Yogurt and Its Benefits. Yogurt is a healthful food made by adding a starter culture of bacteria to pasteurized milk. The bacteria naturally act on the milks sugar to create lactic acid, which gives yogurt its characteristic thick, creamy texture and tangy taste. Some yogurts are heat-treated to increase shelf life, which kills the bacteria and its healthful attributes. The words live or active, used to describe bacteria in the list of ingredients, let consumers know the bacteria is living and functional. Some health benefits of yogurt • Yogurt is rich in calcium, which is essential for maintaining colon health and reducing the risk of colon cancer. • Calcium works with the live cultures found in some yogurt to increase absorption by the bones, making yogurt an excellent choice to help prevent osteoporosis. • Yogurt is an important source of calcium for people who have difficulty digesting the lactose (sugar) in milk, because yogurt contains lactase -– the enzyme we need to break down lactose for proper digestion. • Yogurt is rich in protein, B vitamins and essential minerals and low in carbohydrates. Its also low in fat (if you choose yogurt made from nonfat or low-fat milk). Zinc Zinc not only contains anti-inflammatory properties that can help reduce red swellings caused by acne or rashes but also have mild anti-astringent properties that help tighten tissues. Also necessary for cell reproduction and growth of tissues, zinc reduces the size of acne and pimples. Additionally, zinc in yogurt helps regulate oil production in the sebaceous glands thereby preventing oily skin and frequent acne breakouts. Lactic Acid Highly used in many skin care products, lactic acid is one of the key ingredients in yogurt. It helps smoothen rough skin, exfoliate skin and moisturize dry skin, among others. Besides that, lactic acid is also very beneficial in helping steer away wrinkles and reducing any already existing wrinkles.
Posted on: Mon, 18 Nov 2013 05:13:55 +0000
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