You might be surprised to hear that yogurt is an ancient food. Although sources don’t 100% agree, yogurt likely has been around for at least 6,000 years. People in different areas of the world found that animal milk (often cow’s milk) would ferment when left under certain conditions. This thickened end product was tasty and had positive health benefits. Yogurt became a staple in the diets of many ancient civilizations, as it is in several countries today.
What is yogurt, exactly?
Yogurt is the final result of milk fermentation. Milk is heated and mixed with a culture made of specific bacteria to make yogurt. The milk is then left alone for a period of time to ferment. The culture that is added depends on the type of yogurt being made, which can vary by area of the world. Most of us are familiar with typical yogurt or thicker Greek yogurt, but there is also Skyr, Kefir and more!
During fermentation, the added bacteria convert milk’s lactose into lactic acid (lactic acid is the reason why yogurt tastes so sharp and tangy). This switch to lactic acid lowers milk’s pH (makes it more acidic) and causes a shift in the structure of proteins, making the milk become semisolid.
Is my yogurt alive?
Yes. Well, it’s not so much that yogurt itself is alive, but living (healthy) bacteria in your yogurt exist.
Is that dangerous?
Not at all. Remember the bacteria that worked so hard to ferment the milk? That bacteria is also what provides the great health benefits you get from eating yogurt. You have similar bacteria alive and well in your gut!
What exactly are yogurt’s health benefits?
Yogurt has a lot of health benefits. Interestingly, although yogurt and milk are very similar, yogurt tends to have the same nutrients as you find in milk because it has been fermented.
Some of yogurt’s health benefits include:
- More proteins, vitamins, and minerals (like vitamins B2 and B12, calcium, potassium, magnesium, and zinc) in a serving of yogurt than in a serving of milk
- More lactic acid than milk, which allows people who are lactose intolerant to better digest yogurt even if they cannot digest milk
- Reduction of digestive challenges because some of the bacteria in yogurt are believed to help digestion.
- A possible reduction in allergic reactions and high blood pressure. Probiotics and peptides in yogurt reinforce the body’s natural defenses against these conditions.
- Lowered serum cholesterol. Some strains of yogurt may lower the production of cholesterol.
- Reduced rates of cancer. Some studies have shown that higher consumption of fermented products leads to lower rates of certain cancers.
- Lower rates of Type 2 diabetes when yogurt is eaten daily
With many potential health benefits and styles of yogurt to try, it’s worth considering adding yogurt into your routine during pregnancy. Although we don’t know it will be helpful for every person, it’s possible that this probiotic rich food may help with constipation, heart burn, blood pressure and blood sugar control.
How do probiotics fit into all of this?
If you find yourself wandering the grocery aisles confused and uncertain about what yogurt product to buy, marketing may be to blame. You’ve probably noticed a lot of yogurts are advertised as ‘probiotic yogurts,’ with confusing names like “bifidus regularis” on their labels.
Probiotics are bacteria (microorganisms) that are added to milk to make yogurt and that can have positive health benefits for our bodies. All yogurt contains probiotics. However, some yogurt products have other bacteria strains added in, hence the different names for bacteria that you see on various yogurt products.
So, should you shop for certain strains of probiotics or stick to probiotic foods?
Experts aren’t entirely sure. If you have a pill that helps your indigestion or gives you regular bowel movements, then by all means, continue to take it. Some of these foods are:
- Aged cheese
- Kimchi
- Tempeh
- Sauerkraut
- Miso
And, of course, yogurt.
Some people can’t get enough yogurt, while others need to find one with just the right texture. If you don’t enjoy yogurt, many other healthy alternatives provide similar nutrients and probiotic benefits. But if you want to try or enjoy yogurt, and you’ve been confused about the effects of its live cultures, rest assured that these cultures make yogurt a dietary option with positive health benefits.
Sources
- “Ch. 17: Nutrition During Pregnancy.” ACOG. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, Apr 2015. Web.
- “The Yogurt craze: Is it really healthy?” UWHealth. University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics Authority, 2017. Web.
- L O’Mahoney, at al. “Lactobacillus and bifidobacterium in irritable bowel syndrome: symptom responses and relationship to cytokine profiles.” Gastroenterology. 128(3):541-51. Web. Mar 2005.
- Chen, M., Sun, Q., Giovannucci, E. et al. Dairy consumption and risk of type 2 diabetes: 3 cohorts of US adults and an updated meta-analysis. BMC Med 12, 215 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12916-014-0215-1
