Yogurt is one of the most delicious probiotics that you can safely add to your pregnancy diet. Consuming fresh and fermented yogurt during pregnancy can make for a healthy and filling snack. This dairy product can provide you with your daily recommended values of nutrients, ensuring your good health and the baby’s healthy growth. Regular consumption of yogurt could help address several digestive problems. It may also help in averting some pregnancy-related issues such as preeclampsia. Most benefits of yogurt can be attributed to its rich probiotic (healthy bacteria) content. Read this post to know the benefits of yogurt for pregnant women and precautions to observe when consuming it during pregnancy.
A Closer Look At Yogurt
Since it is always good to be well informed, know what yogurt is:
It is a fermented product and fermented foods are top quality foods when it comes to good health. One of the two beneficial bacteria in yogurt is called Lactobacillus acidophilus. This bacteria helps in digestion of milk. It particularly digests lactose (making milk easy to digest) and produces vitamin K. Lactobacillus also helps digest prebiotic fibers in the gut and produce beneficial short chain fatty acids which have enormous positive health benefits and will love the energy boost you get. Second important and beneficial bacteria in yogurt is called Streptococcus thermophilus. It helps us break down food, absorb nutrients, and fight the “unfriendly” organisms in the gut that might cause diseases such as diarrhea.
Top Five Reasons Why You Should Consume Yogurt During Pregnancy
There are numerous health benefits of eating yogurt during pregnancy that makes it a perfect addition to your diet. Here are the nutrients you find in this tart and creamy, nutrient rich, textured dairy product:
Yogurt is the easiest and most convenient source of probiotics (as discussed above), with all benefits of dairy plus a lot more due to the fermentation. People who get bloated or don’t have enough lactase to digest milk, also tolerate yogurt well. It is rich in calcium that aids development of bones and teeth in the little life developing inside you. Yogurt is rich in protein that helps in the development of new cells. This vitamin and mineral rich dairy product tops the charts in natural and more absorbable forms of folate, zinc, phosphorus, B vitamins. Needs for most of these nutrients are higher in pregnancy. Regular consumption of yogurt is known to reduce chances of preeclampsia that is characterized by increased blood pressure and high level of protein discharge in urine. Eating probiotic yogurt during pregnancy can reduce the risk of pre-eclampsia by 20 per cent according to a new study.
Probiotic Yogurt During Pregnancy
In a nutshell, yogurt contains probiotics and is a best source of some of the important and friendly bacteria in the gut. Let us take a closer look at the probiotics:
The probiotics cannot cause infection But are a very essential part of your intestines. These beneficial bacteria aid digestion, which is why these are often termed as probiotics. The by-products of yogurt digestion (called short chain fatty acids) have innumerable positive health benefits. It alleviates constipation which is a common problem in pregnancy. So, go for those yogurts to keep your bowel movements regular. Image: Shutterstock
Important Considerations And Word Of Caution
Yogurt has tremendous benefits and is definitely a healthy addition in your diet. However, there are some considerations that you must be careful of:
Women who are on immuno-compromised or are on immuno-suppresive medications should always check with their doctor before consuming yogurt and other fermented foods. . Beware of the additives and added sugar which adds to extra calories and undesirable weight gain. It’s better to add your own natural cut-up fruits to flavor it! Image: Shutterstock
