There have been many studies showing that milk is not essential to building strong bones. The idea that milk robs the bones of calcium to neutralize its acidic effect is the belief of numerous holistic practitioners. In fact, a new Swedish study found that drinking three or more glasses of milk each day increased the risk of bone thinning and fractures. Other studies show similar results, including a 12-year Harvard study of 78,000 women. I, personally, am not a milk drinker. Just as I am planted somewhere in between the anti-gluten camp and the “eat-all-you-want-gluten-is-not-an-issue” side, I too fall somewhere between the “dairy is evil tribe” and the pro-dairy supporters. Call it indecision if you will, but I don’t like extreme rules when it comes to food. And more importantly, I believe that you should get the most bang for your buck from any chosen food item. Why drink milk when you can have the triple benefits that a good quality organic Greek yogurt can offer. In one 8 ounce serving of Greek yogurt, you not only get 25% of the recommended daily value for calcium, but a whopping 23 grams of protein and probiotic, live yogurt cultures to boot. Now, that’s efficiency!
So, How to Choose the Best Yogurt?
Ingredients
Your yogurt should have only two ingredients: organic cultured pasteurized milk and live, active cultures. That’s it, except for cream if you are choosing a 2% or whole fat variety. Yogurts, like Dannon Fit and Light or Yoplait, contain unnecessary additives that are typically detrimental to good health. For example, many clients that I see tout the fact that Dannon Fit and Light has only 80 calories, but in those 80 calories you will find ingredients like fructose, cornstarch, sucralose, malic acid, potassium sorbate, acesulfame potassium (a known carcinogen) and, if you get Bluberry flavored yogurt, the added benefit of carmine, a red food coloring extracted from the dried shells of the cochineal beetle. Who wants or needs that from a yogurt?!
As long as you are choosing an organic yogurt, I think that the fat content should be based on personal preference that takes into consideration your daily caloric needs and how it tastes. I tend to favor a 2% fat yogurt. It’s creamy enough that I do not need to add a sweetener, but doesn’t have the caloric load of a full fat yogurt. My personal favorite is Wallaby Organic of California, which makes a great line of delicious, clean products.
Active Yogurt Cultures
All yogurt starts by adding two types of bacteria, Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus (collectively known as acidophilus) to pastuerized milk. As this warms, the bacteria converts milk sugar (lactose) to lactic acid and results in a gut healthy, fermented product. If you choose yogurt from a company that heat treats the yogurt following fermentation, required by the FDA to be labelled as such, any live cultures are killed and you are left with an inferior food. As Dr. Weil advises, check the labels for the words “active yogurt cultures,” “living yogurt cultures,” or “contains active cultures.” Avoid products with the words “made with active cultures” as all yogurts are initially made with active cultures.
Go Greek
Greek yogurt has a higher protein content than its traditional counterpart because it is a more concentrated product. After fermentation, the yogurt is strained to remove liquids, resulting in a thicker, more protein-dense yogurt. A higher protein content generally results in longer satiety, easily taking you from one meal to the next.
A Newbie Health Food Junky
If you are new to the world of yogurts without sugar or artificial sweeteners, you can add a few drops of organic stevia, raw honey, brown rice syrup, or any of the many natural sweeteners available at your local market or health food store. This allows you to control the amount of sweetener you add. As you clean out your diet and become accustomed to foods that are less sweet than the mass marketed, overly sweet products that line our supermarket shelves, you can begin to reduce the amount of sweetener that you add to your yogurt. Whether you choose to keep your milk mustache, reduce or entirely eliminate the amount of milk that you drink, yogurt makes a healthy addition to any diet.
Dip Tip
Yogurt is a great way to cut the calories and increase the protein of many spreads. Add organic Greek yogurt to guacamole and enjoy the health benefits without the caloric load of a traditional mix. Yogurt also mixes well with peanut butter, cinnamon and a touch of stevia or natural sweetener. My kids love dipping carrots, celery and apples into this peanut butter yogurt dip. Be creative with what is a relatively neutral base and enjoy the many benefits that yogurt has to offer.
a life in balance 