What Are Yogurt Drinks?

Yogurt drinks are beverages made from yogurt, often diluted with water or milk, and sometimes sweetened or flavored. They combine the creamy texture of yogurt with the convenience of a drinkable form, and they can be found in both traditional and commercial varieties around the world. When discussing the benefits of the drink version we are invariably also talking about yogurt itself before it is turned into a drink. Many of the benefits can be ascribed to both types of product.

Types of Yogurt Drinks

1. Traditional Yogurt Drinks

• Lassi (India, Pakistan): A popular drink made from yogurt, water, and spices. It can be sweet (with sugar and fruit) or salty (with salt, cumin, and herbs).

• Ayran (Middle East, Turkey, Central Asia): A salty yogurt drink mixed with water and sometimes mint. Often served cold.

• Doogh (Iran, Afghanistan): Similar to ayran, sometimes carbonated and flavored with mint.

• Kefir (Eastern Europe, Russia): A fermented yogurt-like drink with a tangy taste, made using kefir grains. Contains beneficial probiotics and may have a slight effervescence.

2. Commercial Yogurt Drinks

• Often sweetened and flavored with fruit, vanilla, or chocolate.

• May include added probiotics for digestive health.

• Typically come in single-serving bottles or pouches.

• Examples include DanActive (by Dannon), Yakult (a Japanese probiotic drink), and Go-Gurt Smoothie (a kid-friendly version).

Nutritional Aspects

• Protein: Good source of high-quality protein.

• Calcium: Supports bone health.

• Probiotics: Helps maintain gut health and supports the immune system.

• Sugar: Commercial varieties may contain added sugars—check labels if you’re concerned about intake.

• Fat Content: Available in low-fat, non-fat, and whole milk versions.

Uses and Benefits

• Great as a quick breakfast or snack.

• Hydrating and cooling, especially the traditional salty versions in hot climates.

• Probiotics can aid digestion and may improve gut microbiota balance.

What Do Consumers Look For In Yogurt Drinks?

Generally, yogurt drinks are highly desirable with all consumers because of their perceived links with health, their convenience and portability. They are easy to manufacture and enable product developers to add value-added ingredients into what is an alternative beverage (Donaud, 2007).

The Use Of Probiotics and Prebiotics In Yogurt Drinks

What Are Probiotics?

Probiotics are live microorganisms—mainly Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, and Streptococcus species—that provide health benefits when consumed in adequate amounts. They are naturally present in fermented dairy products like yogurt.

Role in Yogurt Drinks:

• Digestive Health: Probiotics help balance the gut microbiota and may reduce symptoms of bloating, constipation, and diarrhea.

• Immune Support: Certain strains may enhance immune function by supporting gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT).

• Lactose Digestion: Probiotics can help break down lactose, making yogurt drinks easier to digest for people with mild lactose intolerance.

Common Probiotic Strains:

• Lactobacillus acidophilus

• Bifidobacterium lactis

• Streptococcus thermophilus

• Lactobacillus casei

• Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG

---

Prebiotics in Yogurt Drinks

What Are Prebiotics?

Prebiotics are non-digestible fibers (often oligosaccharides like inulin or fructooligosaccharides) that serve as food for probiotics. They help probiotics grow and thrive in the gut. There are notable prebiotics to choose from such as:

• polydextrose (Litesse II Super Improved Polydextrose FCC, Danisco U.S.A. Inc., Ardsley, N.Y., U.S.A.)
• chicory inulin (Beneo GR, ORAFTI Active Food Ingredients; Tienen, Belgium)
• soluble corn fiber (PROMITOR Soluble Corn Fiber, Tate & Lyle; Decatur, Ill., U.S.A.)

These prebiotics have been explored in sensory and consumer studies to understand what amounts might be acceptable. Just to remind ourselves, in the USA, we have different levels of servings –

• 2.5g fibre/serving – good fiber source
• 5g fibre/serving – claim as an excellent source of fibre.

Role in Yogurt Drinks:

• Synergistic Effect: When added to yogurt drinks, prebiotics enhance the growth and activity of probiotic bacteria, making the drink more effective.

• Gut Health: Prebiotics improve bowel regularity and may reduce inflammation in the digestive tract.

• Satiety & Weight Management: Some studies suggest prebiotics promote a feeling of fullness, which can aid in weight control.

---

Synbiotic Yogurt Drinks

These combine both probiotics and prebiotics, aiming for a synergistic effect. Synbiotic drinks are increasingly popular and often marketed as enhanced gut-health beverages. Typical probiotic bacteria include Bifidobacterium lactis and Lactobacillus acidophilus.

Example:

• A yogurt drink with Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (probiotic) + inulin (prebiotic).

---

Things to Watch For:

• Shelf Stability: Probiotics are sensitive to temperature and time; not all commercial drinks have high viable counts at consumption.

• Label Reading: Look for “live and active cultures” on the label and check for specific strains if you’re targeting certain health benefits.

• Added Sugars: Some probiotic drinks are high in sugar, which can counteract some of the health benefits.

References

Allgeyer, L.C. (2009). Sensory and microbiological quality of yogurt drinks with prebiotics and proiotics. In Masters Thesis: Sensory profiling of yogurt drinks with prebiotics and probiotics. Univ. of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Allgeyer, L.C., Miller, M.J., Lee, S.-Y. (2010) Drivers of Liking for Yogurt Drinks with Prebiotics and Probiotics. J. Food Sci., 75(4) pp. S212-S219  .

Chandan, R.C., White CH, Kilara A, Hui YH. 2006. Manufacturing yogurt and fermented milks. Ames , Iowa : Blackwell Publishing.