Diet and Reservoirs: How to Sustain Gut Microbes

Yogurt is touted as a health food that can help support the gut microbiome, but really, how healthy is yogurt? In this video, discover all the things you didn’t know about yogurt. Your gut health depends on this!

0:00 Introduction: Is yogurt bad for you?

0:10 Fermented foods

1:00 Yogurt side effects and benefits

3:10 Commercial yogurt vs. homemade yogurt

5:11 Unhealthy facts about yogurt

6:45 Processed yogurt ingredients

8:59 Probiotics, kefir, and sauerkraut

The benefits of yogurt and other fermented foods do not lie in their ability to reseed the gut. The real benefit is the change in environment. Fermented and cultured foods change the pH and oxygen levels in the gut. They also provide food and metabolites for the gut microbes, which can also help activate dormant microbes.

Many microbes have been suppressed by antibiotics, junk food, and other factors. Many of them are keystone microbes, which are vital for your gut health.

Unless your yogurt says it contains live and active cultures, it’s been double-pasteurized. Commercial yogurt typically ferments for 1 to 2 hours, whereas traditional homemade yogurt ferments anywhere from 8 to 36 hours. By the time you eat commercial yogurt, there are significantly fewer CFUs of bacteria than stated on the label.

Sugar in yogurt can kill the friendly bacteria and feed pathogens in your gut. Added ingredients, such as pectin, gels, and guar gum, inhibit bacterial movement. Yogurt fermented for only 1 to 2 hours will not have the right texture or thickness, so ingredients such as modified food starch, carrageenan, and polysorbate 80 are added. These ingredients can destroy the mucosal layer of the gut, leading to leaky gut and inflammation. Many commercial yogurts contain artificial sweeteners, which are known to alter the gut microbiome.

Many processed yogurts contain bioengineered food ingredients that may contain traces of glyphosate, a patented antibiotic. This means the very product you’re consuming to support your gut health could be destroying your gut microbes.

Probiotics contain significantly more microbes than yogurt. These freeze-dried microbes are often able to reach the large intestine and reseed the gut, especially when taken repetitively. Kefir, which contains both bacteria and yeast, is also a better option than yogurt.

Sauerkraut is an excellent food for gut health. It contains polyphenols, postbiotics, SCFAs, sulforaphane, organic acids, glutamine, and the compound s-methylmethionine.

Download my FREE essential guide to gut health here: https://drbrg.co/3WuQDLA

Dr. Eric Berg DC Bio:

Dr. Berg, age 60, is a chiropractor who specializes in Healthy Ketosis & Intermittent Fasting. He is the Director of Dr. Berg Nutritionals and author of the best-selling book The Healthy Keto Plan. He no longer practices, but focuses on health education through social media.

Disclaimer:

Dr. Eric Berg received his Doctor of Chiropractic degree from Palmer College of Chiropractic in 1988. His use of “doctor” or “Dr.” in relation to himself solely refers to that degree. Dr. Berg is a licensed chiropractor in Virginia, California, and Louisiana, but he no longer practices chiropractic in any state and does not see patients, so he can focus on educating people as a full-time activity, yet he maintains an active license. This video is for general informational purposes only. It should not be used to self-diagnose, and it is not a substitute for a medical exam, cure, treatment, diagnosis, prescription, or recommendation. It does not create a doctor-patient relationship between Dr. Berg and you. You should not make any change in your health regimen or diet before first consulting a physician and obtaining a medical exam, diagnosis, and recommendation. Always seek the advice of a physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.