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The Health Benefits of Yogurt By Melissa J Wantuck  |
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 Yogurt is a simple by-product of milk that has plenty of health benefits for everyone. You can eat it plain or make a dip out of it for dipping fresh fruit. Add some honey to sweeten plain yogurt or mix it in with a smoothie. No matter how you choose to eat it, here’s how it can help to keep you healthy.
First of all, we need to specify the type of yogurt we’re talking about. Not the kind full of artificial colors sweeteners. These are the kind typically targeted to children. Steer yourself away from this kind of yogurt and instead look for plain organic yogurts. Most organic yogurts still contain the rich nutrients that make yogurt a healthy food and plain yogurts don’t have extra sugar that is typically added to fruit-filled yogurt.
How Yogurt Is Made
Understanding how yogurt is made will explain why yogurt is naturally healthy for you, not manufactured. Yogurt is made by heating milk, adding active bacteria, called starter, to the milk, then heating the two together at a low steady temperature for a few hours or more, or fermenting, until the mixture thickens.
Healthy Make Up
The bacteria in the starter are called probiotics, or good bacteria. Our bodies contain good bacteria that fight disease, foreign matter, and helps with digestion. Bad bacteria that enter our body can make us sick so doctors subscribe antibiotics, which is medicine that fights the bad bacteria. The probiotics in yogurt help enhance the good bacteria we have.
Along with the probiotics, yogurt contains all of the health benefits of milk including protein, calcium, potassium, magnesium and vitamins B-2 and B-12.
Live and Active Cultures
Printing “Probiotics” on the outside packaging of yogurt has become the latest buzzword in advertising. These yogurt producers are not misrepresenting their product if their packaging also contains a section near nutritional information that starts with “Live and Active Cultures.” Here the manufactures list the bacteria used in their starter. Common ones to look for so you know which yogurt contains the good bacteria are: Lactobacillus Acidophilus, L. Bifidus, L. Casei, L. Reuteri, Bifidobacterium bifidum or Bifidobacterium Lactis. Lactobacillus is often shorted to “L.” on packaging.
Scientific Studies
While research is still being conducted and the full benefits of yogurt to our body’s well-being still aren’t fully know, what has been discovered is yogurt is good for you. The live cultures aid various bodily functions from digestion to the immune system.
Shopping Checklist
Now you know when you’re shopping to look for the “Live and Active Cultures” list and also check nutrition facts and ingredients. Avoid yogurt that has sugar added. Plain yogurt is tart in taste but sugar adds calories to the yogurt and you can add a natural sweetener on your own. Honey and maple syrup are two ways to naturally sweeten yogurt. Another is to add fresh fruit of your choosing. Even yogurt that has fruit added also has sugar added. Try the tart yogurt and see if you end up developing a taste for it, yogurt in its purest, healthiest form.
Dairy Allergies and Lactose Intolerance
People who are allergic to dairy products or are lactose intolerant, most can have yogurt without any reaction. The fermenting of the milk with the starter alters what triggers dairy allergies and lactose intolerance. This is good news for those with either of these conditions that want to enjoy the benefits of yogurt.
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