Another benefit of yogurt has been discovered. Drinking yogurt may reduce the risk of cancer!

Studies have found that yogurt can actually reduce the risk of accelerated aging; it can also protect the liver and reduce fatty liver.

However, the premise of these is to buy really good yogurt.

Drinking yogurt may reduce the risk of colorectal cancer

Studies have shown that the intestinal mucosal barrier of people who drink yogurt for a long time is stronger, which may be the key mechanism to reduce the risk of proximal colon cancer. Probiotics in yogurt may play a protective role by improving the intestinal microecological environment and enhancing the mucosal barrier function.

The colon can be divided into the proximal colon (ascending colon, transverse colon) and the distal colon (descending colon, sigmoid colon). The proximal colon is located on the right side of the body, close to the small intestine; the distal colon is located on the left side, closer to the rectum. There are differences in the mechanism of tumorigenesis between the two.

In January 2025, a study involving 540,000 people published by researchers at the University of Oxford in the journal Nature Communications found that alcohol and calcium intake were most strongly associated with the risk of colorectal cancer. For every 20 grams of alcohol consumed per day, the risk of colorectal cancer increases by 15%. For every 300 mg of calcium consumed per day (about 1 cup of yogurt or milk), the risk of colorectal cancer decreases by 17%.

Tips: The results of several studies on yogurt and cancer risk show that eating fermented dairy products helps reduce the overall risk of cancer, and drinking yogurt has the best effect. The reason is that the probiotics, butyric acid, and conjugated linoleic acid contained in yogurt all have anti-cancer effects. However, the premise is to ensure that you choose qualified yogurt that contains these ingredients.

Don't underestimate the benefits of yogurt

1. Regulate liver sugar metabolism

A study in the authoritative journal Nature Communications found a new effect of yogurt: reducing fatty liver.

The research team found that adding yogurt to the high-fat and high-sugar diet of obesity-related type 2 diabetic mice helps maintain the dynamic balance of blood sugar in the mice and prevent liver insulin resistance and fatty degeneration.

In addition to regulating liver sugar metabolism, yogurt can also reduce the relative weight and triglyceride levels of the liver, and reduce the degree of liver fatty degeneration and fibrosis. These research results show that yogurt intake can protect liver health.

2. Reduce the risk of aging

On December 11, 2024, researchers from Liaoning University of Traditional Chinese Medicine published a research paper in Frontiers in Nutrition.

Studies show that drinking yogurt regularly may bring us unexpected life extension. Compared with those who never drink yogurt, people who drink yogurt regularly have a 46% lower risk of accelerated aging!

In addition, the frequency of yogurt consumption is associated with a reduced risk of obesity.

The researchers pointed out that this is the first study to explore the relationship between yogurt consumption and accelerated aging, indicating that an appropriate frequency of yogurt intake may help delay aging.

As for the underlying mechanism, the study pointed out that probiotics are likely to be a key factor, and yogurt may enhance intestinal barrier function by increasing the number of beneficial bacteria in the intestine. In addition, probiotics can also regulate immune responses and have a therapeutic effect on systemic diseases such as metabolic and neurological diseases.

3. Reduce body fat and lose belly fat

Real-life experiments have found that 220g of yogurt per day can reduce body fat and lose belly fat.

A randomized controlled study found that compared with people who drank milk, the yogurt group of subjects lost 2.26 kg of body fat and 1.85 cm of waist circumference!

4. Prevent osteoporosis, higher calcium absorption rate

The calcium absorption rate in yogurt is higher than that in milk, because lactic acid can promote the absorption of calcium and other minerals. In addition, yogurt also contains peptides such as CPP produced by protein decomposition, which can also promote calcium absorption. The calcium content in the product is related to the quality and content of the raw milk. Fermented milk and yogurt are simple in raw materials, and the calcium content is relatively stable and high.

5. Promote digestion

The protein in yogurt is easier to absorb, and the lactic acid in it can also inhibit the reproduction of harmful microorganisms, promote gastrointestinal motility and digestive juice secretion, and increase the absorption rate of various minerals. It is suitable for drinking when indigestion occurs.

6. Regulate emotions

Intestinal health can also affect emotions. Drinking yogurt regularly can reduce brain area activities related to emotions and pain.

7. Reduce the side effects of antibiotics

Taking antibiotics can cause intestinal flora disorders, and drinking yogurt regularly can help adjust the balance of flora. Drinking yogurt for a period of time after stopping antibiotics can reduce the side effects of drugs.

5 indicators to buy a good yogurt that suits you

Key point: It is recommended to buy yogurt with high protein, low fat and low carbohydrates.

Check whether it contains "live bacteria"

Yogurt is a dairy product fermented by lactic acid bacteria. According to whether it has been pasteurized and heat treated, yogurt can be divided into low-temperature live bacteria yogurt and room temperature sterilized yogurt.

The biggest difference between the two is whether it contains "live lactic acid bacteria", and the other nutrients are not much different. If you drink yogurt to get the benefits of lactic acid bacteria, it is recommended to choose low-temperature yogurt containing live bacteria.

If live bacteria are not needed, room temperature yogurt has more advantages. It is more suitable for people who are not convenient to refrigerate and need to be placed for a long time, such as students or tourists.

Check "probiotics"

If you just want nutritional value, any kind of yogurt will do; if you want to regulate your body and play the role of some probiotics, just choose probiotic yogurt.

Look at the "protein content"

More than 2.3g/100g

Usually, the protein content of yogurt is ≥2.3%, and the texture is relatively viscous. If the protein content is marked as ≥1% and it is in liquid form, it is mostly just a lactic acid beverage. Note: Yogurt made from reconstituted milk is not recommended.

Look at the "carbohydrate content"

Less than 12g/100g

Generally, every 100g of sugar-free yogurt contains 4 to 6g of carbohydrates, which is lactose naturally present in milk.

Total carbohydrates-lactose = added sugar content. For example, the yogurt marked with 12% carbohydrates in the nutrition facts table actually has about 7% added sugar.

If you are more concerned about the sugar content, carefully choose products marked with white sugar in the ingredient list.

Check if there is a "flavor" word

"Strawberry flavor" yogurt is obtained by adding additives such as edible flavors and pigments to obtain the strawberry taste, and does not contain strawberries.

"Strawberry fruit pulp" yogurt, even if it contains real strawberry fruit pulp or jam, may have a problem of excessive sugar content.

What's more, many so-called fruit yogurts on the market are actually jams containing a lot of sugar. In addition, fruit yogurts are generally packaged in large quantities, and it is easy to drink too much, resulting in excessive calories.

It is best to buy plain yogurt and cut some fruit at home to adjust the flavor yourself.

Yogurt drinking schedule

It is recommended that adults should consume at least 300g of liquid milk per day.

If you usually have the habit of drinking milk, you can replace milk with yogurt in equal amounts, that is, 220g yogurt + 80g milk, and adjust flexibly based on your own acceptance.

Drink before bed: calcium supplement, sleep aid

At night, the human body cannot supplement calcium from food, so the blood calcium concentration will decrease. Drinking yogurt can reduce the body's use of calcium in the bones. At the same time, calcium can help us regulate the nervous system, relax the nerves before going to bed, and enter a better sleep state.

Drink in the morning: supplement probiotics

When the stomach is empty, gastric acid secretion is low, and the acidity in the stomach is not high at this time, so the probability of probiotics in yogurt passing through the stomach to the intestines increases accordingly. Morning is the time of the day when the basic gastric acid secretion is the least.

Drink before meals: Lose weight

Drinking yogurt half an hour before meals can reduce hunger and reduce calorie intake.

Drink after exercise: Gain muscle

If you want to achieve muscle gain, it is more effective to drink it after exercise. Because at this time, the sugar in yogurt will stimulate the increase in insulin secretion, thereby promoting protein synthesis and muscle.

Note: People with excessive gastric acid secretion, gastritis, and gastric ulcers should not drink yogurt on an empty stomach.

Yogurt and some drugs are "opponents". If taken together, it may reduce the efficacy of the drug or cause adverse reactions, such as iron supplements, because excessive calcium intake at once will hinder iron absorption.

But this does not mean that yogurt cannot be drunk on iron supplement days, as long as the time is separated. For example, take iron supplements in the morning and drink yogurt at noon.

If the goal is to control weight, no matter how much yogurt you eat and when you eat it, it must be included in the total food intake calories for the day.

Guide to consuming yogurt

1. Benefits: reduce the risk of colon cancer, delay aging, reduce fatty liver, prevent osteoporosis, promote digestion, relieve diarrhea, regulate emotions, and reduce the side effects of antibiotics.

2. The best time to drink yogurt:

• Drink before bed: calcium supplement, help sleep;
• Drink in the morning: supplement probiotics;
• Drink before meals: lose weight;
• Drink after exercise: build muscle.

3. Selection: protein content greater than 2.3g/100g, carbohydrate content less than 12g/100g.

4. If you want to get the benefits of lactic acid bacteria, it is recommended to choose low-temperature yogurt containing live bacteria.

5. Note: People with excessive gastric acid secretion, gastritis, and gastric ulcers should not drink yogurt on an empty stomach.