What makes yogurt truly yogurt. How can you distinguish authentic yogurt from imitations. Why are live cultures essential for yogurt’s health benefits. What role does the National Yogurt Association play in yogurt quality assurance. How does heat treatment affect yogurt’s beneficial properties. Why should consumers be willing to pay more for genuine yogurt.

The Essence of Authentic Yogurt: Live and Active Cultures

Yogurt has long been revered as a healthful food, with ongoing research exploring its potential benefits in various areas of health. However, not all products marketed as yogurt truly deserve this classification. The key distinguishing factor lies in three crucial words: live, active cultures.

These live and active cultures refer specifically to two living organisms: Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus. These beneficial bacteria are responsible for transforming pasteurized milk into yogurt through the process of fermentation. This natural process not only creates the unique taste and texture associated with yogurt but also imbues it with numerous health-promoting attributes.

The Fermentation Process: Crafting Yogurt’s Unique Properties

How does fermentation create yogurt? The process begins with pasteurized milk, which ensures the removal of any harmful bacteria. The beneficial cultures are then introduced, initiating a transformation similar to that used in producing beer, wine, or cheese. As these organisms work their magic, they not only alter the milk’s composition but also impart the distinctive characteristics that define true yogurt.

Decoding Yogurt Labels: The Live & Active Cultures Seal

To address consumer confusion and help identify genuine yogurt products, the National Yogurt Association (NYA) developed the Live & Active Cultures seal. This voluntary certification is available to manufacturers whose yogurts meet specific criteria regarding the concentration of live cultures.

• Refrigerated yogurt: Must contain at least 100 million cultures per gram at the time of manufacture
• Frozen yogurt: Must contain at least 10 million cultures per gram at the time of manufacture

While this seal provides a reliable indicator of yogurt quality, it’s important to note that some yogurts may contain live cultures without displaying the seal, as participation in the program is voluntary.

The National Yogurt Association: Championing Yogurt Integrity

Who is the National Yogurt Association, and what role do they play in yogurt quality assurance? The NYA is a non-profit trade organization dedicated to sponsoring health and medical research on yogurt containing live and active cultures. By establishing the Live & Active Culture seal program, they’ve created a valuable tool for consumers to identify high-quality yogurt products.

Heat Treatment and Yogurt Quality: A Surprising Revelation

Why would manufacturers choose to compromise the integrity of their yogurt? Some brands subject their yogurt to heat treatment after fermentation, a process that eliminates most of the beneficial active cultures. This decision is often driven by financial considerations, as heat treatment can extend shelf life and reduce the product’s natural tartness, which some consumers find unappealing.

The Impact of Heat Treatment on Yogurt’s Health Benefits

How does heat treatment affect yogurt’s beneficial properties? By destroying the live cultures, heat-treated yogurt loses many of the health benefits associated with authentic yogurt. This includes potential advantages in areas such as:

• Lowering cholesterol
• Fighting yeast infections
• Preventing gastrointestinal infections
• Boosting the body’s immune system
• Potentially preventing certain types of cancer

The Price of Authenticity: Why Quality Yogurt May Cost More

Should consumers be willing to pay more for genuine yogurt? While budget-friendly options may seem attractive, investing in authentic yogurt with live and active cultures can provide significant health benefits. By choosing products that carry the NYA Live & Active Cultures seal, consumers can ensure they’re getting yogurt with meaningful levels of beneficial bacteria.

Lactose Intolerance: A Surprising Benefit of Real Yogurt

Can people with lactose intolerance enjoy yogurt? Studies have shown that the live and active cultures present in authentic yogurt allow many individuals who typically experience lactose intolerance with other dairy products to consume yogurt without discomfort. This unexpected benefit opens up new dietary possibilities for a significant portion of the population.

Beyond Health: The Culinary Versatility of Yogurt

How can yogurt be incorporated into a diverse range of dishes? True yogurt’s versatility extends far beyond a simple snack or breakfast food. Consider these creative applications:

1. Substitute for mayonnaise or sour cream in recipes
2. Top waffles or pancakes with fruited yogurt for a healthier twist
3. Use frozen yogurt as a more nutritious alternative to ice cream
4. Incorporate into smoothies for added protein and probiotics
5. Create creamy salad dressings with a yogurt base

Yogurt on the Go: A Convenient Health Boost

Why is yogurt an ideal snack for busy lifestyles? Its portability and nutritional density make it perfect for today’s fast-paced world. Whether you’re heading out for a hike, packing a lunch, or need a quick protein boost during your commute, yogurt offers a convenient and healthful option.

Choosing the Right Yogurt: A Guide for Informed Consumers

How can you ensure you’re selecting high-quality yogurt? Follow these guidelines to make informed choices:

• Look for the NYA Live & Active Cultures seal on the packaging
• Read ingredient labels carefully, avoiding products with excessive added sugars or artificial additives
• Be wary of yogurt-flavored products that may not contain actual yogurt cultures
• Consider plain yogurt and adding your own fresh fruits or honey for a healthier option
• Don’t be swayed solely by low prices; quality yogurt may cost more but offers greater health benefits

By following these guidelines, consumers can navigate the yogurt aisle with confidence, selecting products that offer the full spectrum of health benefits associated with authentic, live-culture yogurt.

The Future of Yogurt: Trends and Innovations

How is the yogurt industry evolving to meet changing consumer demands? As awareness of the importance of gut health and probiotics continues to grow, the yogurt market is responding with innovative products and formulations. Some emerging trends include:

• Plant-based yogurt alternatives for vegan and lactose-intolerant consumers
• Yogurt products enriched with additional strains of beneficial bacteria
• Savory yogurt flavors catering to diverse palates
• Drinkable yogurts for on-the-go consumption
• Probiotic-rich yogurt-based skincare products

These innovations demonstrate the ongoing relevance and adaptability of yogurt in meeting modern health and lifestyle needs.

The Global Perspective: Yogurt Traditions Around the World

How do different cultures incorporate yogurt into their culinary traditions? Yogurt has been a staple food in many cultures for centuries, each with its unique preparation methods and serving styles:

• Greece: Strained yogurt (Greek yogurt) used in savory dishes like tzatziki
• India: Raita, a yogurt-based condiment, and lassi, a yogurt drink
• Turkey: Ayran, a salted yogurt beverage
• Bulgaria: Kiselo mlyako, a tangy yogurt central to Bulgarian cuisine
• Iceland: Skyr, a high-protein cultured dairy product similar to yogurt

These diverse applications highlight yogurt’s versatility and its potential to be incorporated into a wide range of dietary patterns.

Yogurt and Sustainability: Environmental Considerations

How does yogurt production impact the environment, and what steps are being taken to improve sustainability? As with any food product, yogurt production has environmental implications. However, many manufacturers are taking steps to reduce their ecological footprint:

• Implementing energy-efficient production processes
• Using recyclable or biodegradable packaging materials
• Sourcing milk from sustainable dairy farms
• Developing plant-based alternatives with lower environmental impact
• Reducing water usage in manufacturing

Consumers can support these efforts by choosing brands that prioritize sustainability and by properly recycling yogurt containers.

The Role of Probiotics in Gut Health: Beyond Yogurt

While yogurt is an excellent source of probiotics, how else can consumers support their gut microbiome? A diverse approach to probiotic consumption can provide additional benefits:

1. Fermented vegetables like sauerkraut and kimchi
2. Kefir, a fermented milk drink with a wider variety of probiotic strains than yogurt
3. Kombucha, a fermented tea beverage
4. Probiotic supplements, under the guidance of a healthcare professional
5. Prebiotic foods that support the growth of beneficial bacteria, such as garlic, onions, and bananas

By incorporating a variety of probiotic-rich foods into their diet, consumers can support optimal gut health and overall well-being.

Yogurt in Scientific Research: Exploring New Frontiers

What areas of yogurt research are scientists currently exploring? The potential health benefits of yogurt continue to be a subject of intense scientific interest. Some current areas of investigation include:

• The role of yogurt consumption in weight management and metabolic health
• The impact of probiotics on mental health and cognitive function
• Yogurt’s potential in reducing the risk of certain types of cancer
• The effects of different probiotic strains on various health outcomes
• The interaction between yogurt consumption and the human microbiome

As research progresses, our understanding of yogurt’s health benefits continues to evolve, potentially opening up new applications in nutrition and medicine.

Yogurt for Special Populations: Tailoring Consumption to Individual Needs

How can different demographic groups benefit from yogurt consumption? While yogurt can be a healthful addition to most diets, certain populations may derive specific benefits:

• Children: Calcium and protein for growth and development
• Elderly: Easily digestible protein source and potential immune support
• Athletes: Quick source of protein for muscle recovery
• Pregnant women: Essential nutrients like folate and calcium
• Individuals on antibiotics: Potential to help maintain gut flora balance

By understanding these specific benefits, individuals can make informed decisions about incorporating yogurt into their dietary routines.

The Art of Homemade Yogurt: Crafting Your Own Cultured Delight

For those interested in ensuring the quality and live culture content of their yogurt, making it at home can be a rewarding option. How can you create your own yogurt? Here’s a basic process:

1. Heat milk to 180째F (82째C) to kill any unwanted bacteria
2. Cool the milk to 110째F (43째C)
3. Add a yogurt starter culture or a few tablespoons of live-culture yogurt
4. Incubate the mixture at a warm temperature for 4-7 hours
5. Refrigerate the yogurt to halt fermentation and set the texture

Homemade yogurt allows for complete control over ingredients and fermentation time, resulting in a product tailored to individual preferences.

Yogurt Beyond Food: Unexpected Applications

While primarily considered a food product, yogurt’s properties lend themselves to various unexpected uses. How else can yogurt be utilized?

• Skincare: As a natural face mask for hydration and exfoliation
• Hair care: To condition and add shine to hair
• Plant care: As a natural fertilizer rich in beneficial bacteria
• Leather conditioning: To soften and restore leather items
• Metal polishing: The mild acidity can help clean and shine metals

These creative applications showcase the versatility of yogurt beyond its traditional role as a nutritious food.

In conclusion, understanding the true nature of yogurt and its live cultures empowers consumers to make informed choices about their nutrition. By selecting authentic yogurt products, individuals can harness the full spectrum of health benefits this ancient yet ever-relevant food has to offer. Whether enjoyed as a simple snack, incorporated into culinary creations, or explored for its myriad alternative uses, yogurt continues to prove its worth as a versatile and beneficial addition to modern lifestyles.

How to Know if Your Yogurt Is REALLY Yogurt!

For centuries, yogurt has been considered a healthful food. And today, research is going on internationally regarding the potential attributes of yogurt in such areas as

• lowering cholesterol,

• fighting yeast infections,

• preventing gastrointestinal infections,

• boosting the body’s immune system,

• preventing certain types of cancer.

But yogurt-lovers should take notice: there are products in the marketplace that take advantage of yogurt’s healthful image, but that do not contain the things that make yogurt, yogurt. Yogurt-covered candies, raisins, and pretzels, and yogurt-containing salad dressings are just a few examples.

So what makes yogurt – well, yogurt? According to the National Yogurt Association (NYA), three words: LIVE, ACTIVE CULTURES. The words “live and active cultures” refer to the living organisms, Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus, which convert pasteurized milk to yogurt during fermentation.

Note that the milk is pasteurized before culturing to remove any harmful bacteria. The process is very similar to that used when making beer, wine or cheese, in that beneficial organisms ferment and transform the basic food. This fermentation process is what creates yogurt, with its unique taste, texture and healthful attributes.

To dispel consumer confusion, the NYA developed the Live & Active Cultures seal to help consumers readily identify those yogurts containing significant levels of live and active cultures. The seal is a voluntary identification available to all manufacturers of refrigerated yogurt whose products contain at least 100 million cultures per gram at the time of manufacture, and whose frozen yogurt contains at least 10 million cultures per gram at the time of manufacture. (However, here’s something to know: since the seal program is voluntary, some yogurt products may have some live cultures but not carry the seal.)

The NYA is a national non-profit trade organization whose purpose is to sponsor health and medical research for yogurt with live and active cultures. It serves as an information source to the trade and the general public. Their Live & Active Culture seal is an indicator of product quality and the manufacturer’s integrity.

And speaking of INTEGRITY: Back to the fact that not all yogurts are created equal. Some yogurt brands are heat-treated after fermentation. This process kills most of the beneficial active cultures found in the yogurt. Why would a manufacturer heat-treat yogurt? It’s a money-driven decision. Heat-treating prolongs shelf life and decreases yogurt’s natural tartness (some consumers dislike tart yogurt). And then there are yogurts that are deliberately formulated with a low level of cultures (again, a money-driven decision).

So the bottom line? Read your labels. While that marked-down house brand looks attractive (price-wise), if you’re wanting true yogurt with all its health benefits, then move on to a brand that carries the National Yogurt Association (NYA) Live & Active Cultures Yogurt seal on the package and be willing to pay a little more. You’ll be certain you’re getting yogurt with significant levels of live and active cultures.

And here’s another reason to look to real yogurt. Lactose intolerance. Studies show that the live and active cultures present in true yogurt permit it to be eaten by many of the more than one quarter of American adults who ordinarily experience lactose intolerance with other dairy products. If you relate, this may give you hope.

Finally, there’s yogurt’s versatility. It makes a superb substitute for mayonnaise and sour cream; top waffles or pancakes with fruited yogurt; and make desserts more healthful by opting for frozen yogurt over ice cream.

Perfect for today’s busy schedules, nothing is as convenient to carry with you on a hike or put in a lunch bag as yogurt. For the commuter, it’s the perfect portable protein boost. Just be sure you’re getting the real deal; always look for the trustworthy Live and Active Cultures seal!

Sources:

•   www.healthyeating.org
•   www.jacktuchten.com
•   www.moonshineink.com
•   www.smellslikefoodinhere.blogspot.com
•   www.heraldextra.com
•   www.kristinwillard.com

    Alice Osborne

    Weekly Newsletter Contributor since 2006

    Email the author! [email protected]

Does All Yogurt Contain Probiotics and Active Cultures? • Cathe Friedrich

Yogurt has become a popular breakfast food and tasty snack, especially as interest in probiotics continues to grow. In case you’re not aware, probiotics are “friendly” bacteria, in contrast to pathogenic bacteria that cause illness. Your gut is teaming with probiotic bacteria, up to 100 trillion of them, and they help keep your gut peaceful and balanced. They do this by reigning in pathogenic bacteria so they don’t gain a foothold and by the positive impact they have on the immune system, 70% of which lies in your gut.

Preliminary studies suggest that these gut-friendly bacteria influence health and disease in ways we don’t yet fully understand. For example, these tiny intestinal citizens seem to help keep inflammation in check, an important job since most chronic health problems are partially fueled by inflammation. Plus, these bugs help to maintain gut health as well. With such an impressive resume, these are bacteria we want more of!

So, how do we get more of these bacteria – food or supplements? The probiotic supplement industry is thriving. According to Natural Products Inside, the global market for probiotics is valued at 36. 7 billion and shows no signs of slowing. But, we don’t have to depend on a probiotic supplement to supply our guts with friendly bacteria. Fermented foods are a natural source of these organisms. The most popular fermented foods in the American market are dairy foods, particularly yogurt. More recently, another probiotic-rich dairy alternative, kefir, has gained favor.

Chances are you’ve eaten yogurt many times in your life. This creamy snack comes in a dizzying array of flavors these days, although some are quite high in sugar. Recently, Greek yogurt has taken center stage due to its thicker texture and higher protein content. However, Greek yogurt is lower in calcium. In fact, regular yogurt has twice the calcium that Green yogurt has.

To add to the mix, a number of non-dairy yogurts have entered the market. First, non-dairy yogurt was primarily made from soy milk, but now you can buy yogurt made with other non-dairy milk forms such as coconut and almond milk. Choices! Choices! Choices! But, if you’re buying yogurt for its probiotic content, you might wonder whether ALL yogurt contains probiotics.

Active Cultures or Not?

Theoretically, all yogurt SHOULD have probiotics as its made by adding bacterial colonies to milk to ferment the lactose and form lactic acid. The milk is pasteurized BEFORE adding the bacterial colonies, as the heat of pasteurization would destroy them. Once formed, the lactic acid thickens the milk and gives yogurt its thick, creamy consistency.  Lactic acid also gives the yogurt its characteristic tangy taste. Yogurt is arguably one of the oldest fermented foods in existence.

So, why wouldn’t all yogurt contain active probiotic cultures? If yogurt is heat processed after fermentation, it destroys some the healthy bacteria, along with the health benefits. Some manufacturers add probiotic organisms into yogurt after its heat treated to make up for the loss. Some even add some extra probiotic bacteria to compensate for the loss of viable bacteria due to storage.

Still, if yogurt is heat processed after fermentation, the yogurt may still have few active cultures – and how would you know? The National Yogurt Association helps to solve this problem by designing a seal called the Live and Active Cultures seal. Manufacturers can place this seal on yogurt if the yogurt contains at least 100 million cultures at the time it was manufactured. Frozen yogurt must contain at least 10 million cultures to bear the seal.

Seeing this seal on a yogurt container gives you some reassurance that you’re getting active cultures, as long as you don’t leave it sitting in the refrigerator for weeks. Since manufacturers can choose whether to use this seal, there may be yogurt brands that do have enough viable cultures but choose not to use the seal. But, if you’re consuming yogurt for its probiotic benefits, the seal gives you some assurance that you’re getting active cultures.

Does Non-Dairy Yogurt Contain Active Cultures Too?

If you’re lactose intolerant or eat a vegan diet, you can still get gut-friendly bacteria by eating non-dairy yogurt. Manufacturers make non-dairy yogurt in much the same way as dairy yogurt only non-dairy milk is the medium. They commonly use Lactobacillus bulgaricus as a starter culture to ferment the non-dairy milk. If the final product isn’t treated with heat again after fermentation, it should have viable cultures.

Be picky when you choose a yogurt, dairy or non-dairy. Look for one with as little added sugar as possible. Unflavored is usually the best option as the flavorings are often a source of added sugar. You can always flavor it yourself with fresh fruit, herbs, spices, and add other healthy additions like nuts, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, ground flaxseed, and even matcha powder for green tea yogurt.

Look Beyond Yogurt

Although there are plenty of commercial yogurt brands that contain active cultures, you can also get active probiotic organisms by eating fermented vegetables. The most popular of these is fresh sauerkraut. You can buy sauerkraut as well as other fermented vegetables in the refrigerated case of many natural food markets. Canned sauerkraut won’t cut it as it’s pasteurized before canning to kill the bacteria. The advantage that fermented vegetables have over yogurt is they’re a rich source of fiber, some of which is prebiotic. The prebiotics in fermented vegetables are food for probiotic bacteria and help them survive and flourish.

Other options are kefir, kombucha, tempeh, and miso, all of which may have active cultures. However, heating these foods, as is characteristic with tempeh and miso, destroys some of the active organisms.

The Bottom Line

All yogurt contains active cultures, although some commercial brands may heat process their yogurt and destroy some of the organisms. Look for the Live and Active Culture seals on yogurt for reassurance. But, look beyond yogurt as well and get your probiotics from other sources, including nutrient-dense fermented vegetables. These foods have other health benefits as well.

 

References:

Natural Products Inside. “Probiotic Product Trends”
AboutYogurt.com. “Live and Active Culture Yogurt”

 

Related Articles by Cathe:

The Problem with Probiotic Supplements: Are They What They Seem to Be?

Does Your Favorite Yogurt Have Enough Probiotic Bacteria?

Fermented Foods vs. Probiotic Supplements: Is One Better Than the Other?

How Your Gut Microbiome Changes with Age and How It Impacts Your Health

Are Probiotic Supplements Overhyped?

 

Microbiological indicators of yoghurt

Real yogurt, in which natural milk and sourdough are combined, must contain pure, “live” cultures in a certain number and proportions. In Russia, its microbiological parameters are strictly specified by the Law of the Russian Federation No. 88-FZ and GOST 31981-2013. If the content of cultures deviates from the norm, the product cannot be called yogurt. It will not bring the benefits for which the lactic acid drink is valued all over the world.

Yogurt on sourdough, in which all microbiological and other parameters are observed:

• helps to strengthen the immune and hematopoietic systems, helps the body fight seasonal infections;
• enriches the body with vitamins B and A, which are necessary for regulating cholesterol levels, the proper functioning of the nervous system, and maintaining the beauty of the skin;
• improves digestion, regulates acidity, helps fight pathogenic microflora of the gastrointestinal tract, putrefactive microorganisms in the intestines;
• prevents osteoporosis, reduces the risk of high blood pressure, and so on.

For the first time, the microflora of a dairy product was studied at the beginning of the 20th century at the University of Geneva. Then it was described as a combination of lactic acid microorganisms – these were rod-shaped and spherical bacteria. Today we know them under the names Lactobacilli bulgaricus (the birthplace of the drink, Bulgaria) and Streptococcus thermophilus, respectively. The bulgarian stick and thermophilic streptococcus (as cultures are called in the Russian-speaking scientific community) are still used today as the main bacteria that convert milk into a useful product.

Microbiotic parameters of different types of yoghurt

Russian GOST 31981-2013 stipulates that yogurt must be produced using the above mentioned starter microorganisms. Their concentration in the finished product cannot be less than 10 ⁷ CFU per gram (at the end of the expiration date). The protosymbiotic mixture used for fermentation should consist of pure cultures.

In addition to yoghurt itself, not enriched in any way, made from sourdough based on bulgarian sticks and thermophilic streptococcus, the state standard introduced the concept of bioyoghurt. This is a product where, in addition to the main cultures in the correct concentration, there are probiotics, prebiotics, lactic acidophilus bacillus. For them, concentration norms are also strictly stipulated at the time of the expiration date of bioyogurt, regardless of the presence of additional components:

• for bifidobacteria (Bifidobacterium) – the amount should not be less than 10 ¹⁰ CFU per one gram of bioyoghurt;
• for lactic acid bacillus (Lactobacillus acidophilus) – the concentration of bacteria should not be less than 10 ⁶ CFU per gram.

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Natural sources of Lactobacillus acidophilus:

• Yogurt: Contains Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophiles. In addition, some yogurts contain Lactobacillus acidophilus
• Kefir: In the production of kefir, starter preparations are used, consisting of acidophilic rods (Lactobacillus acidophilus), thermophilic and mesophilic lactic streptococci and bifidobacteria (Bifidobacterium bifidum)
• Miso: Miso is a traditional Japanese dish. It is made with the addition of specially fermented soybeans or cereals. Miso contains a koji-kin mold called Aspergillus oryzae. In addition to it, it can also contain many bacteria, including Lactobacillus acidophilus.

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Also, GOST introduced the concept of enriched yogurt – with food, biologically active substances. The concentration of the main microorganisms in them must comply with the standard. Otherwise, the product distributed on the territory of the Russian Federation cannot be called “yogurt”.

What do yoghurt microbiota values ​​say and how they are determined

Milk under the influence of Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactobacilli bulgaricus turns into a product with high nutritional value. To benefit from it, you need to monitor compliance with the norm of microbiotic indicators. They indicate that the fermentation process was carried out correctly, the yogurt is really “alive”, the result from it will correspond to the declared action, it will be absorbed better than milk. To find out if a product is of high quality, it is tested for microbiotic indicators.

Experts from laboratories conduct an organoleptic analysis of yogurt according to the main parameters and compare the result with the regulatory documents in force in the country. So, for the correct performance of a microbiotic study of yogurt, it is necessary to assess the presence and quantity of:

• lactic acid organisms – in accordance with GOST 10444.11-89;
• bifidobacteria – according to industry regulations in force at the time of the audit;
• microorganisms that should not be in yogurt (E. coli, mold, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella, and so on) – according to GOST 30347, GOST 10444.12 and other standards.

Guided by legally established standards, experts determine whether the drink can be used and whether it contains enough useful cultures. Each country has its own standards for the content of the necessary components in yogurt, and their concentration in finished “canned” products is not always sufficient. Therefore, the best way to ensure the correct microbiotic indicators is to make your own yogurt, from natural milk and quality starter cultures that contain the necessary cultures.

“Live” and “non-living” yogurts – Petropavlovsk News

Real yogurt can be stored for no more than seven days

Everyone knows the benefits of fermented milk products – kefir, fermented baked milk, curdled milk. When buying, we do not doubt their usefulness, but when we pick up a package with yogurt – a representative of the same family of fermented milk products, we think – which yogurt is better and whether the choice was made correctly …

Yoghurt is a fermented milk product with a high content of skim milk produced by fermentation with a mixture of pure cultures of Bulgarian bacillus and thermophilic streptococcus (hereinafter we will call them sourdough). The fat-free substances of milk are protein and carbohydrates. In the production of yoghurts, the fat content of the product varies from fat-free to fatty, and the amount of protein is taken into account and replenished in terms of dry weight.
Yoghurts are characterized by high nutritional value, they are excellent sources of protein with high biological value, calcium and vitamin B2.
Today, in stores, eyes run wide from the abundance of multi-colored cups and jars. It seems that manufacturers, in pursuit of profit, have forgotten about consumers and are only competing to come up with more ridiculous therapeutic properties for the next drinking yogurt. “We increase immunity”, “strengthen antiviral protection”, “we populate the intestines with the right bacteria”.
It turns out that not all yogurts are called yogurts. The contents of attractive jars are not yogurt at all, but a yogurt product – a synthetic analogue of a fermented milk drink that does not contain biocultures. This is nothing more than a dessert – a mixture of milk and sweet fillers, during the production of which living cultures are subjected to heat treatment and die. That is why pseudo-yogurt is stored much longer. In many European countries, for some time now only “live” yogurt, that is, with live biocultures, has the right to be called yogurt, while its synthetic counterparts have lost this privilege.
How many natural ingredients are in yogurt, and how many are synthetic, what do manufacturers hide? When buying yogurt, carefully read what is written on the package, especially carefully study the information on the composition of the product. Opt for yogurt that has only two ingredients; skimmed or pasteurized milk and live cultures of lactic acid bacteria. With very few health benefits and high calories in fruit yogurts, which contain sweeteners, sugar, emulsifiers, and the content of soy isolate is completely veiled, fruit yogurt is not a natural product. Choose the yogurt in which the calcium content indicated on the package is about 300 ml, gr., And the calorie content is 200 – 250 kcal. Look for the sign “Live and active cultures”, but do not confuse it with the inscription “produced on the basis of live lactobacilli”, because most often the manufacturer deceives, this inscription is placed as an advertisement to attract buyers, and to find out what is in the middle, read the composition, if you want have quality guarantees, look for this particular sign. Don’t buy yogurt that says “cooked after fermentation” on the label. Pay attention to the shelf life – this is an important factor in the quality of the product, especially when it comes to such a delicate product as yogurt. The shelf life, respectively, should not exceed 7 days. If this is not the case, then this product does not contain live lactic acid bacteria, no matter what the manufacturer says on the package. According to international quality standards, yogurt is a lactic acid drink that does not undergo heat treatment after fermentation. And accordingly, it should contain lactic acid bacteria, and the shelf life should be no more than 5-7 days, or 14 days at a temperature not exceeding 0 + 10 ° C. If the manufacturer does not comply with these standards, then they cannot call their product yogurt, so they change the name yogurt to “yogurtovich” … and other similar consonant names. The most important composition of yogurt is milk, and the main production process is fermentation, and the main condition for fermentation is the direct participation of living microorganisms of the lactobacillus family; Lactobacillus bulgaricus is always present in the composition, but the culture of Lactobacillus acidophilus is not always present, it is this culture that is very useful for the intestines. It can still be found in the list of yogurt ingredients from different manufacturers, look on the label for Lactobacillus acidophilus. The content of lactobacilli does not depend on the density of the drink; they feel equally good both in drinking yogurt and in ordinary thick yogurt. Often other dairy products are added to yogurt; whey, casein. To give the product more nutritional properties, improve taste, texture, reduce fat content. Once again I want to remind you, if yogurt can be stored more than 5 – 7, and it says “yogurtovich” on the package, then this is not yogurt, look for yogurts that are marked with the Nutrition Institute mark or those that contain only a few ingredients – this is a natural product .
Information on the concentration of biocultures must be present on packages of yoghurts with prefixes “bio-“. If the packaging says “bio-yogurt”, it should indicate in numbers what concentration of live cultures is in it.
The packaging must contain information on the concentration of microorganisms at the end of the expiration date, they must be at least 107 CFU per 1 g of the product.