Yogurt or curd is one of the best foods to eat for improving gut health. It is rich in important vitamins, minerals, fiber, protein, and probiotics that enhance stomach performance and relieve you from different bowel disorders. But it is also acidic in nature, so those who have acid reflux they may want to know, ” Is yogurt good for acid reflux?” Here is what we have found in our research.
Yogurt is good for acid reflux because it contains probiotics that aid in normalizing bowel function. Probiotics are helpful because they prevent diarrhea and constipation by helping to maintain healthy bowel flora. Probiotics also reduce inflammation in the digestive tract and help maintain normal intestinal motility (movement of the intestines).
If you want to know what happens if you eat Yogurt that is rich in fat & sugar and what other kinds of Yogurt are bad for you, then keep on reading.
Table of Content
Why Yogurt is Good for Acid Reflux?
Yogurt that is low in fat and sugar is good for Acid reflux. Your stomach can easily digest it, and the nutrients in it also aid the further digestive process. The problem begins if you eat high-fat and sugary Yogurt. This is the first question that pops up in people’s minds when they know about the pH of Yogurt.
Yogurt is acidic, with pH levels between 4.4 to 4.8. But luckily, its effect is alkalinizing. Whether yogurt is good for acid reflux or not depends on the type of yogurt.
High fat or high sugar yogurt is not easy to digest. Thus, the brain sends signals to release more acid into the stomach. Hence, acid reflux can get worse.
On top of this, High fat and sugar yogurt can soften the upper stomach layer and esophageal sphincter (the opening valve of the stomach). It does not allow the valve to close properly. Hence, when the acid levels increase in the stomach, it also rises towards the esophagus, worsening acid reflux.
Similarly, eating flavored Yogurt or plain Yogurt with acidic ingredients (like citrus fruits) can increase acidity levels in the stomach and disrupt its performance.
You can add alkaline-forming fruits to decrease the acidity level of the Yogurt. People generally prefer to add Mango, Plum, Banana, and Papaya.
You will also feel stomach problems if you are lactose intolerant. If a lactose intolerant person eats Yogurt, bloating and belching occur. Eventually, more acid is released into the stomach; thus, such people face symptoms of acid reflux.
10 Impressive Health Benefits of Yogurt
Yogurt is a low-fat and high-protein food that is packed with beneficial probiotics. These are microorganisms that benefit your gut.
In fact, research has shown that consuming probiotics has a multitude of health benefits. Here are some of the top benefits of eating yogurt as well as information about yogurt for those who want to know more.
1. Yogurt Contains Calcium
Yogurt is an excellent source of calcium. One cup (8 ounces) of plain yogurt contains about 300 milligrams of calcium. Calcium is essential for bone health and reducing the risk of osteoporosis. It also plays a role in maintaining healthy teeth and reducing the risk of kidney stones.
2. Yogurt Contains Probiotics
Yogurt contains probiotics. Probiotics promote the growth of certain types of healthy bacteria in your gut. The good kind of bacteria, like Lactobacillus bulgaricus, makes up 90 percent of the probiotics in yogurt. They help break down lactose and provide nutrients to your body.
Moreover, they aid in digestion and contribute to a healthy immune system. In some cases, these probiotics can kill off harmful bacteria. As a result, people who eat yogurt regularly have natural protection against many diseases such as gastroenteritis and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
3. Yogurt Contains Vitamin D
Yogurt is a food that is rich in vitamin D, which helps you develop and maintain healthy bones. This important vitamin helps regulate the body’s metabolism and helps prevent cancer. The average person needs around 600 IU of Vitamin D per day.
Yogurt can serve as an easy way to get this important nutrient into your diet. A high-quality yogurt contains up to 15 percent of the RDA of protein, which will help with muscle growth and muscle recovery, due to its high quality of protein.
It is also a great source of calcium, which is essential for bone health and preventing osteoporosis. People who eat yogurt regularly have lower levels of LDL cholesterol than people who do not consume it regularly because it has been shown to reduce cholesterol levels by as much as four percent.
4. Yogurt Contains Magnesium
Yogurt is a rich source of many minerals including magnesium, phosphorus, and calcium. These minerals are essential for healthy bones and teeth, healthy metabolic activity in the cells, and the formation of new cells. Yogurt also provides protein which helps with muscle growth and repair.
5. Yogurt Contains Protein
One of the many benefits of yogurt is that it contains a high amount of protein. Yogurt is made from cow’s milk and has up to 10 percent protein. This makes yogurt an excellent source of protein for anyone who wants to maintain or increase their muscle mass.
In addition, research has shown that consuming food with a higher protein content helps to decrease inflammation and chronic pain. Another benefit of eating yogurt is that it is low in calories. The average serving of yogurt contains about 15 grams of protein, which only has about 70 calories. This means you can eat more than one serving without feeling guilty!
6. Yogurt Contains B Vitamins
Yogurt is a great source of the B vitamins, including riboflavin, thiamin, and niacin. These B vitamins help your body perform basic functions like absorbing nutrients from food and making energy.
7. Yogurt Contains Good Bacteria
Yogurt is a great source of good bacteria. It contains lactobacilli and bifidobacteria, two types of bacteria that aid in digestion and support the immune system.
Research has shown that consuming these good bacteria can improve your metabolism, reduce inflammation, and protect you against disease. This can help with weight loss and digestive issues. The best way to consume this probiotic is by eating yogurt with live cultures.
8. It Has Good Fats
One of the many benefits of eating yogurt is that it has healthy fats. Yogurt is a source of dairy fat, which has been associated with lowering cholesterol levels.
Additionally, there are healthful unsaturated fats in yogurt that have heart-healthy properties. These include oleic acid and conjugated linoleic acid. They help to promote cardiovascular health by improving blood lipid profiles and decreasing triglyceride levels.
Another benefit of these healthy fatty acids is they aid in weight management by preventing overeating or cravings for unhealthy high-fat foods like fried chicken or French fries.
Furthermore, these beneficial fatty acids are important for brain health and cognitive function in older adults as they help to prevent age-related cognitive decline. There is also evidence that suggests that these healthy fats may have cancer-preventive properties due to their anti-inflammatory effects on the body.
9. It May Promote Weight Management
There is a lot of controversy surrounding the role that yogurt has on weight management. The study done by the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics found that people who ate yogurt regularly were more likely to be overweight or obese than people who did not eat it regularly.
There is no research to support the claim that yogurt will cause weight gain, but there are many reasons why people may feel more full after eating yogurt. Yogurt provides a lot of protein and calcium, which can help curb appetite and prevent overeating.
People are also less likely to crave sweet foods when they eat yogurt because it contains lactose, which gives you a natural form of sugar. If you want to manage your weight, including some type of dairy in your diet is a good idea. Even if you don’t consume milk or cheese on a regular basis, adding yogurt can help ensure that you are getting enough calcium and protein for your body’s needs.
10. It May Benefit Heart Health
Many people believe that yogurt can benefit heart health. This is because calcium-rich dairy products like yogurt have been shown to help lower blood pressure, reduce the risk of stroke, and improve the health of artery walls.
Additionally, studies have shown that yogurt consumption may decrease your risk for developing high cholesterol. It’s not just the heart that benefits from eating yogurt. It has also been associated with a decreased risk in cancer and diabetes.
If you are looking for a way to maintain a healthy weight and prevent chronic diseases, then including yogurt in your diet can be beneficial.
Is Low Fat Yogurt Good for Acid Reflux?
Plain Yogurt with low fat and low sugar can be good for acid reflux. Low-fat and low-sugar Yogurt does not affect Acid reflux directly.
A type of good bacteria called Lactobacillus is present in Yogurt that helps in smooth digestion. Thus, the stomach has to release less acid. Hence, other treatment measures work efficiently, and you get rid of acid reflux within a few days.
Is Yogurt Good for Heartburn?
Just like in the Acid reflux case, if you eat high fat and high sugar yogurt, you will feel heartburn.
Heartburn is one of the symptoms of acid reflux. It occurs when the esophageal sphincter is softened, and the stomach acid starts going upwards.
Those who are sensitive to acidic foods feel heartburn shortly after eating high-fat and high-sugar Yogurt.
What Kind of Yogurt is Good for Acid Reflux?
There are many types of yogurts present. Different ones can affect acid reflux in different ways. Let’s look at some of them:
01. Is Greek Yogurt Good For Acid Reflux?
Although Greek Yogurt is acidic in nature, its effect is the exact opposite. It has an alkalizing effect, which means it reduces the extra stomach acid.
It is true that Greek Yogurt is high in fat content, but it is also more fulfilling.
So, the chances of overeating Greek yogurt are low, and the stomach does not feel burdened.
The protein is also more than any other regular yogurt. That is why Nutritionists recommend Greek Yogurt to athletes.
Moreover, the sugar content is less in this Yogurt. Due to these reasons, your stomach does not have to release more acid.
02. Is Probiotic Yogurt Good For Acid Reflux?
Yes, Probiotic Yogurt can reduce acid reflux symptoms. Probiotics have shown great performance in improving stomach performance and reducing acidity levels.
A study was conducted on four different groups. Each was given Probiotics in different foods. The result was the same in each individual- the stomach health was better, and acidity levels were stable.
Probio Lite is a nutritional supplement that reduce acid reflux using probiotics
03. Is Coconut Yogurt Good For Acid Reflux?
Coconut yogurt or coconut milk yogurt is good for toning down stomach acidity levels.
The reason is that it is perhaps the most digestible Yogurt there is. It takes only a few minutes to digest a coconut yogurt.
One great thing about this Yogurt is that even lactose-intolerant people can eat it. It is made from coconut milk (not animal milk), and probiotics are then added to it.
On top of this, it tastes like normal Yogurt. So, if you are also lactose intolerant, I suggest you don’t miss out and buy coconut yogurt ASAP!
04. Is Frozen Yogurt Good For Acid Reflux?
Frozen Yogurt is a dessert that is made by using Yogurt (of course) with some other optional ingredients.
If you are a fan of Frozen Yogurt, I have good news. It is considered to be great for Acid Reflux and GERD due to its quick digestible properties.
However, make sure you are not adding nuts to it. Nuts take a longer time to digest, so acid reflux conditions can get worse.
Moreover, if you decide to add fruits to this dessert, go for those that are alkaline or at least alkalinizing in effect. Bananas and apples are great options while avoiding citrus fruits is best for you.
05. Is Chobani Yogurt Good for Acid Reflux?
Chobani yogurt is low in fat and high in protein, so it is good for Acid Reflux.
The brand offers different Yogurt: No-fat Yogurt, Low-fat Yogurt, Chobani Greek Yogurt, and Black cherry yogurt. Each of these is manufactured with care and does not cause any negative effects.
06. Is Kefir Yogurt Good For Acid Reflux?
Kefir offers different kinds of Yogurt. Choose low-fat Yogurt over full-fat Kefir yogurt as it is healthier for you.
The one big difference between Kefir and regular Yogurt is that Kefir has more probiotics. So, if your focus is improving gut health, choose the low-fat one.
Are Yogurt Drinks Good For Acid Reflux
You can make lots of drinks with yogurts in them.
The most famous one is the Yogurt smoothie. You can also make a Yogurt latte, Lassi (a traditional Punjabi drink), and many more.
If you are making a yogurt drink at home, then it is safe. The companies use flavorings and preservatives that are high in acid and can trouble you more with the Acid reflux.
In homemade yogurt drinks, do not add nuts and acidic fruits to the drink.
FAQs
Is Activia Yogurt Good For Acid Reflux?
Choosing low-fat Activia yogurt over other varieties is in your best interest. A low-fat diet should be your goal if you want to get rid of Acid reflux. Activia yogurt is also richer in Probiotics than others, so your stomach health will also improve.
Is Strawberry Yogurt Good For Acid Reflux?
Strawberries are acidic in nature, and eating Yogurt made from them can worsen the acid reflux. However, eating a cup of strawberry yogurt once in a while won’t do any harm. But that’s about homemade strawberry yogurt.
The strawberry-flavored Yogurt you purchase from the supermarket is definitely unhealthy for you. The additives and preservatives in it can cause a rise in the stomach acid levels due to their nature, which can worsen Acid reflux.
Is Vanilla Yogurt Good For Acid Reflux?
If Vanilla Yogurt is low in fat and sugar, then it is good for acid reflux. Vanilla is very slightly acidic, and itself does not increase stomach acidity levels. The only problem with vanilla yogurt is its fat and sugar content.
Which Yogurt Is Best For Acid Reflux?
Low-fat or Greek-style yogurts are generally safe to eat for those who have GERD. You should avoid eating yogurt that contains whole fat rather than low amounts of fat. Whole fat yogurt can be harder for you to digest and might trigger GERD symptoms. Yogurt and buttermilk are alkaline-forming foods despite having low pH levels between 4.4 and 4.8.
Does Yogurt Make Acid Reflux Worse?
There is some debate about whether or not yogurt can worsen GERD symptoms, but in general, yogurt that is low in fat is generally safe to eat for those who have GERD. You should avoid eating yogurt that contains whole fat rather than low amounts of fat. Whole fat yogurt can be harder for you to digest and might trigger GERD symptoms.
Final Thoughts – Is Yogurt Good For Acid Reflux?
Yogurt can be a great way to relieve acid reflux symptoms, because it contains probiotics, which are beneficial bacteria that can help normalize bowel function. Yogurt also provides protein, and soothes stomach discomfort, often providing a cooling sensation.
Yogurt also contains essential vitamins, minerals, fiber, protein, and probiotics that improve gut health and performance. But Yogurt is also acidic, with a pH of 4.4 to 4.8.
Yogurt that is low in fat and sugar content is good for acid reflux. Such Yogurt is easily digestible, and you enjoy only the health benefits from it.
On the other hand, high-fat and high-sugar Yogurt does not digest easily. Hence, more acid is released into the stomach, which worsens the acid reflux, and your overall health as well.
