How Yogurt Can Help

Many claims are made for yogurt. Are they true?

Unfortunately, reports that the lactic acid bacteria in yogurt will im¬prove your complexion, prevent diarrhea or treat vaginal yeast infections have no scientific basis. Although these bacteria are beneficial to health, they are useless when taken orally. They are quickly inactivated by stomach acid and do not reach the intestine or vagina alive. As a result, yogurt and yogurt-related products are ineffective against any infection.

"We wouldn't bank on yogurt as a cure for what ails you, and neither would our medical consultants. Some physicians advice patients on antibiotic therapy to eat yogurt if they have diarrhea, on the theory that yogurt's live cultures can help reestablish the normal bacterial population in the gut after treatment with antibiotics has wiped it out. But the effect has never been proven in a well-designed experiment," according to the edi¬tors of Consumer Reports, a publication of the Consum¬ers Union of America.

Earlier, it was reported that lactobacillus might play a role in lowering blood cholesterol levels. A 1974 study showed that African warriors who regularly took four to five quarts of fermented milk containing lactic acid bacteria managed to lower their cholesterol levels by 28 mg/dl (milligrams per deciliter).

Follow-up studies, however, have failed to confirm this. What's even more disheartening is the fact that some commercial prod¬ucts are loaded with fat and are a major source of calories!

"If yogurt appeals to you, you need to be aware of the different kinds that are available, since not every one is equally acceptable in a low-fat diet. As a milk product, the fat content of yogurt is the same as those in milk. There are whole-milk yogurts, low-fat yogurts, and nonfat yogurts.

“Whole-milk yogurts present the same problems for a low-fat diet that whole-milk does - they are rich in saturated fat and cholesterol. The low-fat and nonfat yogurts provide the same amount of fat and cholesterol as skim milk. To be sure the yogurt you purchase is low in saturated fat and cholesterol, check the label," warned the editors of Consumer Guide's “Cholesterol: Your Guide for a Healthy Heart.”

Considering that the claims made for yogurt are mostly ridiculous, is there any way in which this food can help?

From a nutritional standpoint, yogurt and re¬lated milk products are a good source of pro¬tein, calcium, phospho¬rus and some vitamins. For those interested in flavor, yogurt made from whole milk is the best although it may have as much as 270 calories and up to nine teaspoons of sugar per eight ounces. On the other hand, if you're concerned about your weight, you can try the nonfat or low-fat varie¬ties which many health-conscious individuals prefer.

Another way in which yogurt can help is in those suffering from lactose intolerance. Lactose or milk sugar is found in all kinds of milk and milk products as well as nutritional supplements and other medications. People with lactose intoler¬ance cannot digest lactose because they lack an intestinal enzyme called lactase. Whenever they take milk, they experience a number of uncom¬fortable symptoms.

"Many people cannot tolerate milk. Labeling milk an official basic food helps promote the milk industry's false propaganda that ‘everyone needs milk,’ ‘milk has something for everybody’ and ‘milk drinkers make better lovers.’ For some 65 million Americans, milk offers gas, cramps, diar¬rhea, eczema, nasal congestion, asthma and other symptoms of intolerance or allergy," according to Kurt Butler and Dr. Lynn Rayner of the John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii in “The Best Medicine.”

If you insist on taking yogurt, do so but don’t expect any miracles. In the meantime, to strengthen your body, take Immunitril – your first line of defense in maintaining a healthy immune system. For details, visit http://www.bodestore.com/immunitril.html.