Yogurt has slowly but steadily worked its way into the Canadian diet over the last few decades. That it took so long may seem surprising since fermented dairy products were already being consumed thousands of years ago in places such as the Middle East; however, it is only in the last 50 years that food ideas have been shared around the world through modern technology. Today consumers in North America look for the cup-size containers of yogurt for an easy snack, but also purchase the 500 or 750-gram sizes when larger quantities are needed for cooking, desserts or dips. In fact, the dairy aisles of most supermarkets have enough variety in yogurt pertaining to milk fat content, flavour and brand to make a shopper almost dizzy.

Essentially, whether consumers are aware of it or not, all yogurt is healthy since it contains the same vitamins and minerals that milk—from which it is made—does. That is, yogurt is very good source of calcium which is imperative for the development and maintenance of strong bones and teeth, and a good source of protein, the building block of body tissues, and as well, supplies important nutrients such as iodine, phosphorus, zinc, potassium and several B vitamins.

It is true that a small percentage of individuals do not tolerate diary products which may include yogurt—and obviously they will need to avoid these foods; however, for the rest of the population, yogurt can make a very valuable health contribution.

One basic factor to keep in mind when purchasing yogurt is fat content, and for the most part, 0 or low-fat is promoted by nutritionists since it contains all the nutrients whole fat yogurt does without adding saturated fat to the diet. Contrary to what many consumers believe, the consumption of dairy products—particularly the low-fat variety—can actually help people lose weight which seems to have something to do with calcium intake. Tests show that a cultured food such as yogurt promotes more fat loss than straight milk. Parents should take note that if children tend to be overweight, the best snack might be a daily serving of yogurt (along with the restriction of pop, chips and candy items).

Mitigate the tang

The second ingredient to consider is sugar which is usually added to yogurt in some form to mitigate the tang of plain yogurt. It’s perfectly fine to eat sweetened yogurt with fruit; simply be aware this adds extra calories. It’s wise to get into the habit of purchasing plain yogurt, then adding fruit or a minimum of a sweetener at home.

One question that often comes to mind when talking about yogurt is, does it have any health benefit that milk does not? The answer is yes. It appears cultured food such as yogurt contains beneficial or friendly bacteria that aids digestion, and as well bolsters the body’s efficiency in protecting against infections of all types including pneumonia.

Yogurt that contains probiotics or additional strains of micro-organisms—always stated on the label—seems to have yet another edge, adding even more health benefits. Before consumers get nervous about ingesting bacteria, it should be noted that our intestines contain a large number of friendly bacteria that perform some amazing roles. By ingesting probiotics we are assisting the bacteria already in a healthy stomach to do its work.

Some of the health benefits of probiotic yogurt are improving the body’s cholesterol profile (lowering the “bad” or LDL cholesterol and raising the “good” or HDL cholesterol), guarding against arthritis (even more so than regular yogurt) and mitigating the effect of stomach ulcers.

No doubt, readers are wondering whether Greek yogurt, a newcomer that seems to be taking over, is a healthier option than its conventional counterpart. In brief, the answer is that while Greek yogurt contains a little less calcium per gram, it is higher in protein, and lower in carbohydrates (sugar) and sodium. It is available in low-fat and probiotic versions.

It should be noted that probiotics can be purchased in capsule form which is particularly convenient to keep the gut healthy when travelling or other situations when yogurt is not readily available.