Make Yakult a Daily Habit for Better Immunity and Intestinal Health

• Yakult’s Health Mantra– A Healthy Intestine leads to a long life; Prevention is better than Cure

April 10, 2019, Indore. Did you know the secret to longevity? Are you aware that bad digestion is the root cause of all evil? Did you know that the largest immune organ and the gatekeeper of our body is our intestine? While you may be grappling for some answers, it is about time to check your health barometer.

In line with its core philosophy of spreading health and happiness across the world by improving intestinal health and immunity, Yakult Danone India, the global probiotic leader recently launched its iconic brand “Yakult’ in Indore and Bhopal.

Detailing Yakult’s relevance in today’s hectic lifestyle, the company conducted an informative and thought-provoking session on the health benefits of Yakult. Mr. Minoru Shimada, Managing Director, Yakult Danone India Pvt. Ltd and Dr. Neerja Hajela -Head of Science and Regulatory Affairs were present at the Press conference.

Highlighting the importance of intestinal health, Dr. Neerja Hajela said“we are living inchallenging times and poor intestinal health of people in India is a cause for concern since most of the diseases begin in the intestine. Most people are not aware that the intestine is not only involved in digestion and absorption of food but is also the largest immune organ since around 70% of the immune system is found there. It plays a critical role in protecting us from diseases and infections.

The intestine also contains about 1.5 kg bacteria of which the beneficial ones are crucial for digestion of food, absorption of nutrients and building immunity. Poor nutrition, inadequate physical activity and sleep, use of antibiotics  and pollution results in a decline in these beneficial bacteria. This imbalance causes diarrhoea, constipation, indigestion, flatulence and weakens our immunity to increase the risk of diseases.”

Elaborating on the concept of probiotics, Dr. Hajela said that the word literally means, “For Life”as these bacteria suppress the growth of harmful disease-causing bacteria and increase the number of beneficial bacteria in the intestine.

This results in improved digestion, nutrient absorption and better bowel movement which prevents common digestive disorders. Probiotics also play an important role in the development of the immune system and thus protect us from infections. Globally, probiotic food productsare consumed as a part of the daily diet. However, in India, this concept is fairly new but is gaining immense importance.

Dispelling the myth between traditional fermented foods and probiotics, she said, “While traditional foods are consumed mainly for nutrition to get proteins, calcium and vitamins, probiotic products are scientifically proven toaidand improve digestion and boost immunity. The two categories are therefore very different”.

Elaborating on the benefits of Yakult, Dr Hajela said, “Yakult, a probiotic fermented milk drink with its unique probiotic bacteria Lactobacillus casei Shirota(LcS) was launched in Japan in 1935 to improve the health of children, adults and elderly who were suffering from Diarrhoea, Cholera, Typhoid and other Intestinal disorders. 

Backed by more than 80 years of scientific heritage and 100 human studies that have been conducted across the globe, Yakult’s bacteria helpsbuild immunityto reduce the risk of allergies, infections and even cancers.

“One of the largest community- based study that was conducted on approx. 4000 children in the age group of 1- 5 years at the National Institute of Cholera and Enteric Diseases (NICED) in Kolkata. This study showed that consumption of Yakult for 12 weeks resulted in 14% reduction in diarrhoea.This was a very useful finding especially in country like India where diarrhoea kills 3 lakh children every year.”

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Minoru Shimada, Managing Director, Yakult Danone India Pvt. Ltd. remarked, “India offer huge potential for Yakult and we are committed to educate consumers about the importance of including probiotics as a part of the daily diet. We enjoy a pan-India presence and now consumers from Central India will also enjoy the benefits of our signature drink-Yakult. The brand is now being retailed in Indore, Bhopal and Ujjain and is available in more than 170 outlets.The retail price of Yakult is Rs. 60 for a pack of 5 bottles.”

“Today we are present in over 51 cities in 15states across India. The health benefits of Yakult are tangible and there is an upward trend in consumption. We are constantly and innovatively communicating the key messages of our signature product through consumer engagement initiatives at the ground-level to raise awareness”, Mr. Shimada added.

“Detailing on the new variant Yakult Light which will be introduced in June 2019, Mr. Shimada said, “to address the growing demand and in line with the needs of the health conscious Indian consumer, we will be launching Yakult Light which is a sister product of the signature probiotic fermented milk drink Yakult and contains the same unique probiotic, Lactobacillus casei strain Shirota (LcS), in the same numbers (6.5 billion). With reduced sugar and added Vitamin D and E, Yakult Light is suitable for all age groups above one year. It contains less sugar and calories owing to the use of a natural sweetener, Stevia. The retail price of Yakult Light is Rs. 80/- for a pack of 5 bottles.