the immune system also rely on certain types of bacteria to be <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26541606-commensal-bifidobacterium-promotes-antitumor-immunity-and-facilitates-anti-pd-l1-efficacy/?from_term=Sivan+2015&from_pos=1">present in the microflora</a>.</p>
<p>The benefits of eating yoghurt might also protect against other types of cancers, too. Bacteria and immune cells can move to sites away from the intestine, so eating yoghurt protects the whole body. Germs, such as those that cause gum disease, contribute not only to the <a href="https://www.hindawi.com/journals/mi/2019/1029857/">development of oral cancer</a>, but also cancers of the oesophagus, colon, pancreas, prostate and breast. So bacteria can affect the whole body. </p>
<p>At any rate, while we have good reason to believe that eating yoghurt could protect against developing breast cancer, further research will need to be done, especially to find out how important this is when combined with other diet and lifestyle factors. A balanced diet, including yoghurt that does not have lots of sugar in it, is important for health and will help prevent many diseases, including cancer.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/130407/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Rachael Rigby does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Live yoghurt contains bacteria similar to those found in women who have breastfed, and both are correlated with reduced rates of breast cancer.Rachael Rigby, Senior Lecturer in Gastro-Intestinal Health, Lancaster UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/958612018-06-18T03:01:31Z2018-06-18T03:01:31ZHealth Check: should healthy people take probiotic supplements?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/223158/original/file-20180614-32310-rdwcmj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">If you eat a healthy diet, it's probably not worth it.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/young-girl-blue-jeans-striped-sweater-600472763">Shutterstock/Koldunov Alexey</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>A visit to the supermarket these days can feel more like walking through a pharmacy, with an ever-expanding range of milks, yoghurts, pills, powders and speciality foods promoting their “probiotic” prowess. </p>
<p>Advocates of probiotics have hailed them as the answer to all sorts of health issues and conditions. But what exactly are probiotics? And, more importantly, should you be taking them?</p>
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<p>Probiotics are <a href="http://www.who.int/foodsafety/fs_management/en/probiotic_guidelines.pdf">scientifically defined</a> as “live micro-organisms which, when administered in adequate amounts, confer a health benefit on the host”. In simple terms, they’re “good” bacteria that are beneficial to the body. </p>
<p>Probiotics exist naturally in some foods (such as some types of yoghurt and fermented vegetables such as pickles and sauerkraut), but can also be taken in dietary supplement form, via products such as Yakult and Inner Health Plus. </p>
<p>While our digestive system ordinarily contains trillions of microbes, including both “good” and “bad” bacteria, sometimes the balance between these can get out of whack. Diseases, poor lifestyle behaviours (such as not eating enough fruit and vegetables, heavy drinking, smoking, and physical inactivity) and ageing can all disrupt this balance. </p>
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<p>By many accounts, probiotics can improve the <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28317073">number and diversity of “good” gut bacteria</a> that help to keep our digestive system healthy and working efficiently. As such, probiotics have been proposed to:</p>
<ul>
<li>reduce symptoms associated with <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Paul_Moayyedi/publication/264395006_Efficacy_of_Prebiotics_Probiotics_and_Synbiotics_in_Irritable_Bowel_Syndrome_and_Chronic_Idiopathic_Constipation_Systematic_Review_and_Meta-analysis/links/545e68500cf27487b44f0ad8/Efficacy-of-Prebiotics-Probiotics-and-Synbiotics-in-Irritable-Bowel-Syndrome-and-Chronic-Idiopathic-Constipation-Systematic-Review-and-Meta-analysis.pdf">gastrointestinal disorders</a> such as constipation, diarrhoea and irritable bowel syndrome</li>
<li>boost <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4006993/">immune health</a></li>
<li>improve <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.3109/07853890.2015.1071872?journalCode=iann20">blood cholesterol levels</a> </li>
<li>reduce <a href="http://hyper.ahajournals.org/content/64/4/897.long">blood pressure</a> </li>
<li>improve <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs00394-016-1300-3">blood glucose tolerance</a> and <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/british-journal-of-nutrition/article/glucose-and-glycaemic-factorlowering-effects-of-probiotics-on-diabetes-a-metaanalysis-of-randomised-placebocontrolled-trials/FD8CC1A5BBC71B765B31DDBFEC02576B">diabetes control</a>.</li>
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<p>However, most scientific research on the health benefits of probiotic supplementation seems to have been done in people with existing health problems. Evidence supporting the health benefits of probiotics in <em>healthy</em> adults is very limited. Probiotic supplements are most likely to be <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nhsr/nhsr079.pdf">consumed by the general (and otherwise healthy) population</a>, despite this group receiving relatively little documented benefit. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/poo-transplants-and-probiotics-does-anything-work-to-improve-the-health-of-our-gut-65480">Poo transplants and probiotics – does anything work to improve the health of our gut?</a>
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<p>We reviewed the scientific literature (45 original studies) on probiotic supplementation in healthy adults. Our findings, published in the <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41430-018-0135-9">European Journal of Clinical Nutrition</a>, found that giving healthy adults live bacteria (either in yoghurt, capsules, or drinks) can have a few benefits:</p>
<p>1) it can increase the concentration of “good” bacteria. So, if an imbalance of digestive system bacteria does occur in healthy adults (due to poor lifestyle, the use of antibiotics, or ageing), probiotic supplementation may help restore the balance</p>
<p>2) it can reduce abdominal discomfort caused by irregular bowel movements and constipation</p>
<p>3) it can increase the population of “good” bacteria in and around the vagina. From the four studies conducted in this area, all four demonstrate improvements in vaginal lactobacilli after probiotic capsules or suppositories were used. This may help prevent urinary tract infection and bacterial vaginosis</p>
<p>4) there is some evidence that it can boost the immune system, and help reduce the incidence, duration and severity of the common cold. While the exact mechanism for this is not clear, probiotics might influence immune responses by stimulating production and improving activity of cells that fight respiratory infections. But only three studies have shown these benefits in healthy adults.</p>
<p>While this sounds like great news for probiotics, let’s not get carried away. Our review also found the changes appear to be short-lived. In other words, you need to keep taking the probiotic supplements for the effects to last. If you stop taking them, your gut bacteria are <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/british-journal-of-nutrition/article/tolerance-and-safety-of-the-potentially-probiotic-strain-lactobacillus-rhamnosus-prsfl477-a-randomised-doubleblind-placebocontrolled-trial-in-healthy-volunteers/D9D9E09F3EDE8D53CA3C18472CBC4524">likely return to their pre-supplementation condition</a> within one to three weeks. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/223159/original/file-20180614-32323-1ud3cqn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/223159/original/file-20180614-32323-1ud3cqn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=416&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/223159/original/file-20180614-32323-1ud3cqn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=416&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/223159/original/file-20180614-32323-1ud3cqn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=416&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/223159/original/file-20180614-32323-1ud3cqn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=523&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/223159/original/file-20180614-32323-1ud3cqn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=523&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/223159/original/file-20180614-32323-1ud3cqn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=523&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Foods high in fibre feed healthy bacteria.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://unsplash.com/photos/9aUU5PGZfxY">Toa Heftiba</a></span>
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<p>You may be able to get longer-lasting changes by “feeding the healthy bacteria”. Like all living organisms, bacteria need food to survive. Foods that are high in dietary fibre, such as fruit and vegetables, can be used as energy sources (or so called “prebiotics”) for these bacteria. </p>
<p>We also found little evidence that probiotic supplements can reduce cholesterol in healthy adults. And there is little evidence to show that probiotics can improve glucose (blood sugar) and insulin responses in healthy adults. Taking probiotics won’t reduce heart disease risk, or prevent you from developing type 2 diabetes.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/plain-greek-low-fat-how-to-choose-a-healthy-yoghurt-94295">Plain, Greek, low-fat? How to choose a healthy yoghurt</a>
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<p>So if you have a poor diet (you eat too much take-away food and not enough fruit, vegetables and whole-grain products, or you drink alcohol too much and too often) and don’t exercise regularly, your digestive bacteria may benefit from probiotic supplements, though you’ll have to keep taking them to get lasting effects.</p>
<p>But if you are otherwise healthy, probiotic supplements are likely to be a waste of money. Here’s some simple advice: take what you spend on probiotic supplements, and use it to buy and eat more fruit and vegetables.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/95861/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Chris Irwin has previously received probiotic and prebiotic products from Health World Limited (the manufacturers of Inner Health Plus) to conduct research into the impact of probiotics on alcohol metabolism.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Corneel Vandelanotte receives funding from Queensland Health (for maintaining the 10,000 Steps Australia program), the National Health and Medical Research Council (project funding) and the National Heart Foundation of Australia (salary support). He does not receive any funding or support from probiotics manufacturers or suppliers.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Saman Khalesi has previously received probiotic and prebiotic products from Health World Limited (the manufacturers of Inner Health Plus) to conduct research into the impact of probiotics on alcohol metabolism.</span></em></p>Probiotics have been proclaimed by many as the answer to all sorts of health issues and conditions. But what exactly are probiotics? And, more importantly, should you be taking them?Chris Irwin, Lecturer in Nutrition and Dietetics, School of Allied Health Sciences, Griffith UniversityCorneel Vandelanotte, Professorial Research Fellow: Physical Activity and Health, CQUniversity AustraliaSaman Khalesi, Lecturer in Nutrition, CQUniversity AustraliaLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/942952018-05-24T20:04:03Z2018-05-24T20:04:03ZPlain, Greek, low-fat? How to choose a healthy yoghurt<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/218000/original/file-20180508-46353-4spjww.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">With all the different types of yogurt on offer, making a decision on which one to buy can be difficult.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">from shutterstock.com</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Yoghurt is one of the oldest fermented dairy foods in the world. Its origins date back to the <a href="https://academic.oup.com/nutritionreviews/article/73/suppl_1/4/1819293">dawn of civilisation</a>. When humans began domesticating animals for milk production, milk’s short shelf life required solutions for storing it. </p>
<p>The word “yoghurt” itself <a href="https://www.elsevier.com/books/tamime-and-robinsons-yoghurt/tamime/978-1-84569-213-1">comes from Turkish</a>, meaning something like “curdled” or “thickened milk”, which is pretty much what happens to milk during yoghurt production.</p>
<p>Like milk, yoghurt is a rich source of calcium and protein. And it <a href="https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article/99/5/1243S/4577504">provides other nutrients</a> such as iodine, vitamins D, B2 and B12, and zinc. </p>
<p>But yoghurt is actually more nutritious than milk. The main reason is that the fermentation process makes it easier to digest, so the nutrients can be absorbed more easily into the body.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/from-bulgaria-to-east-asia-the-making-of-japans-yogurt-culture-76598">From Bulgaria to East Asia, the making of Japan's yogurt culture</a>
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<p>Yet with all the various types, like Greek and liquid yoghurts, and ones with added fruits and probiotics, how do you know which one is healthiest?</p>
<h2>Making yoghurt</h2>
<p>Yoghurt is made by introducing certain bacteria into fresh milk – typically <em>Streptococcus thermophilus</em> and <em>Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus</em>. </p>
<p>Usually, both these bacteria are present in yoghurt and form the yoghurt starter culture. Their synergistic relationship is a key factor in the consistency of the final product. These cultures may also provide some health benefits, such as reducing the <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14627358">severity and duration of diarrhoea</a>. </p>
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<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/217999/original/file-20180508-46364-gsqsl6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/217999/original/file-20180508-46364-gsqsl6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/217999/original/file-20180508-46364-gsqsl6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=397&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/217999/original/file-20180508-46364-gsqsl6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=397&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/217999/original/file-20180508-46364-gsqsl6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=397&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/217999/original/file-20180508-46364-gsqsl6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=499&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/217999/original/file-20180508-46364-gsqsl6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=499&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/217999/original/file-20180508-46364-gsqsl6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=499&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<span class="caption">Yoghurt is made by introducing a starter culture of bacteria into milk.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/inthe-arena/10372695863/in/photolist-gNAM6R-a41WoE-axxDjL-a2qdFb-cJ4KiQ-zaiG5-9Y5u1V-bwktpH-dZ1WpZ-axxESN-PFwbv-9e57PA-6aaynh-quG5pa-4pQyL1-6Y4eiy-9ZSM8P-9AXD83-6LMsD4-aavUZL-oejucg-axxD3s-axuXvv-axuYuR-6LRBJL-axuXQx-6DnSyf-QDWHf4-6o6EZa-QGLYwE-axxDAj-5hSCbx-GmBLc-7A5ypG-dRGUct-7Szc93-8bhcPt-6eHCk5-29yKSq-7TwfT5-9v9n8t-SBbdNf-dtoEBA-buwu2p-9WgKAp-aoxrax-8ZFTF-eyrRok-9Deo3D-nZqQc">Andrew Seaman/Flickr</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span>
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</figure>
<p>The bacteria ferment the naturally occurring milk sugar (lactose) for energy and growth. During this process, lactose becomes lactic acid. The acidity development leads to the main milk protein, casein, breaking down and losing some of its elementary structure. </p>
<p>This partial breakdown results in the semi-solid, gel-like structure we know as yoghurt. The lactic acid is also responsible for yoghurt’s sour flavours, as well as helping it stay fresher for longer than milk. </p>
<h2>What makes yoghurt healthy?</h2>
<p>Yoghurt is easier to digest than milk because enzymes involved in the fermentation process break down substances, such as lactose, into <a href="https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article/99/5/1243S/4577504">smaller compounds</a>, which can be readily absorbed and used by the body. And certain minerals, such as calcium, phosphorus and iron, are <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780128051344000018">better used by the body</a> when they come from yoghurt.</p>
<p>And because lactose is broken down and converted to lactic acid during fermentation, lactose-intolerant people can consume yoghurt without adverse effects. </p>
<p>Consuming yoghurt is associated with <a href="https://www.elsevier.com/books/yogurt-in-health-and-disease-prevention/shah/978-0-12-805134-4">many health benefits</a>, including maintaining a healthy microbiota (the colony of bacteria in your gut). Yoghurt can feed the good bacteria and help them fight against <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26995128">disease-causing microorganisms</a>.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/explainer-what-is-the-gut-microbiota-and-how-does-it-affect-mind-and-body-40536">Explainer: what is the gut microbiota and how does it affect mind and body?</a>
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<p>Yoghurt consumption helps to maintain bone structure and has even been found to reduce the risk of <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/ijc.26193">certain cancers</a> and infectious diseases, as it enhances the immune response. Yoghurt <a href="https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article/80/2/245/4690304">can help reduce symtpoms of conditions</a> such as constipation, inflammatory bowel disease, infection with a bacterium that can damage the stomach lining (<em>Helicobacter pylori</em>), <a href="http://www.who.int/en/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/diarrhoeal-disease">diarrhoeal diseases</a> and some allergic reactions, such as to certain foods. </p>
<h2>Types of yoghurt</h2>
<p>Cow’s milk is the most widely used raw ingredient for yoghurt manufacturing. But other types, such as sheep and goat milk yoghurt, are available. There are slight differences in the nutritional composition among these milk types. </p>
<p>Although cow’s milk is generally more appealing (as goat and sheep milk may have <a href="https://wakethewolves.com/goats-milk-vs-cows-milk-is-there-a-difference/">unpleasant smells</a>), the latter two may provide additional health benefits. For instance, <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308814612009971">goat’s milk is easier to digest</a> than cow’s milk and is less likely to cause an allergic reaction.</p>
<p>Non-dairy alternatives such as soy and coconut milk yoghurt are becoming increasingly popular too.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/218004/original/file-20180508-46364-qvpfkx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/218004/original/file-20180508-46364-qvpfkx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/218004/original/file-20180508-46364-qvpfkx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/218004/original/file-20180508-46364-qvpfkx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/218004/original/file-20180508-46364-qvpfkx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/218004/original/file-20180508-46364-qvpfkx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/218004/original/file-20180508-46364-qvpfkx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/218004/original/file-20180508-46364-qvpfkx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Goat’s milk is easier to digest than cow’s milk.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">from shutterstock.com</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The most commonly known types of yoghurt are plain set yoghurt, flavoured yoghurt, Greek yoghurt, frozen yoghurt and drinking yoghurt.</p>
<p><em>Plain set yoghurt</em> is usually made from dairy ingredients and fermented in the cups or tubs with no sugar or sweeteners.</p>
<p><em>Flavoured yoghurt</em> is made by adding sugar and fruit or other flavourings to plain yoghurt. Often, the milk mixture is fermented in large vats, cooled and then stirred for a creamy texture with various fruits or other flavours. These stirred yoghurts are also known as Swiss-style yoghurts.</p>
<p><em>Greek yoghurt</em> is a thick yoghurt. It’s traditionally prepared by straining the water known as whey from plain yoghurt to make it thicker, richer and creamier. It contains more protein than regular yoghurt and has no added sugar.</p>
<p><em>Frozen yoghurt</em> is frozen ice milk with a typical yoghurt flavour. It tastes more like ice-cream with a hint of yoghurt.</p>
<p><em>Drinking yoghurts</em> are prepared from a yoghurt mix with reduced milk solids. They come in almost every variety and flavour. They’re usually more watery, but some thick varieties are also available. Kefir and lassi are the popular drinking yoghurt types.</p>
<h2>Added ingredients for health purposes</h2>
<p>Many yoghurts contain added ingredients. These include <a href="https://www.benecol.co.uk/our-products/yogurts/garden-fruits?utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=google&utm_term=benecol-yogurt&utm_content=text&utm_campaign=mec---brand---product---yogurt-(b)&gclid=CjwKCAjw2dvWBRBvEiwADllhn7saBYlt7KTGzuaG_kj7emog2j957TlcdEyjB46RLqqdjIfeKp5AzBoCV68QAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds">cholesterol-lowering compounds</a> (such as stanol and sterol esters) and <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26619790">fibre</a> aimed at improving gut health. </p>
<p>Some yoghurts also have added probiotics. These are <a href="http://www.mdpi.com/2311-5637/3/4/67">live microorganisms</a> that can help establish a healthy gut microbiota. The most widely used probiotics are the acidophilus strain, known as <em>Lactobacillus acidophilus</em>, and <em>Bifidobacterium</em>. These could be useful for people who have gastrointestinal problems such as <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00535-016-1224-y">irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)</a>.</p>
<p>Probiotics can be more effective when <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0963996909002749">consumed in yoghurt</a> than through capsules or <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S096399691300330X">other beverages</a>.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/so-you-think-you-have-ibs-coeliac-disease-or-crohns-heres-what-it-might-mean-for-you-39128">So you think you have IBS, coeliac disease or Crohn’s? Here’s what it might mean for you</a>
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<p>The two bacteria in yoghurt starter culture – <em>S. thermophilus</em> and <em>L. delbrueckii</em> ssp. <em>bulgaricus</em> – are not <a href="https://www.elsevier.com/books/yogurt-in-health-and-disease-prevention/shah/978-0-12-805134-4">natural inhabitants</a> of the intestine and cannot survive the acidic conditions and bile concentrations in the gastrointestinal tract. So they don’t do much to change the microbiota in your gut. In contrast, probiotics can survive and colonise the large intestine.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/218012/original/file-20180508-46359-c4cs2i.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/218012/original/file-20180508-46359-c4cs2i.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/218012/original/file-20180508-46359-c4cs2i.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/218012/original/file-20180508-46359-c4cs2i.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/218012/original/file-20180508-46359-c4cs2i.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/218012/original/file-20180508-46359-c4cs2i.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/218012/original/file-20180508-46359-c4cs2i.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/218012/original/file-20180508-46359-c4cs2i.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<span class="caption">It’s healthier to add your own fruit to yoghurt than to buy fruity yoghurt.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://unsplash.com/photos/MFs_fEGsoqY">Peter Hershey/Unsplash</a></span>
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<p>Regular intake of yoghurt that contains microbial cultures such as probiotic acidophilus has also been found to potentially reduce the risk of coronary heart disease by helping to <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/07315724.1999.10718826">decrease cholesterol absorption</a>. </p>
<h2>Which yoghurt is better for you?</h2>
<p>When whole milk is used to produce plain yoghurts, these may contain 3.5-4.4 grams of fat per 100g. Low-fat yoghurt contains less than 3g of fat per 100g, and non-fat or fat-free yoghurts must contain less than <a href="http://www.legendairy.com.au/%7E/media/Legendairy/Documents/Health/Fact%20sheets/2012%20Proximate%20Composition%20Booklet.ashx">0.15g fat per 100g</a>. </p>
<p>High fat and high sugar in any food can lead to health problems. So, a low-fat and low-sugar yoghurt product, like a low-fat Greek yoghurt, would be ideal if you’re looking to keep healthy.</p>
<p>Yoghurt products incorporating fruit or nuts can provide additional nutritional and health benefits, but many of these can also contain added sugar. Adding fresh fruit or nuts to a yoghurt yourself is a healthier option.</p>
<p>If you would like to have probiotic effects, you can choose a product with acidophilus or bifidobacteria. </p>
<p>You should check the product label as it is a legal requirement to list all the ingredients, cultures and nutritional information in commercial yoghurts. When it comes to probiotic yoghurts, it’s always better to choose a fresh product rather than one closer to the expiry date, as <a href="http://www.mdpi.com/2311-5637/3/4/67">probiotics die during storage</a>.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/94295/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Duane Mellor is a director, council member and spokesperson of the British Dietetic Association</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Nenad Naumovski, Said Ajlouni, and Senaka Ranadheera do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Consuming yoghurt is associated with many health benefits. But with all the varieties of yoghurt, and added ingredients like fruits and probiotics, it can be hard to know which is best for your health.Senaka Ranadheera, Tutor, The University of MelbourneDuane Mellor, Senior Lecturer, Coventry UniversityNenad Naumovski, Asistant Professor in Food Science and Human Nutrition, University of CanberraSaid Ajlouni, Associate Professor, The University of MelbourneLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/468882015-09-17T20:15:09Z2015-09-17T20:15:09ZFive ways science can help you raise healthy children<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/95125/original/image-20150917-12695-36sy2m.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">There might still be more art than science in raising healthy children, but science can be useful.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/familymwr/4929686071/">U.S. Army/Flickr</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/">CC BY-SA</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>There are countless parenting questions that science can’t answer: “is it gross to eat food my child spat out?”, “why do my kids hate wearing pants?” and, of course, “when they grow up, will my kids remember how much I loved them, or just that I made them wear pants?”.</p>
<p>Fortunately, there are some important parenting issues science <em>can</em> address. Here are five simple tips for raising healthy children based on scientific studies from the last 12 months,.</p>
<p><strong>1. Dads can – and should – help with breastfeeding</strong></p>
<p>How many people does it take to breastfeed a baby? A recently published <a href="http://adc.bmj.com/content/early/2015/06/08/archdischild-2014-307833.short">Australian study</a> found the answer is closer to three people (mum, baby and partner) than the traditional two of mother and baby. The chance of a baby being breastfed for six months was significantly lower if mum’s partner preferred bottle feeding, or even if her partner felt neutral about breastfeeding.</p>
<p>Not every mum can or wants to breastfeed exclusively for six months. For those who do, however, it would be great if more partners (I’m looking at you, dads) stepped up and helped. <a href="http://raisingchildren.net.au/articles/dads_help_breastfeeding.html">Among other things</a>, fathers can offer rest, food, water and encouragement. </p>
<p>Telling your partner she’s doing a great job, organising dinner and taking the opportunity for precious dad-and-baby time so mum can grab a bit of sleep are all important. Being an engaged dad doesn’t always go smoothly (in my <a href="http://www.dailylife.com.au/life-and-love/parenting-and-families/what-i-learned-in-my-year-as-a-stay-at-home-dad-20150526-gh9wa4.html">personal experience</a>), but it’s great fun.</p>
<p><strong>2. Let them eat peanuts!</strong></p>
<p>Peanut allergy is potentially life-threatening, and the allergy rate in developed countries has <a href="http://www.bmj.com/content/350/bmj.h1001">doubled in the past ten years</a>. Thankfully, there’s good news from a <a href="http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1414850">landmark UK study</a> published earlier this year that tested whether the risk of developing peanut allergy could be reduced. </p>
<p>It found feeding peanut butter to children less than 11 months old reduced their risk of developing a peanut allergy by up to 80%, compared with children who avoided peanuts until they turned five. The researchers fed the children a lot of peanut butter (about a tablespoon every week for three years), so we don’t know if a smaller amount given less often would give the same benefit. </p>
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<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/95126/original/image-20150917-12756-1cskxvh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/95126/original/image-20150917-12756-1cskxvh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=392&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/95126/original/image-20150917-12756-1cskxvh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=392&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/95126/original/image-20150917-12756-1cskxvh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=392&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/95126/original/image-20150917-12756-1cskxvh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=492&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/95126/original/image-20150917-12756-1cskxvh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=492&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/95126/original/image-20150917-12756-1cskxvh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=492&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Research shows feeding peanut butter to children less than 11 months old reduced their risk of developing a peanut allergy by up to 80%.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/manoftaste-de/9233039800/">Christian Schnettelker/Flickr</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span>
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<p>The study also excluded children who reacted to their first meal of peanuts, so these findings don’t apply to everyone. Still, for the majority of children, this is the best evidence we’ve ever had that raising peanut-allergy-free kids is more likely if you feed them peanuts early. </p>
<p><strong>3. Yoghurt can reduce the washing if your kids are ill</strong></p>
<p>When used correctly, antibiotics are amazing at helping kids return to health. Unfortunately, they kill off good as well as bad bacteria (especially in the gut), which can sometimes cause nasty side effects, such as diarrhoea. It makes sense that finding a way to replace the good bacteria might reduce the diarrhoea.</p>
<p>While probiotics (supplements of “good bacteria”) are popular, there are still lots of things <a href="http://www.cochrane.org/CD004827/IBD_probiotics-for-the-prevention-of-pediatric-antibiotic-associated-diarrhea-aad">we don’t know</a> about them, including which ones work or the best way to take them. </p>
<p>But thanks to an <a href="http://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/5/1/e006474.full">Australian study</a> published this year, we now know that three particular probiotic strains in certain types of yoghurt significantly reduce the likelihood of diarrhoea in children taking antibiotics. The strains were Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG), Bifidobacterium lactis (Bb-12) and Lactobacillus acidophilus (la-5) – look out for them at your local supermarket and save on the washing.</p>
<p><strong>4. Moisturise your baby (it might prevent eczema)</strong></p>
<p>A <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25282564">Japanese study</a> has shown that moisturising your baby every day for the first eight months reduces risk of developing eczema by 30%. The study used a <a href="http://2e.shiseido.co.jp/">Japanese-brand moisturiser</a>, but if you’re interested in trying this you probably don’t need to import it. </p>
<p>A similar <a href="http://www.controlled-trials.com/ISRCTN21528841">ongoing study</a> in the United Kingdom is using white, soft paraffin moisturiser. Your local pharmacy will likely stock several brands of this kind of moisturiser – any one of them would be a good place to start.</p>
<p>We don’t know for sure that this works, but if it’s relaxing and fun for you and your baby, doesn’t cost more than you can afford and has the potential to prevent eczema, it’s probably worth doing.</p>
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<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/95128/original/image-20150917-12722-127lyoc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/95128/original/image-20150917-12722-127lyoc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=402&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/95128/original/image-20150917-12722-127lyoc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=402&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/95128/original/image-20150917-12722-127lyoc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=402&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/95128/original/image-20150917-12722-127lyoc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=505&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/95128/original/image-20150917-12722-127lyoc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=505&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/95128/original/image-20150917-12722-127lyoc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=505&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Anyone whose baby has been unsettled at night knows about the vast range of opinions out there about how to manage the problem.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/_fabio/2751207108/">Fabio Bruna/Flickr</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/">CC BY-SA</a></span>
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<p><strong>And finally… 5. What’s the best way to get my baby to sleep?</strong></p>
<p>Anyone whose baby has been unsettled at night knows about the vast range of opinions out there about how to manage the problem. There’s often a divide between people who advocate using behavioural strategies to teach babies to self-settle and those who worry self-settling might be harmful.</p>
<p>The good news is that a recent <a href="http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jpc.12752/abstract">Australian paper</a> found no evidence that self-settling strategies cause harm, as well as finding some evidence they worked. The bad news: it found evidence that sleep problems are stressful, affecting the mental health of both mothers and fathers.</p>
<p>Self-settling is often confused with “controlled crying”, but they’re not the same thing. It involves understanding normal infant development and creating a predictable environment. From when your child is three or four months old, you might start a consistent bedtime routine, put her in bed when she’s drowsy but awake, and keep her room dark (not pitch-black) at night. But there are no hard and fast rules with sleep. If it doesn’t feel right, then don’t do it.</p>
<p>There are lots of places to get help with unsettled babies. Start with your local child and family health centre, and check out <a href="http://raisingchildren.net.au/sleep/babies_sleep.html">these useful tips</a>, or see your family doctor.</p>
<p>There might still be more art than science in raising healthy children, but science can be useful. These papers at least give us five fewer things to worry about, and you might even save on your washing. Of course, trust your own judgement and always speak to your doctor or child health nurse if you have questions about what’s best for your child.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/46888/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Dr Elliot works as a consultant paediatrician in a public hospital and complex feeding difficulties clinic in Sydney, and in private practice. He sits on the Editorial Board of the Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health</span></em></p>Here are five scientific studies from the last 12 months with simple tips for raising healthy children.Chris Elliot, Consultant Paediatrician and Conjoint Associate Lecturer, UNSW SydneyLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.