Why is yogurt such a prized health food?
Because it is a fermented and easier to digest version of one of (wo)man's first processed foods- milk!
Turning milk into butter and yogurt was traditionally a crucial chore learned within the household since these foods were created to extend the shelf-life of milk.
Benefits of yogurt:
Source of essential fatty acids, like omega 3- more so when the milk is coming from a happy grass-fed animal.
Source of saturated fat & cholesterol - yeah, you heard me! We now know these are essential nutrients, needed for bone, skin and nutrient assimilation.
Vitamin A- not just beta-carotene, animal foods contain retinol, which is a fat soluble vitamin essential for human survival. Plant foods contain beta-carotene and from there our body converts it into retinol.
Vitamin E - the bioavailable form! Needed for hormone balance, healthy skin and much more!
Protein - the building blocks of our being!
B vitamins- the vitamins of energy and digestion, these are fermented by the active bacteria in the yogurt.
Active bacteria- OVER 48 STRAINS!? - without a strong bacteria team in our body we will not digest our food properly and therefore have a lesser chance of assimilating all the nutrients we need to thrive. Here's an example: we need the right balance of bacteria in our colon to ferment and convert vitamins like B12 and vitamin K.
Wandering in the yogurt aisle today ...
.. when I turned to a lady beside me and exclaimed:
"omg! They all use skim milk!"
She responded:
"I am concerned with sugar content."
So here I am inspired to write about what I look for on a yogurt label...
SUGAR:
My favourite yogurt is plain whole milk yogurt- unsweetened. But otherwise, I would look for cane sugar and/or fruit puree. I watch out for sweeteners like sucralose and processed sugars like glucose-fructose.
If you are using your yogurt for dips, sauces and homemade sourcream, try plain whole milk yogurt. You can always add fruit/honey later if you like.
TYPE OF MILK:
Grass-fed for the win! Grass-fed cows are naturally healthier and live a happier life, they also produce more nutrient-dense milk.
My main goal is to look for a brand that uses wholemilk as the primary ingredient. This means less processing and less secondary ingredients like guar gum and starches to thicken a skim milk to make it creamier. You will notice this is common in low-fat yogurt options. In my opinion it is healthier to choose the whole-food option, whole milk naturally contains more fat and nutrients that can keep you filled up longer, otherwise you will fill the void of a low-fat skim yogurt later with unnecessary snacking!
If you can't find any whole milk options, at least try to find some real cream and the fewest additional fillers.
QUALITY of BACTERIA & HOW PROCESSED IS IT?
I always make sure the ingredient listing says "active bacteria culture", or lists specific strains of bacteria.
Homemade yogurt can have over 45 strains of bacteria (probiotics) from the surrounding environment, talk about an immune system boost!
There is no true way of knowing which tub of yogurt is going to have the best spectrum of bacteria. However, I have found the brands that have the simplest ingredient listings to taste the most like homemade yogurt. I also like to look for brands that are small-batched, sold from jars or are known to be healthier milk brands.
Product highlights...
This is not a paid add, however I am all about supporting brands I love, so here are links to some of my favourite yogurt brands, you can see a picture and find them at your local stores:
When I make yogurt at home and need a starter, I like to use a brand from a jar like this.
I have found one of the best ways to gain the probiotic benefit from yogurt it is to have a bowl of it with unpasteurized honey, have you tried?
Samantha
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