Adding honey to yogurt can have an amazing impact on your gut health

Paper Summary

Methodology

To test the impact of honey on probiotic survivability, researchers conducted an in vitro study, which means the experiments were done in a controlled laboratory setting that simulated human digestion. The yogurt samples, both with and without honey, were put through three stages of simulated digestion: oral, gastric (stomach), and intestinal phases. At each stage, scientists measured the number of live B. animalis bacteria remaining.

This approach allowed the researchers to directly observe how well the probiotics survived when mixed with different types of honey. By comparing the results from each stage, they could determine the effectiveness of clover honey in protecting these beneficial bacteria.

Key Results

Yogurt mixed with clover honey showed significantly higher survival rates of B. animalis compared to yogurt without honey or with other types of honey. After passing through the simulated digestive process, the number of live bacteria in the clover honey yogurt was much higher, suggesting that clover honey offers unique protective benefits.

Interestingly, the optimal concentration of clover honey was found to be between 10% to 20% of the yogurt’s weight, roughly translating to 1 to 2 tablespoons per serving. At this concentration, the yogurt provided the best environment for the probiotics to survive digestion.

Study Limitations

While these findings are promising, it’s important to note that this study was conducted in vitro, which means the conditions were controlled and may not fully replicate the complexities of human digestion. Further research, including clinical trials in humans, is necessary to confirm these results in real-world settings.

Additionally, researchers focused on only one type of probiotic and one type of honey. Future research could explore how other probiotics and different types of honey interact, potentially broadening the scope of these findings.

Discussion & Takeaways

The findings highlight the potential of using natural food pairings to enhance the health benefits of probiotics. Clover honey, in particular, could be a simple and effective way to boost the efficacy of probiotic foods like yogurt. As research into gut health continues to grow, incorporating these findings into daily dietary habits could offer an easy, natural way to support digestive wellness.

Funding & Disclosures

This research was partially funded by the National Honey Board, and one of the authors is a member of the Journal of Nutrition Editorial Board. The other authors have no conflicts of interest to report.