In a world full of influencers, it can be difficult not to fall into the trap of buying everything recommended online. But where does the line draw when it comes to health advice from social media stars, many of whom lack the qualifications to offer reliable advice?
Recently, a probiotic yogurt has taken TikTok by storm, with content creators eagerly reviewing it online. News week discussed this trendy yogurt, which costs $39 for a 16-ounce pot, with experts to find out if it’s worth it.
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Why is it so popular?
According to a survey conducted by The Harris Poll for Cylinder, 71 percent of Americans experience gastrointestinal (GI) problems at least a few times a month, and 31 percent have been diagnosed with a GI illness.
It’s easy to see why a product claiming to improve gut health would be appealing. According to its official website, Coconut Cult, the brand behind the yogurt, markets it as being packed with probiotics that offer several potential benefits, including better digestion, reduced bloating, and increased regularity.
Expert Views on Probiotics
Provided by Bridget Wood
“Many TikTok users say it has helped with issues like bloating, leaky gut, acne, dull skin and even improved mood,” said registered dietitian nutritionist Bridget Wood. News week. “While everyone’s experience is different, probiotics have long been shown to potentially support all of these areas.
“Coconut Cult offers one of the largest numbers of probiotic strains and can be a convenient daily addition for those looking to easily incorporate probiotics without having to source individual strains across multiple products.”
The official website claims that the yogurt contains 16 species of probiotics, which some consumers say offers better value for money.
“Regular yogurt usually only contains a few types of probiotic strains [you might have seen terms like Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, and ‘live and active cultures’ on your yogurt packaging at home]Coconut Cult’s naturally fermented coconut yogurt base claims to contain 50 billion CFUs. [colony-forming units, or a fancy way of saying the number of live bacteria in a probiotic product] in just a one-ounce serving,” Wood said.
“Traditional yogurt generally does not offer this in a single product, let alone a single serving, and other sources of supplementation would need to be found.”
However, Wood, of Reno, Nevada, also pointed out the variability in individual responses to probiotics.
“Everyone is different, so some people may claim to see results overnight, and others have reported a “purging” stage that causes breakouts while the body adapts to the increased probiotics ” she said.
Social media trends and cautionary advice
Provided by Christine Byrne
As gut health becomes a popular topic on social media – with the hashtag #guthealth garnering over 903,000 views – various videos offer product recommendations and tips for improving gut health. However, not all advice is equal.
Christine Byrne, a registered dietitian nutritionist with 11 years of experience in food media at Ruby Oak Nutrition, also spoke with News week about the question.
“I have seen many recommendations for gut healing protocols that are inadequate at best and potentially dangerous at worst,” she said. “However, the source of the recommendations did not determine their quality.
“Many gut healing recommendations people will see online are about trying a product or supplement like a probiotic. For most people, these recommendations will be harmless and may provide some benefit, depending on many Personal factors such as microbiome status and diet.
“However, for those suffering from an acute or chronic illness, I would not recommend making a significant change to their diet, supplements, or certainly medications without speaking to a qualified healthcare professional.”
About the price
A spokesperson for The Coconut Cult spoke with News week via email regarding the high price of the product.
“Ingredients, fermentation process, probiotic potency and portion size are all key factors,” the spokesperson said. “We’re really not in the same league as other yogurts.”
The organic ingredients are made in small batches and fermented for many hours in a large glass container using 16 specific super live probiotics.
“Many other yogurts on the shelves are ‘dead’ and contain virtually no bacteria,” the spokesperson added. “This is based not only on testing, but also on direct questions asked of brands about their fermentation process.
“Not only can you taste the difference between our yogurt and others, you can also smell it. Most probiotic supplements are freeze-dried bacteria in shelf-stable powder form. This type of bacteria is not active in the same way as ours and is cheaper to produce.
Some social media users are reporting rashes online, the spokesperson said. News week It’s rare, but it can happen.
“The purging could be because our 16 strains of super live probiotics in our yogurt are interacting with the ‘bad’ bacteria that already exist in the gut microbiome. This can cause skin irritation, but we have found that it balances out usually after a few weeks of consistent use of our probiotic yogurt The situation is unique to each individual depending on the state of their gut microbiome Rashes can also be due to a reaction to. histamine.
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