Yogurt and its benefits

Types of yogurt Dessert like: Products such as Astro's La Creme and Danone Danissimo Extreme are sweeter treats than regular yogurt but still contain all the calcium, protein and vitamins that make yogurt healthy. But like any decadent dessert, they have extra calories and fat compared with the less tempting variety. Drinks and smoothies: These are good for packing in lunches, but keep in mind that the juice or fruit added to create a more liquid consistency may reduce the calcium and protein concentrations. Look for products made with skim milk and those that list fruit content above sugar on the label. Tube: Because kids can eat tube-packed yogurts without a spoon, they like these nutritious snacks. But like many kid-friendly foods, they often are high in artificial dyes and flavors, so check the labels. Also, they come in small sizes (approximately 60 grams per tube), so they can last longer.

Benefits include

• Yogurt is much easier to digest than milk as yogurt is cultured, which means that yogurt contains the digestive enzyme, but for yogurt to have this positive effect, you not only have to eat it with live bacteria, but you should also eat it daily.
• Yogurt can also decrease your risk of contracting colon cancer, because it contains lactobacteria.
• Yogurt is also a rich source of calcium, as most dairy products are. Calcium aids in the development of strong teeth and gums, and can make your bones less brittle, which reduces the risk of developing osteoporosis.
• Eating yogurt on a regular basis can help you to absorb the nutrients in other foods as well.
• Eating yogurt helps the body to absorb calcium and B-vitamins more readily, so you can get the most nutritional value out of your meals. In turn, yogurt can also boost your immune system.

• For those who have a bulging stomach, yogurt may be of assistance. The active cultures which are in yogurt can help to relieve conditions such as diarrhea, colon cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, constipation, as lactose intolerance.
• Since our bodies can't synthesize these essential fatty acids, we have to get them through food. Omega-3s contribute to normal growth and development of our brain, eyes and nervous system; they can also reduce the risk of heart disease, inflammatory problems and depression. You can find them in yogurts such as Astro BioBest Omega 3, Danone Cardiva and Yoplait Source Cardio.
• Some yogurts contain this vitamin, which is important for helping our bodies absorb and use calcium. Vitamin D is especially important for people over 50, who need twice the amount as those under 50.
• Deficiency of this B vitamin is associated with congenital malformations in infants. Synthetic folic acid added to food is absorbed at almost twice the rate of that found naturally, making its addition to food extremely beneficial to pregnant and nursing women. Low levels of folic acid are also linked to coronary heart disease and stroke. You can find folic acid in Yoplait Source Cardio yogurt.

Preparation of Yogurt:

1. To make yogurt, milk is heated to approximately 200' Fahrenheit (93' Celsius) and kept at that temperature for 10-30 minutes, depending upon the thickness desired.
2. For thicker yogurt, the milk is heated longer. Next, the milk is rapidly cooled to approximately 112' Fahrenheit (44' Celsius) and mixed with a yogurt starter, which contains the necessary bacteria.
3. This dairy mixture is placed in clean containers and incubated for a minimum of four hours at 100' Fahrenheit (37' Celsius).
4. The longer the incubation, the more tart the yogurt, because more acids will develop.
5. To stop the incubation, the yogurt is placed in a cool environment such as a fridge. Kept cold, it will keep for approximately ten days.
6. Yogurt can be made at home using commercial yogurt as a starter.

So next time you go grocery shopping in time for the Christmas celebration dinner, grab a yogurt on your way.

(Sources: wisegeek.com, homecooking.about.com, oohoi.com, canadianliving.com)