In large quantities, dairy products, such as milk, cheese, yogurt, and ice cream, can cause many people to become constipated.
Yogurt. Yogurt is usually an entry on many healthy food lists, but it may not suit everyone because it's a dairy-based food after all. You are more likely to develop constipation if you're eating Greek yogurt instead of regular yogurt.
Probiotics: The good bacteria can help you go.
Kimball says any yogurt — not just those that advertise they're good for gastrointestinal health — can be a good source of probiotics that help relieve constipation. “I usually look for a low-sugar Greek yogurt,” she says.
The bacteria that turn milk to yogurt are also good for your digestive tract. All yogurt helps keep it healthy and keeps you regular, but yogurt with live cultures or probiotics may be even better at helping you go.
Yogurt helps with constipation by helping to restore the normal bacterial flora in the intestines. Also, yogurt helps improve bowel movements and advances stomach health in the long run as long as the constipated person can consume yogurt regularly.
Eating a lot of high-fat meats, dairy products and eggs, sweets, or processed foods may cause constipation. Not enough fluids. Water and other fluids help fiber work better, so not drinking enough liquids can contribute to harder stools that are more difficult to pass.
Eating two to three containers of yogurt every day can add around 500 calories and close to 100 grams of sugar to the daily diet. This can cause unwanted weight gain and increase the risk of diabetes. There have been gastroenteritis outbreaks in the past because of the use of unpasteurized milk in yogurt.
Greek yogurt is packed with “healthy” bacteria called probiotics. These “live microorganisms” help create a healthy balance of bacteria in the gut. They work to help improve digestive function, promote regularity, and help the immune system function at its best.
“On the opposite end of the spectrum, fermented dairy products such as yogurt or kefir can improve gut health and may decrease the likelihood of constipation,” she notes.
Greek yogurt is probiotic, meaning it is typically produced with live bacterial cultures. These bacteria can help support the good bacteria that already live in your digestive system. Consuming probiotics like Greek yogurt may improve your digestive system's ability to handle a wide variety of foods.
The probiotics in Greek yogurt also pack a great punch for keeping your digestive system healthy. Probiotics help you balance the “good” and “bad” bacteria in your gut. Mix your yogurt together with low-sugar fruit in the morning to keep your colon cancer-fighting diet on track.
Greek yogurt is an excellent source of calcium, which can help improve bone health. It also contains probiotics, which support a healthy bacterial balance in the gut. Eating Greek yogurt may be associated with lower blood pressure and a lower risk of type 2 diabetes.
Even if yogurt does not make you sick, you may be lactose sensitive, and eating too much of it may cause bloating, cramps, or diarrhea.
Greek yogurt
Because it's been fermented and strained, Greek yogurt is lower in lactose and easier for most people to digest than a glass of cow's milk. Most Greek yogurts also contain probiotics that help increase the good bacteria in your gut.
“Yogurt is associated with decreased inflammation, decreased insulin resistance and it may prevent type 2 diabetes,” Dr. Hu says. Nutrition researchers believe yogurt's anti-inflammatory power comes from the probiotics it contains, but that has yet to be confirmed with rigorous trials, he says.
Weakened immune system: Although rare, live bacteria in yogurt can might cause illness in people with weakened immune systems. If you have a weakened immune system, talk to your healthcare provider before eating large amounts of yogurt that contain live bacteria for prolonged periods of time.
Even though dairy products are the major culprits of discomfort for some IBS sufferers, yogurt proves to be an exception. The live cultures in the yogurt break down the lactose, so it's less likely to cause gassy symptoms.
In identifying a dietary pattern both healthy for people and sustainable for the planet, the “planetary health diet” sets the target for dairy foods at 250 grams per day (with a range of 0 to 500 grams per day), which is about one (8-ounce) cup of yogurt.
Plain Yogurt Nutrition. The USDA's MyPlate dietary guidelines recommend that adults include 3 cups of dairy products, such as low-fat or fat-free yogurt, as part of a nutritious daily diet.
Study finds 2 to 25 servings of yogurt per day would need to be consumed to offer any health benefits. CTV News Channel: Not enough 'good' bacteria? Study co-author Mary Scourboutakos comments on the research results on products that promote probiotics.
If you have constipation, make an effort to increase your intake of foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds, beans, legumes, and herbal teas. Increase your intake gradually, especially with beans and legumes, to avoid gas and bloating.