Yogurt offers a number of health and nutrition benefits, including colon health, easy digestibility and a rich source of protein and calcium. It can form the basis for a healthy dessert, topping, dip, sauce or marinade, and can substitute for higher fat foods such as mayonnaise or sour cream. Consumers looking for the most beneficial yogurts should consider the calorie, fat and sugar content of the product, as well as whether or not a particular brand contains live bacteria.
Types of Yogurt
Yogurt's characteristically tangy taste comes from adding lactobacteria called Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus to pasteurized milk. The fat content of yogurt depends on the type of milk used -- regular, reduced fat or nonfat. Adding fruit, sugar and flavorings alters the nutritional content of the yogurt, and heating the product after fermentation prolongs shelf life but kills the active bacteria. Types of yogurt include nonfat, reduced fat, full fat, Greek, custard, fruit-on-the-bottom and frozen yogurt.
Plain, Nonfat Yogurt
Plain, unflavored yogurt made from skim milk provides calcium, protein and other nutrients for about 90 calories per six-ounce serving. This simple, healthy version of yogurt contains no artificial additives, sugar or fat -- just fermented milk and lactobacteria. If the sour or tangy taste does not appeal to you, stir in fruit and sweeteners but be sure to include those ingredients in your daily calorie total.
Greek Yogurt
Greek yogurt, produced by straining off the liquid whey after the fermentation process, has about twice the amount of protein as regular yogurt because the milk protein is very concentrated. To make Fage's Greek yogurt, for example, the manufacturer starts with four pounds of regular yogurt that, after straining, weighs one pound, according to the company's website. This creamier, thicker yogurt may be made from regular, reduced fat or nonfat milk and may be sweetened with sugar or honey. Look for plain, nonfat Greek yogurt rather than a flavored version sweetened with honey or sugar.
Live and Active Cultures
Lactobacteria, the live cultures added to pasteurized milk to produce yogurt, provide several benefits to the body. Eating yogurt with live and active cultures can help reduce the risk of colon cancer, improve digestion, protect against heart disease and boost the immune system. The bacteria also breaks down lactose, the primary sugar in milk, so many lactose-intolerant individuals can enjoy this dairy food without experiencing unpleasant digestive symptoms. However, some manufacturers treat yogurt with heat after fermentation, a process that kills the bacteria but prolongs the shelf life. Consumers should look for the Live and Active Culture seal on yogurt and frozen yogurt containers that identifies products that contain at least 10 million cultures per gram to reap the health benefits of the live lactobacteria.
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