Yogurt

Milk turnes into yogurt through the action of two bacteria, (Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactobacillus bulgaricus), which provoke a fermentation that turns up lactose into lactic acid, more easily digestible by adults than lactose. Yogurt contains calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium, trace elements... Advertising often shows us how necessary it is for the health of the intestinal flora, but in fact, our flora can remain perfectly healthy without taking yogurt. It is true that yogurt (like probiotic food) help it to regenerate after it has been out of balance due for example to some diarrhoeas, such as the ones that can be produced by some antibiotics. The healthier for digestion and for all the body is to be properly fed.

How can we do it

Let us have a varied diet that includes fibre and balanced all basic nutrients (vitamins, minerals, proteins, fats, sugars) and few industrially processed foods.
Referring to the intake of calcium, if we adults do not feel in taking milk or if we have got intolerance to it, we can choose fermented lactic (yogurt, cheese, kefir...)
Other sources of calcium, nuts and dried fruit, legumes, parsley, spinach, Swiss chard, broccoli, leeks, sardines...

The quantity and quality of the yogurt nutrients depends essentially of the quality of the milk. We choose yogurts made with quality milk.

How can we do it

Let us have a look at the following tab.

For the yogurt to keep its beneficial properties, the bacteria that it contains have to be alive in the moment of eating them, which does not happen if the yogurt is pasteurized. Furthermore, in the production of yogurt is sought to attract the consumer by offering a variety of tastes and textures (mousse, creamy custards, yogurt shake...), colours, the container (such as the cup) or ingredients to "enrich" it. Let us learn to distinguish the nutritive quality of the yogurt.

How can we do it

In some countries like Spain, law establishes that the yogurts in which it cannot be guaranteed that the bacteria remain alive should be labelled yogurt pasteurized after fermentation.
It is difficult for the extra ingredients that "enrich" the yogurt (and other food) as supplementary calcium, vitamins or Omega-3, to provide us with anything adequate to a good nutrition, keeping in mind that they have been taken out of their original food and handled industrially.
The natural yogurt never has additive but may have chemical sweeteners, solid lactic and added milk proteins.
As a general rule, the fruit yogurts contain a small quantity of fruit, as jam or puree and preservatives.
The flavoured yogurts don't contain any fruit, only flavours.
The use of additives and extra ingredients is more restraint in ecological yogurts.

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Data d'actualització: 10/06/2010 - 19:32