Health benefits range from protecting against osteoporosis to relieving irritable bowel disease and aiding digestion, but these depend on the type of yogurt consumed.
Added sugar and processing can make some yogurt products unhealthy.
Yogurt starts as fresh milk or cream. It is often first pasteurized, then fermented with various live bacteria cultures, and incubated at a specific temperature to encourage bacteria growth.
The culture ferments the lactose, the natural sugar found in milk. This produces lactic acid, which gives yogurt its distinctive flavor.
Fast facts about yogurt
- Yogurt is made by fermenting milk with a yogurt culture.
- Health benefits can include promoting bone health and aiding digestion.
- Some yogurts contain active, living bacteria known as probiotics, which can help keep the intestines healthy.
- Yogurt products that go through heat treatment have no active bacteria, reducing the health benefits. Yogurt-covered raisins are an example.
- Yogurts contain calcium, vitamins B6 and B12, riboflavin, potassium, and magnesium. The amounts depend on the type.
