Is Yogurt Good for Gas?

Partly: yogurt may cause less gas than milk in people who have trouble digesting lactose because its live cultures help break down lactose, but it can also cause gas in some people.

When might yogurt help with gas?

Yogurt is most likely to be helpful if lactose in milk gives you gas and you can tolerate yogurt better. It is not a proven remedy for gas from every cause, and eating more yogurt will not necessarily relieve symptoms. For other food choices, see the best foods for gas.

Some people still react to the lactose in yogurt, while others find that added ingredients cause discomfort. Your response can depend on the product, the amount you eat, and what else you eat with it.

How does yogurt affect gas?

Lactose is a sugar naturally found in milk. If your small intestine does not digest all of it, lactose can reach the large intestine, where bacteria ferment it and produce gas. This can happen alongside bloating or diarrhea.

The bacteria used to make yogurt ferment some of its lactose. When yogurt contains live cultures, their enzymes can also help digest lactose, which may make yogurt easier to tolerate than milk for some people. Yogurt still contains lactose, though, unless it is labeled lactose-free.

Gas has many possible causes besides lactose, including swallowed air and fermentation of other carbohydrates. Yogurt’s effect on lactose digestion does not mean it will help with gas from those causes. Even if a label mentions probiotics, it does not guarantee that a particular yogurt will reduce gas.

What does the evidence say about yogurt and gas?

In a small clinical trial of 15 adults with lactose maldigestion, participants ate yogurt and drank milk on separate occasions. The test portions contained the same amount of lactose. The yogurt produced less breath hydrogen, a marker of carbohydrate fermentation, and participants reported less severe flatulence than after milk.

That result is promising for people who have difficulty digesting lactose, but it does not show that yogurt treats all gas. The trial was small, and its test portions were designed to contain equal amounts of lactose rather than to represent typical serving sizes.

Ingredients added to yogurt can matter, too. In a small study of 12 healthy volunteers, yogurt containing added galacto-oligosaccharides was associated with increased flatulence. These fermentable carbohydrates are sometimes added as prebiotics, which are ingredients intended to feed gut bacteria.

Similarly, a trial in 45 healthy adults found more bloating and flatulence with higher-inulin versions of a yogurt than with the version without inulin. Neither study means that all yogurt causes gas; both illustrate why the ingredients in a product matter.

How can you try yogurt if you have gas?

Choose a plain yogurt and check the label for live cultures. If you suspect an added ingredient may bother you, look at the ingredient list for inulin, chicory root fiber or galacto-oligosaccharides. A plain product without these additions can make it easier to see how you tolerate yogurt itself.

Start with a small amount, preferably with a meal, rather than making a large change at once. Notice whether gas or bloating follows, and keep track of the yogurt, the amount and other foods you ate. One uncomfortable episode does not prove yogurt was the cause, but a repeated pattern can be useful to discuss with a clinician.

If regular yogurt seems to cause symptoms, lactose-free yogurt is an option to consider. It may still contain milk proteins, so it is not suitable for someone with a milk allergy. Some strained yogurts may contain less lactose than unstrained products, but amounts vary; check the label rather than assuming a product is lactose-free.

You do not have to force yourself to eat yogurt if it repeatedly makes you uncomfortable. For a separate look at fluids and digestive comfort, see the best drinks for gas.

Who should be careful, and when should you see a doctor?

If you have a milk allergy, avoid dairy yogurt, including lactose-free varieties: removing lactose does not remove milk proteins. Get emergency help for signs of a serious allergic reaction, such as trouble breathing or swelling of the tongue or throat.

During pregnancy, choose yogurt made with pasteurized milk. For infants or children with recurring gas or suspected reactions to dairy, ask a pediatric clinician before making major dietary changes. If you have a condition or take medication that weakens your immune system, ask your clinician whether foods with live cultures are appropriate for you.

See a clinician if gas is persistent, worsening or accompanied by ongoing changes in bowel habits, unexplained weight loss or blood in the stool. Seek urgent medical care for severe abdominal pain, particularly with vomiting or an inability to pass stool or gas.