Benefits of Yogurt

Benefits of Yogurt

Did you know that there was a time that yogurt was viewed as an exotic food? That is hard to believe since now you can find all different types of yogurt in many different stores. Times sure have changed! However, the benefits of yogurt have not.

Yogurt is still offered as a health food today. Eating one or two cups on most days is very beneficial for your health. When its important components, namely live cultures (probiotics), protein, calcium and B vitamins, work together, they are responsible to help mitigate the following conditions:

1. Lactose Intolerance: Many people can’t digest milk, but eating yogurt daily can help them get the calcium they need. You see, the probiotics in the yogurt have already digested the lactose in the milk allowing those who are lactose intolerant to enjoy this food that is high in calcium!

2. Allergies: Since probiotics affect the entire skin surface, which includes every area that has contact with the outside world, we can safely say that what can improve the digestive system can improve our nasal passages. Studies have shown that babies who eat yogurt and take in probiotics from as young as 3 months of age, have a better chance to avoid many allergies, especially eczema.

3. Cancer: The probiotics in the yogurt help neutralize mutagens that cause cancer, so eating yogurt is helpful in reducing the chance of colon cancer as well as breast cancer. Probiotics encourage the growth of the good bacteria in our digestive system and it limits the growth of the bad bacteria that doesn’t allow us to digest food properly. They also encourage the growth of microflora that promotes the development of cancer. Yogurt may not take away the cancer if you already have it, but it does reduce the chance of you getting it.

4. Cholesterol Reduction: Yogurt helps reduce bile acids, which in turn decreases the absorption of cholesterol form the gastrointestinal tract. In this way, it helps you regulate your cholesterol levels.

5. Diarrhea: Since the probiotics stimulate the immune system by limiting the growth of bad bacteria, and stimulating the growth of good bacteria, yogurt can also help alleviate the symptoms of diarrhea.

6. Vaginal Infections and Urinary Tract Infections: Once again, this is possible because of the live cultures/probiotics that are found in yogurt.

As we can see, the probiotics in yogurt really enhance our health! It promotes the growth of good bacteria in our digestive system and reduces the growth of the bad bacteria thus helping to alleviate lactose intolerance, allergies, cancer, diarrhea, vaginal infections and urinary tract infections.

Probiotics are not the only beneficial ingredient of the yogurt, though. Don’t forget that it is also high in calcium and in protein. The calcium helps us reduce the chance of osteoporosis and helps us have strong teeth. The protein helps our muscles to get stronger. Without muscles we aren’t able to function, to do the activities we do everyday.

So, have a yogurt today, but make sure that it has live active cultures, is low- or non-fat and is low in sugar. (I recommend Dannon’s Light and Fit Vanilla Yogurt.) Enjoy the benefits of a yogurt as its probiotics, calcium, protein, and B vitamins work together, truly enhancing your health in many ways. Use fat-free yogurt as a substitute for sour cream; enjoy it for breakfast by serving it with fresh fruit and topped with a bit of low-fat granola; add it to smoothies. How you enjoy it is up to you - the possibilities are endless ;)

Posted on January 22, 2007 23:01 | Health General
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