Yogurt is a Healthy Choice
Yogurt is a unique food because it is a cultured milk product, made by adding certain "friendly" or “good” bacteria called probiotics to milk, skim milk, and/or cream to produce a thicker and more textured product. These “good” bacteria are live active cultures that are similar to the ones that already exist in the human digestive tract. They help maintain and restore the delicate balance of both "good" and "bad" bacteria necessary for a healthy digestive system.Many yogurts are supplemented with these health-promoting probiotics, such as Lactobacillus acidophilus, Bifidobacteria bifidus and Lactococcus paracasei.Most of us have taken antibiotics and suffered side effects of diarrhea or intestinal pain and bloating. This is because some antibiotics upset the balance of bacteria in the digestive tract. Probiotics may help relieve these side effects by restoring balance in the gut.Yogurt is a calcium powerhouse and a source of high-quality protein. Yogurt is nutrient rich because it is an excellent source of vitamins and minerals for its calories!
The nutritional and caloric contents of yogurt are similar to those of the fluid milk from which it is made. So, it is an important source of calcium, protein, vitamins A, riboflavin, phosphorus and potassium. In fact, one serving of yogurt contains about as much potassium as a banana (around 400 mg).