Probiotics are live organisms (good bacteria or yeast) present in the human body. When a person falls ill or gets infected, the percentage of the bad bacteria may increase. One way to regain good bacteria is to include probiotic foods and supplements in daily meal plans. Probiotic yogurts are substances that promote the growth of healthy bacteria in the gut to improve digestion and immunity. Choose from the following popular probiotic yogurts to restore and improve your gut health:

Fage Total Yogurt
Fage Total 2% Plain is all-natural Greek strained and low-fat yogurt. It is gluten and added sugar-free. The pack weighs 7.2 ounces. The yogurt is rich and creamy and contains only 2% milk fat. The ingredients in this pack include grade A pasteurized skimmed milk and cream and live active yogurt cultures.

Maple Hill Creamery Yogurt
It is an organic yogurt that is thick and smooth and is satiating as a snack. One cup of Maple Hill Creamery contains 170 calories and 10 gm fat, 11 gm sugar, and 8 gm protein. It does not contain added colors, hidden sugars, or growth hormones. The ingredients in Maple Hill Creamery include non-homogenized whole milk and live and active cultures.

Stonyfield Organic Whole Milk Probiotic Yogurt
This gluten-free, organic probiotic yogurt helps build immunity and promotes gut and digestive health. It comes in a 2-pound pack and is best suited as breakfast or a snack. It is made from pasture-raised cows’ milk and has no high-fructose corn syrup or sweeteners. The ingredients in this pack include:

• Cultured pasteurized organic whole milk
• Organic whole milk
• Organic cane sugar
• Organich vanilla fkavor
• Pectin
• Natural Vanilla

Siggi’s Vanilla
Siggi’s Vanilla is an Icelandic Strained Nonfat Vanilla yogurt. It does not contain sugar, high fructose corn syrup, or artificial preservative. You get 16 gms of protein from a single-serve cup of 5.3 oz. It is also available in pouches ideal for a child’s school lunch. Siggi’s is made from Scandinavian dairy traditions. The list of ingredients in Siggi’s Vanilla are:

• Pasteurized skim milk
• Organic agave nectar
• Madagascar bourbon vanillla
• Live active cultures
• Veget

Nancy’s Probiotic Whole-Milk Yogurt
Nancy’s Probiotic Whole-Milk Yogurt is free from allergens like gluten, shellfish, peanut tree nuts, and eggs. It is also a certified organic yogurt. The yogurt contains about 41 billion live probiotics from 11 probiotic strains. The milk is sourced from the maker’s pasture-fed cows. The ingredients in Nancy’s Probiotic Whole-Milk Yogurt are:

• Organic Pasteurized Whole Milk
• Live Yogurt Cultures

White Mountain Bulgarian Yogurt
White Mountain Bulgarian Yogurt contains up to 90 billion bacterial colony-forming units or CFUs. The yogurt is still made in the traditional Bulgarian way with milk from pasture-fed cows. Their yogurt supports the immune and digestive system and contains no added thickeners or artificial hormones. The ingredients in White Mountain Bulgarian Yogurt are:

• Grade A pasteurized organic whole milk
• Live cultures

Vega Protein Cashew Milk Yogurt Alternative
Since yogurt is a dairy product, vegans may lack a choice for yogurts. They can look at plant-based alternatives. Vega Protein Cashew Milk Yogurt Alternative is a plant-based probiotic that contains about 10 billion live and active probiotics. It is free of dairy and gluten. The cashew-based yogurt is creamy and a healthy snack containing minerals and fiber. Avoid this yogurt if you are allergic to products like tree nuts and soy. They also have an almond milk-based probiotic. The ingredients of Vega Protein Cashew Milk Yogurt alternative are:

• Cashew milk
• Pea Protein
• Chicory Root Extract
• Blue Berries
• Coconut Sugar
• Fruit juices and pectin
• Guar gum
• Stevia leaf and monk fruit extract
• Live and Active cultures

Tips to chose the right probiotic yogurt

Know the contents
A good probiotic yogurt should contain milk and the culture that converts milk into yogurt. Avoid products that contain added or hidden sugars, artificial flavors, preservatives, and dyes. Read the labels and choose a probiotic yogurt with few ingredients. If the labels list sucrose, cane sugar, agave nectar, fruit juice, or high fructose corn syrup, avoid them completely. Avoid added sugars if you have diabetes, hypertension, or any chronic disease. You can add slices of fresh fruits, berries, or nuts to add flavor to the yogurt.

Choose the right fat milk
Not all natural dairy fats are unhealthy. You can choose a full-fat probiotic yogurt if your health parameters are normal. Choose low-fat yogurt if you have a high BMI or if doctors have asked you to avoid rich dairy products.

Choose products with live and active cultures
The International Dairy Foods Association and National Yogurt Associations award a seal called “live and active cultures” to products that contain at least 100 million live cultures after testing. Look for yogurts with the seal. You can choose from organic and non-organic yogurts based on your preferences.

Avoid treated yogurt
Avoid yogurt that has been heated, treated, or pasteurized after adding probiotics. These processes can kill healthy bacteria and affect the yogurt’s taste.

Check the sugar content
Pay attention to the sugar quantities mentioned on the label. Some yogurts contain high amounts of artificial sweeteners that tend to be more than a bowl of ice cream. Take help from a nutritionist if you have any underlying condition.