Eating yogurt leads to less stress, study suggests

You now have another reason not to skip your yogurt cereal with fruits, as a new study by the University of Missouri suggests probiotics reduce stress-related behavior and anxiety. Also called beneficial live bacteria, probiotics show a reduction in the metabolic pathways associated with stress, Science Daily reported.

Using a zebrafish as a model, researchers at the University of Missouri studied how gut bacteria changes the behavior in zebrafish, which could lead to a better understanding of how probiotics may affect the central nervous system in humans. "Zebrafish are an emerging model species for neurobehavioral studies and their use is well-established in drug-screening," said Aaron Ericsson, director of the MU Metagenomics Center. The fish were given the common bacteria found in yogurt and probiotic supplements, "Lactobacillus plantarum."

"Our study has shown that simple probiotics, normally used to keep our digestive tract in sync, could be beneficial in reducing our stress levels as well." The study results were published in Scientific Reports, a journal of Nature. The zebrafish that were given the supplements showed a reduction in their stress levels. Previous studies also suggested probiotics also increase a person's mood.

A simple pleasure packed with nutrients, good bacteria and essential vitamins, such as B12, yogurt can help you lose weight and also boosts protein levels.