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SCIENITISTS have revealed that a specific type of yogurt could help humans colonize Mars.
According to new research, setting up a base on the Red Planet could be fuelled by a dairy treat that can have some disgusting consequences.
A new study titled “Can Bulgarian Yogurt enhance astronauts’ performance during the Mars Missions?” explains the pros and cons of the snack.
It’s been published in the Journal of Ethnic Foods.
The researchers wrote: “This paper explores the potential of regular production and consumption of gut-beneficial foods, such as yogurt, during space travel.
“It analyses whether the dietary limitations and challenges in providing varied and fresh food for astronauts could be addressed through the addition and daily consumption of Bulgarian yogurt.”
Scientists conducted their yogurt experiment in a Mars-like environment.
They used a facility called the Mars Desert Research Station in Utah.
Participants took part in a two week analog mission at the site and ate Bulgarian yoghurt to fuel their tasks.
The researchers continued: “In compliment to all recognized health effects of yogurt, the analog astronauts reported that it can be easily prepared and had a positive effect on their overall well-being and gut health.
“Our study demonstrated the feasibility of incorporating freshly made yogurt into the astronauts’ diet and its potential to significantly contribute to achieving good health and well-being, which is an important goal in the colonization of other planets, such as Mars.”
Although the yogurt was recognized as a food that would be easy for astronauts to make and travel with, there were some negatives highlighted.
It’s thought the yogurt could increase flatulence frequency.
That’s not ideal when travelling on a spacecraft for months in a confined space.
The researchers conclude that flatulence frequency would be useful to study further.
They wrote: “While these assessments, including changes in flatulence frequency and gut microbiome diversity analysis, were not the primary focus, exploring these aspects in future studies with more flexibility or in different settings could offer further insights.”
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