Interesting Facts About Non-fat Yogurt

Yogurt is curdled milk with live added cultures. It can be made from whole milk, low-fat milk or nonfat milk, which produces nonfat yogurt. Nonfat yogurt comes in several flavors and types, including custard-style, fruit-on-the-bottom, whipped and creamy Greek yogurt. Because of its unusual health benefits, nonfat yogurt is included in "SuperFoods Rx: Fourteen Foods That Will Change Your Life" by Dr. Steven Pratt.

Making Non-Fat Yogurt

To make nonfat yogurt, nonfat powdered milk and nonfat liquid milk, either cow, sheep or goat milk is blended and heated to 80 degrees Celsius for just 30 seconds to pasteurize. After cooling, live bacterial cultures, acquired from factories that breed bacteria for the dairy industry, are added. The mixture is then heated to 45 degrees Celsius and allowed to ferment for six to 20 hours. It thickens and develops its characteristic tart, tangy flavor.

Live Bacteria

When it comes to live bacterial cultures, the more, the better. The National Yogurt Association has created a seal that guarantees the live active culture population in your yogurt. Look for ingredients such as L. acidophilus, S. thermophilus, Lactobacillus bulgaricus. B. bifidus, L. casei and L. reuteri, according to Pratt. Yogurts containing live active cultures must be refrigerated and will have a short shelf-life.

Synergistic Health Benefits

The synergy of prebiotics, probiotics, protein, calcium and B vitamins in yogurt all work together to strengthen the immune system, lower cholesterol and ward off unfriendly bacteria. Nonfat yogurt promotes intestinal health, allowing your body to absorb the nutrients in your diet, which is critical to optimal health, particularly for the elderly. Nonfat yogurt can help fight vaginal and urinary tract infections and relieve diarrhea, especially diarrhea caused by the use of antibiotics.

Nutritional Information

A 1 cup serving of nonfat plain yogurt has about 120 calories, 17 g of carbs, 14 g of protein and no fat. Watch out for yogurt that has fruit already added. The sugar content will be much higher than simply adding your own fruit. Top off your nonfat yogurt with some wheat germ or ground flaxseed for added taste and nutrition.

Substitutions

Nonfat yogurt can be substituted in your recipes for other higher-fat, less-healthful food items such as sour cream and mayonnaise. The Ohio State University Medical Center suggests using 1/2 the sour cream and adding nonfat yogurt to dips, sauces, Mexican food, twice-baked potatoes, dessert toppings and beef stroganoff. Also, you can cut your mayonnaise in half and use nonfat yogurt in salad dressings, sandwich fillings and vegetable salads.