As an ingredient of varied recipes, yogurt offers countless benefits.
Its living bacteria-one hundred million per cubic millimeters-fight infections and help balance the intestinal flora. It should be consumed without subjecting it to cooking because high temperatures kill these beneficial bacteria.
Its slightly acidic flavor and creamy texture perfectly complements an infinity of morsels, from strongly spicy dishes to sweet temptations.
It is deal for breakfast, because it prepares the intestine to receive other foods throughout the day. It is also indicated for desserts and snacks.
Its origin
Historians locate the origin of yogurt in a territory that surrounds the Balkans and covers areas of current Bulgaria, Turkey, and Russia. In times prior to agriculture, the nomadic peoples of the region transported milk in containers made with the stomach of goats. During the voyages, the heat would favor the multiplication of the bacteria that fermented the milk and turned it into a curd that was the staple food of those long-lived shepherds.
Elaboration
To obtain yogurt, a culture of Lactobacillus bulgaricus is added to the pasteurized and homogenized, whole or skimmed milk, which at a temperature of 40-45ºC transform the nutrients. Lactose (milk sugar) is converted to lactic acid and casein (milk protein) coagulates.
These changes determine that yogurt is an easy food to digest and suitable even for those who do not tolerate lactose.
Health benefits
It is a prebiotic food that increases immunity against infections and other diseases.
It preserves the capacity of the organism to fulfill its functions normally, in particular, that of excretion.
It is effective to maintain the intestinal flora and recover it after severe diarrhea or the taking of antibiotics.
It is useful even for people who suffer from lactose intolerance.
Choosing and buying yogurt
In a healthy diet, it is important to choose low-fat yogurt, either natural or flavored.
And when the objective is to overcome constipation, it is convenient to opt for bioyogurt, which in addition to lactic ferments contains other living microorganisms, the bifidobacteria that specifically help to improve the intestinal flora.
Yogurt should be kept refrigerated. In the supermarket, you have to buy it at the end of your shopping, so as to keep it cold the most possible.
Its nutritional content
Yogurt contains proteins of high biological value, calcium of good absorption, vitamins of group B and vitamins A and D.
In normal yogurt saturated fats predominate, that is, those that are less healthy; that’s why Natural Low Fat Yogurt is recommended.
