Key Takeaways

• Adding honey to yogurt may help probiotics survive longer in the gut, though it doesn’t necessarily increase digestive health benefits.
• Most probiotic bacteria from fermented foods like yogurt survive digestion and can support gut health when eaten regularly.
• It’s best to add a small amount of honey to plain yogurt yourself to limit added sugar intake.

Two studies in 2024 have shown that adding a tablespoon of honey to yogurt might help the probiotics survive longer in the gut.12 However, having more probiotics surviving doesn't necessarily mean it would translate to more digestive health benefits.

Does Digestion Destroy Good Bacteria?

Healthy gut bacteria help protect the body from certain harmful bacteria, such as Salmonella.3

“Our digestive enzymes, the acid in our stomach, and the bile secreted from our intestines play a role in helping protect us from having large amounts of those microbes that can bloom in the intestines, create toxins, and result in foodborne illness,” said Hannah Holscher, PhD, RD, an associate professor of nutrition at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and senior author of the studies.

While digestion also destroys some of the good bacteria found in fermented foods like yogurt, most probiotic bacteria survive the process.4

Dolores Woods, RDN, LD, a registered dietitian with UTHealth Houston School of Public Health, said most people who regularly eat fermented foods don’t need to worry about the digestive process destroying the good bacteria.

In addition to probiotics, yogurt is also a good source of calcium, protein, phosphorus, and B vitamins.4 Some studies have shown that consuming yogurt and other fermented milk products can protect against heart disease, osteoporosis, and diabetes.5

“If you are eating it every day, or are just making sure you’re incorporating these foods, it’s going to help your gut regardless,” Woods said.

Use Honey in Moderation

If you want the health benefits of yogurt but don’t enjoy its taste, adding a small amount of honey along with fruit and nuts may help.

However, Holscher said to keep in mind that honey is a type of added sugar. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend limiting added sugars to less than 10% of the total daily caloric intake.6

“A tablespoon of honey, which is what we studied, is around 64 calories, and the vast majority of that is sugar,” Holscher said. “Depending on how many calories you need each day, that could easily be at least a third of the added sugars you’d want to have in your diet.”

Woods said it’s better to add the honey yourself instead of buying honey-flavored yogurts, as those products may contain artificial sweeteners.

“I would avoid those and just stick to something that is plain, whether it’s a regular plain yogurt or a plain Greek yogurt, and then add the honey or fruit to flavor it. I think that’s a better way to go,” Woods said.