Commercial Yogurt: Dead or Alive?

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Commercial Yogurt: Dead or Alive?

JoAnn Guest

Dec 30, 2004 09:36 PST

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Commercial Yogurt: Dead or Alive?

 

Do all brands of yogurt have the necessary cultures that are good for

you?

 

-- Anonymous

 

 

Answer (Published 08/18/2003)

 

 

Most yogurts on supermarket shelves probably don’t have the beneficial

“live” or “active” cultures typically found in yogurt in countries such

as Greece, Israel, Lebanon, or India. In fact, much of the

custard-textured products sold in this country bear little resemblance

to traditional yogurt containing live cultures, which I much prefer.

Traditional is healthier, because it doesn’t contain the sugars found in

flavored yogurts, and because the live cultures help maintain “friendly”

bacteria in the digestive system.

 

No matter how it ends up, all yogurt starts out by adding two types of

bacteria, Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus, to

milk (collectively, these bacteria are known as “acidophilus”). The

combination is warmed for a few hours during which the bacteria convert

milk sugar (lactose) to lactic acid, which curdles the milk and gives it

a distinctive, pleasant, tangy flavor. What happens next determines the

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fate of the bacterial cultures.

 

To give their products a longer shelf life, manufacturers often

heat-treat yogurt after fermentation. This kills off the live cultures.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires that these products be

labeled “heat-treated after culturing.” To determine whether the yogurt

you buy contains living bacteria check the labels for the words “active

yogurt cultures,” “living yogurt cultures,” or “contains active

cultures.” Don’t be fooled by the words “made with active cultures.” All

yogurts are made with live cultures, but no live cultures survive

heat-treatment. You can keep yogurt containing live cultures in the

refrigerator for about two weeks. If mold and gas bubbles form, throw it

out. But don’t worry about greenish or clear liquid floating on top,

this is the whey or liquid component of yogurt. That is harmless and can

be stirred in before eating.

 

Dr. Andrew Weil

www.drweil.com

 

 

What’s your taste in yogurt? to debate preferences in our discussion

groups.

 

 

 

 

 

AIM Barleygreen

" Wisdom of the Past, Food of the Future "

 

http://www.geocities.com/mrsjoguest/Diets.html