Yo Yo to Yogurt

New Yogurt Varieties are Added Every Day

Grocery stores have become multicultural with the yogurt industry alone having a 2,500-percent increase in Greek-style yogurt. In 2007, customers could either choose yogurt with fruit on the bottom or the ones where the strawberries or blueberries were already mixed in it. But today, shoppers can select from a whole range of varieties: full-fat, low-fat or non-fat, Greek or regular, drinkable Kefir, organic or conventional or even yogurts with added fiber with many more varieties being added while you are busy reading this article.

One of the Oldest Processed Foods
Yogurts came into existence almost 7,000 years back and is one of humanity’s oldest processed foods. The preparation method and the way it is used varies from India to Europe to the Middle East to Africa. Still, all varieties of yogurt share some common things: each is made with live cultures, a good bacteria which transforms liquid milk into the sour taste and thick consistency of yogurt. The best thing about yogurts is that they contain nutrients such as calcium, vitamin D, protein, potassium and B vitamins.

Whey is the Way to Calcium
Whichever variety of yogurt you choose, make sure to eat the whey. Whey is the liquid that accumulates on top of the yogurt container and includes most of the calcium content of yogurt. You can stir it back into the yogurt or use it in smoothies or hot cereal instead of water.
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Whey (actually the absence of it) is key to Greek yogurt. Greek yogurts have most of the whey removed through a process of straining which leaves the yogurt with much protein but less calcium (unless it is added in some other way). Make sure to check the ingredients list to see if calcium has been added.

Benefits of Yogurt
In people with lactose intolerance, yogurt is the choicest option to compensate for the lost dairy. Yogurt contains less lactose than ice cream and milk and must be consumed along with other foods such as nuts, fruit or cereal to make up for the lactose intolerance. The alternative nutritive choice for people with lactose intolerance can be fetched from www.firsteatright.com.

The lactose content in yogurt is minimal because the introduced bacteria, also called “live cultures” with names such as Lactobacillus acidophilus, L. casei, L. reuteri and Bifidobacterium bifidum (or Bifidus), help to digest the lactose. Yogurts boost overall gut health and immunity. To ensure that the yogurt product you are planning to buy has these cultures, look into the ingredient label for the bacteria listed above.

Many More Additions to Yogurt Varieties
The latest varieties added to yogurt include drinkable yogurt, kefir, squeezable yogurt and yogurt with added fiber. RDNs suggest buyers to check the nutrition facts panel and the ingredients list for buying these products — especially for added colors or sugars in the ones marketed to kids.

Kefir: A Fermented Milk Drink