Yogurt is a good treat, isn't it?
This wonderful product has conquered all world markets.
But is it as useful as girls claim in commercials?
Tasty medicine or a storehouse of harmful additives?
The article will discuss the beneficial and harmful properties of yogurt.
Yogurt is a product of fermented milk origin, obtained by fermenting milk with special yogurt bacteria.
Pure yogurt is known to mankind for more than 3 thousand years since the time of ancient Babylon. The word "yogurt" is of Turkish origin, but its birthplace is Bulgaria.
In Bulgaria, its composition imposes the most stringent requirements. All that contains dyes, additives, sugar, thickeners and powdered milk - in Bulgaria can not be called traditional natural yogurt. In Russia and other countries, the laws are softer, and manufacturers supply the market with yoghurt with a variety of fillings. Approaching the window, eyes run up from such a rich assortment.
Today, there are 3 types of yogurt:
• Yogurts without flavoring additives (natural yoghurt, consists exclusively of milk and ferment)
• Fruit yogurts (with the addition of fruit syrups)
• Flavored yogurts (contain sugar and various flavors)
Of interest is the classification of yoghurts into the following 2 types:
• Alive - contain live bacteria without the addition of preservatives, the shelf life can not exceed 1 month.
• Inanimate - amenable to heat treatment and preservation, stored up to 1 year.
Yogurt: what is the benefit for the body?
The high nutritional value of yogurt makes it a product of therapeutic and health food. It is difficult to overestimate their benefits, because yogurts are rich in a whole range of nutrients:
• Milk proteins
• Fats
• Vitamins (B2, B12)
• Calcium
• Phosphorus
• Carbohydrates
• iodine
• Live microorganisms
What are the benefits of yogurt for health? Doctors recommend replacing heavy dinner with light yogurt. It is necessary for the normalization of intestinal activity and improve the process of digestion. It has been proven that yogurt is the best prevention of bowel cancer. Yoghurt effectively relieves the body and helps to feel the lightness and get rid of bad breath.
Its beneficial microflora stimulates the immune system, causing the body to attack various kinds of viruses and bacteria. Taking 300 grams of yogurt daily, you will feel that the disease bypasses you.
Yogurt stops aging! Lactobacilli and bifidobacteria of the dairy product clean the intestinal walls from harmful slags. As you know, putrefactive processes pollute our body from the inside and contribute to accelerated aging.
Yogurt helps fight thrush. The body reduces the number of bacteria responsible for the appearance of such an unpleasant disease. Therefore, girls of reproductive age are especially advised to add yogurt to their diet and take care of their health.
Yogurt supports the necessary level of cholesterol in the blood and improves brain function. American scientists in their studies provided evidence of the dependence of the development of mental abilities on the intestinal microflora.
Products of dairy origin affect the activity of brain areas responsible for the emotional component of intellectual activity. Bad mood and depression? Another useful property of yogurt: pure organism and, as a result, pure thoughts.
Lactic acid bacteria help calcium absorption. Interestingly, 100 grams of the product contains more than 25% of the daily calcium requirement. And calcium is shiny hair, healthy teeth, clean skin, strong bones and muscles.
Yogurts - dietary aide! Studies by American scientists prove that yogurt helps to lose weight faster. And this is not surprising, because the basis of any diet - improving metabolism and proper bowel work.
Yogurt is an easily digestible, non-allergenic product. People who are allergic to milk protein and lactose intolerant may include yogurt in their diet and compensate for the lack of calcium.
Another useful property of yogurt: yogurt - excellent cosmetic tool. Yogurt masks are great against skin peeling.
Who will yogurt benefit?
• Pregnant women and girls preparing for pregnancy
• Who takes drugs (especially antibiotics)
• Living in areas of unfavorable environmental situation, where intestinal infections are likely to become infected
• Eating in crowded places (cafes, restaurants, canteens)
• Working in hazardous industries
• Immunocompromised people
• Adolescents and the elderly.
Any product has both indications for consumption and contraindications.
Natural yogurt should not be consumed if you have:
• Gastritis of high acidity
• Gastric or duodenal ulcer
• Diarrhea
• kidney disease
• Diseases of the urinary tract
Yogurt: what is the harm to health?
Bright packaging of yogurt, screaming advertising slogan, exotic supplements - this is certainly a successful marketing policy of companies. But, as a rule, buyers pay attention to this. And few people think about what harm can cause such a seemingly harmless product to the body. From the lessons of chemistry it is known that fresh vegetables, fruits and berries upset the balance of the fermented milk environment. Unfortunately, thousands of chemical additives give themselves off as natural ingredients. Manufacturers love to save and buy cheap raw materials. It is much more profitable for them to give a flavored non-natural taste to a cheap product, rather than to buy expensive tropical fruits. Just think what harm they can do, because many of them are used even in the manufacture of paints and varnishes!
But this is not the worst. Manufacturers often use flavor enhancers, which are the strongest and most dangerous carcinogens. Doctors associate the incidence of pancreatitis with the ever-increasing use of preservatives in the manufacture of food.
Dentists have a negative attitude to yogurt, as they, like chocolate, caramel and juice, destroy tooth enamel. But in order to avoid harming the mouth, it is enough just to rinse your mouth after eating and do not forget to brush your teeth 2 times a day.
Excessive consumption of yoghurts containing sugar is 3 times more than the norm, can cause serious harm to the body and lead to the development of diabetes. Due to the fact that the portability of each product is different, long-term use of yogurt can lead to the formation of kidney stones, flatulence and spasms in the colon. Therefore, it is better to consult a doctor if you should use this product, will it be useful or harmful for you, and whether your body has a predisposition to develop the above mentioned diseases.
Calorie yogurt
The energy value of the product is called its calorie content. This is the amount of energy that is released in the human body from food in the process of eating. Nutritionists of many countries include yoghurts in the list of products that help lose those extra pounds. Therefore, they are often called dietary. So, how many calories in yogurt? The calorie content of yogurt is determined by the fat content of milk, which is its basis. The calorie content of the finished product ranges from 100 to 250 kcal per 100 g. The caloric content of store yoghurts varies from 50 to 100 kcal. The more fillers contains yogurt, the greater its energy value. For example, the caloric content of natural yogurt with a fat content of 3.2% is 58 kcal per 100 g, and that of yogurt with fillers is 100 kcal. And this is 2 times more!
Yogurt for children: good or bad?
Children under 9 months are not recommended to enter into the diet of yogurt. The first year of life a baby should receive only breast milk or formula. When choosing a yoghurt for a child in the store, be sure to pay attention to the shelf life of the product.
Yogurt containing live bacteria cannot have a shelf life of more than a week. Therefore, parents should be wary when buying “live yogurt” for their babies with a shelf life of more than a month.
For a child, it is better to choose foods with a fat content of up to 5% without fillers. Supplements are harmful to the not yet formed gastrointestinal tract of children. The most useful yogurt is stored no more than 3-4 days and is sold in stores specialized in dairy products. Such yogurts are made from natural cow's milk, so they can be given even to the smallest. Each child is individual, so you should still consult with a pediatrician.
Teenagers are recommended to eat natural yogurts, because they are easily digested and saturate the growing body with energy.
To this day, the question remains controversial: "Yogurt - what's more: good or harm?".
Some argue that the use of yogurt brings tangible benefits to health, while others exclude it from their diet.
But remember A truly healthy product is one that consists entirely of natural ingredients.. The fewer components contained in yogurt, the more useful it is. In order to avoid harm to your body and provide it with extremely useful, carefully study the composition, check the expiration date, the presence of dyes and preservatives contained in it. Or try to find a simple recipe for homemade yogurt, in which you will be completely sure. Take kefir, add jam, honey, muesli and your favorite fresh fruit. And your dessert is ready!
