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Improving digestive health could be as simple as spoonful of honey, new study shows
New research from the University of Illinois has suggested that a spoonful of honey on your morning yogurt can aid in “probiotic survival” and keep the bacteria in your gut in fighting shape.
Though it has always been as important as the rest of your body, gut health has taken center stage recently as dieticians, experts, and scientists uncover more information. If you’ve done your at-home gut test and discovered some issues, there are thankfully oceans of research out there to aid in your health journey.
A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down
“We were interested in the culinary pairing of yogurt and honey, which is common in the Mediterranean diet, and how it impacts the gastrointestinal microbiome,” said associate professor Hannah Holscher as she referenced the highly acclaimed and skin-clearing Mediterranean diet.
Yogurt, specifically Greek yogurt, is known to harbor probiotic strains like Bifidobacterium animalis alongside typical yogurt starter cultures. Increased probiotics have been linked to everything from a better mood to more regular bowel movements.
Unfortunately, some of those bacteria are lost through the enzymes in our mouths, stomachs, and intestines.
In the hopes of better protecting probiotic bacteria’s journey to your gut, researchers tested the survivability of Bifidobacterium animalis through a makeshift digestive system. Each group of bacteria was presented with a different honey, those selected being alfalfa, buckwheat, clover, and orange blossom.
Upon being filtered through the digestive system, the researchers found that neither the honey varieties nor the control group exhibited increased probiotic presence. The clover honey did better support the bacteria during the intestinal phase of the experiment.
They continued their experiment with a clinical study, and found: “That pairing honey with yogurt supported the survival of the yogurt’s probiotic bacteria in the gut, so the lab study results did translate to real-world application in humans.”
There is a balance to be struck
“We found that one tablespoon of honey in a serving of yogurt helps support probiotic survival. However, we have to keep in mind that honey is an added sugar, and most Americans need to be cognizant of the amount of sugar in their diet to maintain a healthy body weight,” Hannah Holscher stated. “But adding a little bit of honey to unsweetened yogurt is a nice culinary pairing to incorporate into your menu rotation.”
Though the scientist said Americans should exercise caution, there are a number of ways to further infuse your morning yogurt with health benefits. Berries, seeds, and nuts are all popular choices for yogurt topics.
