Which Popular Yogurt Brand Has The Most Probiotics?

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Yogurt is an extremely versatile, delicious food. While it's used in a variety of cultures, it is said to have originated in the Balkans thousands of years ago. Beyond its culinary appeal, yogurt is celebrated for its nutritional benefits, particularly its rich content of probiotics. These live microorganisms strengthen gut health, working to combat bad bacteria and bolster your digestive system. Additionally, probiotics can lower cholesterol, reduce blood pressure, and even help you digest other vitamins.

Yogurt itself is made by first warming pasteurized milk and then adding the probiotic bacteria Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactobacillus bulgaricus to it. After the bacteria are added, the mixture sits and ferments for a few hours, and voilà — you've got yourself the creamy, tangy dairy product we know and love.

If you are looking for a popular probiotic-rich option that offers an enhanced variety of live active cultures, we suggest Stonyfield Organic Whole Milk Probiotic Yogurt. The company even claims every serving contains billions of probiotics with a total of six live active cultures (not just the required two starter cultures). This broader spectrum of cultures might be preferred by some over other probiotic-rich brands like Activia that focus primarily on a single proprietary strain.

Yogurt is great because, apart from its nutritional benefits, it is also an extremely versatile ingredient. Of course, you can eat your Stonyfield Organic Whole Milk Probiotic Yogurt plain, or add some fruit, honey, and granola to make a parfait — but we suggest using it in Ina Garten's creamy cucumber salad for a refreshing bite. 

Beyond that, this product is also great for marinating chicken or lamb, and as the base for plenty of dips. Combining a few spices with the yogurt makes an easy sauce that, depending on the spice blend, can be used in sandwiches, eaten with baked crab cakes, or even with fruit. You can also use your probiotic yogurt as a thickening agent in soups and even as an acidic brine for fried or grilled chicken.

Using yogurt in baked goods and sweets is a great way to sneak some probiotics into your treats. Combining things like pumpkin puree or frozen fruit with yogurt and churning it in an ice cream machine will give you creamy, gut-friendly frozen dessert.