Can one shot of yogurt really improve your immunity and gut health?

Whether you want to improve your gut health, boost immunity or increase your vitamin intake, there is an ever-increasing range of drink shots to choose from.

But are some products with high sugar content and others costing more than £60 a month really worth it? Caroline Jones experts were asked to assess a selection, which we then assessed…

Actimel cultured shot strawberry

12 100g bottles, £4.50, most supermarkets.

Per 100 ml: Calories, 73; saturated fat, 1 g; egg white, 2.8 g; sugar, 11 g; salt, 0.10 g

Claim: This contains 10 billion L. casei bacteria, vitamin D and vitamin B6 and ‘can help strengthen your immune system and care for your bones, teeth and muscle function’.

Expert opinion: ‘At first glance this appears to contain a lot of sugar: 11 grams (3 teaspoons) per bottle,’ says dietitian Clare Thornton-Wood.

‘But about half of this is lactose, a natural sugar in milk. This doesn’t count toward your daily limit of (30 grams) “free (or added) sugar,” so we’re less concerned about it.

‘Lactose is digested more slowly, which is better because it keeps blood sugar levels stable. But that said, with almost 1.5 teaspoons of added sugar, this is still a mediocre sugar product.

‘L. Manufacturer’s studies have shown that casei bacteria improve intestinal microbes because it resists digestion by stomach acid. It can also help with diarrhea.

‘Unfortunately, the added vitamins are present in very small quantities. Much cheaper is yoghurt or kefir (fermented milk), which you can make yourself.’

6/10

M&S

150ml, £2, M&S and ocado.com

Per 100ml: Calories, 60; saturated fat, 1.1 g; egg white, 2.2 g; sugar, 5.6 g; salt, 0.05 g

Claim: Kefir with five billion live cultures of 14 species, plus mixed fruit puree. ‘Source of calcium that contributes to the normal function of digestive enzymes.’

Expert opinion: ‘As for sugar, half of it comes from milk, so it contains around 1 teaspoon of added sugar per shot,’ says Clare Thornton-Wood.

Aidan Goggins, pharmacist and independent consultant to the supplement industry, added: ‘These products are sold on the idea that the more bacteria the better.

‘However, this drink only contains five billion live bacteria per shot, which isn’t much compared to some that have more than 100 billion in that serving.

“We have no idea how they processed the added fruit,” he adds. ‘For example, the use of heat in the pulping process can destroy some of the vitamin content.

‘With many unknowns and a disappointing bacteria count, this drink doesn’t compare to other options, such as standard kefir or even a probiotic capsule.’

3/10

Yakult Balance less sugar

15 x 65ml, £6, most supermarkets.

Per 100 ml: Calories, 41; saturated fat, 0 g; egg white, 1.3 g; sugar, 4.4 g; salt, 0.04 g

Claim: A drink with 20 billion L. casei Shirota, ‘scientifically proven to reach the intestines alive and increase bacteria’. It provides 15 percent of your daily vitamin D needs, to “support immunity and muscle and bone health.”

Expert opinion: “Yakult is one of the oldest probiotics on the market – dating back to 1935,” says Aidan Goggins.

‘The L. casei Shirota bacteria have been independently studied and appear to not only survive gastric juices and arrive alive in the intestines, but also improve digestive disorders such as IBS and reduce the risk of stomach infections.

‘The use of the sweeteners maltitol and stevia is smart.

‘Although some artificial sweeteners can disrupt the gut microbiome, these do not appear to do so. When used in small amounts, maltitol actually contributes to gut health as it helps feed the good bacteria.

‘However, the vitamin D content is not enough for the recommended daily intake, so you will still need to take a supplement.’

8/10

Biotiful KIDS KEFIR strawberry & banana

4 x 100ml, £2, most supermarkets.

Per 100 ml: Calories, 52; saturated fat, 0.8 g; protein, 3.3 g; sugar, 6.9 g; salt, 0.09 g

Claim: Kefir is packed with good bacteria, calcium and vitamins B12 and D, to ‘support immunity and promote strong teeth and bones’ in children.

Expert opinion: Probiotics can be just as beneficial for children, with research showing they can help prevent stomach flu and reduce the number of sick days at school, says Clare Thornton-Wood.

‘It’s worth noting that this product is similar to another product from the same brand, which doesn’t say ‘children’ on the label – and yet this costs 15p/100ml more!

‘There is also no information about the exact probiotic levels, but the sugar content gives me the most food for thought. A fair amount is added in the form of fruit purees and juices, which count as free sugar. But once processed, this type has little nutritional benefit.

‘A 100ml serving of milk would give you almost the same amount of calcium as here, without the added sugar.

‘You can easily get moderate amounts of vitamin B12 and D elsewhere. Children should take a vitamin D supplement daily from birth.

‘Vitamin B12 is found in meat, fish, eggs and marmite. Served on granary toast this would yield at least four times as much as one of these.’

5/10

Unrooted good intestinal baobab and passion fruit

60ml, £2, ocado.com

Per 100 ml: Calories, 18; saturated fat, 0 g; egg white, 0.2 g; sugar, 2.7 g; salt, 0.1 g

Claim: Contains baobab, a fiber-rich fruit that is a ‘powerful prebiotic’. Rich in vitamin C.

Expert opinion: Instead of live probiotics, this contains prebiotic fiber, which serves as food for good gut bacteria, says Aidan Goggins.

‘Studies have shown that baobab powder has beneficial prebiotic effects, but only when used in larger quantities – usually more than 15 grams, so five times more than here.

‘This makes me question the gut health of the product and it seems like an expensive, processed juice drink.

‘Even though the fruit is a powerful source of vitamin C, it contains only 5 percent baobab – meaning most of the vitamin C comes from the added preservative ascorbic acid.

‘While it will have some benefit, it is an ultra-processed version, rather than the natural version you would expect from a product marketed with healthy properties.’

3/10

Sufficient health of the berry intestine

£2, 60ml, sainsburys.co.uk

Per 100 ml: Calories, 52; saturated fat, 0 g; egg white, 0.2 g; sugar, 10.5 g; salt, 0g

Claim: ‘Powerful pomegranate, raspberry, apple cider vinegar – plus millions of live cultures to support gut health.’

Expert opinion: ‘Studies have shown that the Bacillus coagulans found here can withstand the acidic conditions that often destroy other probiotics,’ says Clare Thornton-Wood.

‘This is because it produces acid-resistant spores that others do not produce. Arriving alive in the intestine can help relieve stomach problems such as bloating.

‘Research generally shows no difference in effectiveness between multi-strain probiotics and single-strain probiotics, such as this one.

‘More important is to check whether the strain is beneficial for a specific purpose, such as relieving diarrhea.

‘Apple cider vinegar in itself is a probiotic. However, the ‘good’ bacteria are found in an unfiltered state – and it is unclear whether that is what is being used here.

‘The disadvantage of this is the sugar content of fruit juice: 1.5 teaspoons per portion.’

7/10

MOJU Raspberry Intestinal Health

60ml, £2.10, ocado.com

Per 100 ml: Calories, 73; saturated fat, 0; protein, 0 g; sugar, 7.3 g; salt, 0.01 g

Claim: A raspberry, lemon and baobab drink that contains chicory inulin, ‘a prebiotic fiber that promotes normal digestion by increasing good bacteria’.

Expert opinion: ‘This is one of the lower sugar drinks, with just 1 teaspoon of sugar per (small 60ml) shot,’ says Clare Thornton-Wood.

‘However, it is the most expensive product and would cost you €63 per month if you used one every day.

‘Although it contains inulin, a soluble fiber that feeds gut bacteria, there are no live bacteria, so it’s an expensive way to increase your fiber and prebiotic intake. For a high dose of inulin, all you need to do is add garlic and onions to food.

‘Similarly, the total amount of fiber you get here (4 grams) could easily be obtained – and more – by eating a bowl of porridge or a handful of nuts, which would also provide other beneficial nutrients.’

4/10

Benecol Yoghurt Drink blueberry

6 x 67.5g, £4.30, most supermarkets.

Per 100 ml: Calories 52; saturated fat, 2.1 g; egg white, 2.8 g; sugar, 4.7 g; salt, 0.09 g

Claim: One of these drinks a day can “lower your cholesterol by 7-10 percent in two to three weeks thanks to our plant stanols.”

Expert opinion: Phytosterols, including the plant stanols found in Benecol, have long been known for their effective cholesterol-lowering benefits,” says Aidan Goggins.

‘They were one of the first ingredients allowed to make health claims by regulatory authorities.

‘They work by binding to the cholesterol, which is then excreted as waste, rather than being absorbed into the bloodstream where it can clog the arteries.

‘However, we do not yet know what the impact is of the long-term use of plant stanols. While they are effective at lowering cholesterol, we don’t know if this translates into better long-term heart health.”

Clare Thornton-Wood adds: ‘Although effective, plant stanols must be taken daily or your cholesterol levels will simply rise again. You also have to combine it with exercise and dietary changes.’

6/10