Probiotic yogurt is essentially any yogurt with live active cultures, which means that most natural or regular yogurt is a probiotic food. It contains bacteria of various sorts that are thought beneficial to the body. In 2000, several companies began to make yogurt with the probiotic label, much to the confusion of consumers.

According to manufacturers of probiotic yogurt, the beneficial bacterial they select for their products is more likely to survive digestion and make it to the colon. This means it may be more effective in aiding digestive ills and helping to regulate digestion. Companies that manufacture these yogurts use trademarked bacteria that aren’t available in other yogurts, and they believe their studies justify their claims of superiority to regular yogurt.

The medical and scientific community is relatively divided on the issue of whether probiotic yogurt is more effective than regular yogurt. Some studies suggest that these special trademarked bacteria do help improve digestion, but there aren’t that many comparison studies between so-called probiotic types of yogurt and other kinds that also contain healthful bacteria. While it’s true that any yogurt with live cultures might ease some digestive ills, it isn’t a foregone conclusion that products labeled probiotic yogurt are necessarily superior.

One thing called into question by many of the large commercial manufacturers of probiotic yogurt is other ingredients added to these products. Some have high levels of sweeteners like high fructose corn syrup and/or sugar. These may not be the healthiest products, and many believe that natural yogurts that are unsweetened, or are flavored with a small amount of fruit juice are nutritionally superior.

There are certainly studies that show potential benefits of probiotic yogurt and any other yogurt with natural live cultures. Some people reduce incidence of yeast infections if they eat yogurt while taking antibiotics. Others find that minor flatulence, diarrhea or constipation can be regulated if they consume about a cup of yogurt a day. Yogurt isn’t a wonder drug though, and it won’t necessarily make up for poor eating habits that might influence poor digestion. It’s a healthy food in many respects, but not a magic bullet.

Some call probiotic yogurt a marketing scam devised to charge extra money for yogurt products. It is true that those products labeled probiotic may cost more per ounce. Others feel the label is helpful because it draws attention to the potential health benefits of probiotic foods.