Adding honey to your yogurt can help more probiotics survive in your gut

Two studies carried out in 2024 showed that adding a tablespoon of honey to yogurt could help probiotics survive longer in the gut. However, having more surviving probiotics does not necessarily mean that it would translate into more digestive health benefits.

Does digestion destroy good bacteria?

Healthy gut bacteria help protect the body from certain harmful bacteria, such as Salmonella.

“Our digestive enzymes, the acid in our stomach, and the bile secreted by our intestines play a role in protecting us from the presence of large amounts of microbes that can overgrow in the intestines, create toxins, and lead to food-borne illness,” said Hannah Holscher, PhD, RD, associate professor of nutrition at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and lead author of the studies.

Although digestion also destroys some of the good bacteria found in fermented foods like yogurt, most probiotic bacteria survive the process.

Dolores Woods, RDN, LD, a registered dietitian at UTHealth Houston School of Public Health, said most people who regularly eat fermented foods don’t have to worry about the digestive process destroying good bacteria.

In addition to probiotics, yogurt is also a good source of calcium, protein, phosphorus and B vitamins. Some studies have found that consuming yogurt and other fermented dairy products may protect against heart disease, osteoporosis, and diabetes.

“If you eat these every day, or just make sure you incorporate these foods, it will help your gut either way,” Woods said.

Use honey in moderation

If you want to get the health benefits of yogurt but don’t like its taste, adding a small amount of honey with fruits and nuts can help.

However, Holscher says to keep in mind that honey is a type of added sugar. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend limiting added sugars to less than 10% of total daily calorie intake.

“A tablespoon of honey, which is what we studied, contains about 64 calories, the vast majority of which is sugar,” Holscher said. “Depending on how many calories you need each day, that could easily be at least a third of the added sugars you’d want in your diet.”

Woods said it’s best to add the honey yourself rather than buying honey-flavored yogurts because these products may contain artificial sweeteners.

“I would avoid those and stick to something plain, whether it’s regular plain yogurt or plain Greek yogurt, and then add honey or fruit to flavor it. I think that’s a better way to go,” Woods said.