Can Babies Eat Yakult?

Yakult is a Japanese sweetened probiotic milk beverage, which is fermented with the bacteria called Lactobacillus paracasei Shirota. Yakult is made from glucose mixed with skimmed milk, heated to 95°C for 30 minutes, then let to be cooled down to 45°C, being inoculated with the bacteria and incubated for 7 days at 38°C. After the fermentation has taken place, there are water, sugar, gums and lactic acid added to the mixture.

Scientist Minoru Shirota invented Yakult in Japan in 1930 and helped to found the Yakult Honsha, a company to commercialize the product.

Benefits Of Probiotics

Probiotics are live microorganisms, made up of good bacteria, which can be consumed through fermented foods and supplements like Activia or Yakult. Probiotics help balance the good bacteria in your guts. They can help in preventing and treating diarrhea caused as a side effect of taking antibiotics. Antibiotics usually have a negative effect on the balance of good and bad bacteria in the digestive system. There are studies examining the relation between healthy guts and mental health. Some studies have shown that if there is improvement shown in the digestive system, there will be an improvement in anxiety, depression and memory problems. Some probiotics can help keep your heart healthy, may reduce symptoms of some allergic reactions, support weight loss and can boost your immune system.

Probiotics are recommended not only for babies, but also for adults, as a supplement for a healthy daily diet. There are probiotics in the form of drops for babies, but once they start eating solid food, at the age of 6 months old, parents can give their babies probiotics by introducing products like Yakult or Activia into their diet. Yakult can be consumed on an empty stomach too, it is a good choice for breakfast.