Yogurt

Writing 1133

Naitong Li

5/15/2012

                                                                        Yogurt

            Yogurt, which is also sometimes spelled yoghurt, youghourt or yourt, is a food made from milk fermented by healthful bacterial cultures. It has been eaten throughout the world for at least 4,000 years, reported Susan M. Kleiner, Ph.D., R.D., L.D., in the 1994 edition of Medical and Health Annual.

            In the last two decades, people gradually realized the great benefits of yogurt. At first, it contains two kinds of good bacterial cultures, Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus. These two good bacterial cultures can help us to keep the balance in our intestinal tract. The lactic acid bacterial in yogurt can restrain the reproduction of those pathogenic bacteria in our intestinal tract, like coliform and dysentery bacteria, thus reduce the possibility of human to infect with the intestinal diseases. On the other hand, as these good bacteria can promote the motility of gastrointestinal and the secretion of gastric acid, drinking yogurt can help us solve the constipation problem. It can seed up our metabolism and help us eliminate the toxin in our body.

            According to the table from food standard agency made in 2002, we can find it includes a lot nutrition which is good and important to our body. It includes 300mg Ca, 170mg Mg, 20mg P, and 1mg Z per 10og.   These elements are the primary contents of our bones and teeth. So drinking yogurt can help us protect our teeth and make our bones fitness. This is very good for the older, who often trouble with the osteoporosis problem. Besides, Vitamin A, Vitamin B1, and the methionine can prevent hair loss and promote it regeneration. In additional, yogurt is good for our skin. It contains a big mount of Vitamin A, B1, B2, E and carotene, which can slow down the speed the oxidation and decomposition of the cells. So they can protect our skin from keratosis and senescence. They are also effective to protect our skin losing water, which help us looks young and energetic. At the same time, the Vitamin C, as a reducing agent in human body, it can slow down the activity of enzyme so that can reduce the pigmentation in the human body. People can get rid of the trouble of freckles and melisma. Long-term consumption of yogurt can make our skin elastic and shiny. 

            Another good thing is that Yogurt is especially for girls. Because it was made by milk, it contains a lot of protein, which can provide us a lot of energy.  Meanwhile, the better thing is, it includes less carbohydrate and fat than grain and meat. So for the girls who want to keep figure and lose choice, it is one of the best choices to take every day. It fabulous taste and wonderful look with fruits also make the eaters happy. Yogurt can work as chocolate and any other sweeteners, but with much less calories. In additional, it can prevent some women disease. For example, a 2003 Finnish study, also published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, showed a correlation for women who frequently consumed probiotic-fermented milk products plus fresh berry juice and a lower recurrence of urinary tract infections.

            Yogurt, which is already a part of many people’s daily menu, is very good for our health, and this is demonstrated by the scientists from many aspects. So, trying to have a cup of yogurt can be a cheap method to keep us young and healthy.

Works cited

Food Standards Agency (2002) McCance and Widdowson's the Composition of Foods, Sixth          Summary Edition. Cambridge: Royal Society of Chemistry.

Kleiner, Susan M., Ph.D., R.D., L.D. "Yogurt: A Culture in Itself," Medical and Health Annual.        Chicago: Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc., 1994, pp. 462ff.

Table 1.  Nutritional compositiona of common varieties of yoghurt (per serving) 

Nutrient Whole milk,plain(150 g)/ Whole milk,fruit(150 g) Low-fat/plain(150 g) Low-fat/fruit(150 g) Virtually fatfree fruit(150 g) Greek style,plain(150 g)/ Twinpot(175 g)/ Drinkingyoghurt(200 g)

Food Standards Agency (2002)

 Protein (g)   8.6   6.0   7.2   6.3   7.2   8.6   7.2   6.2

Folate (µg)  27  15  27  24  12   9  23  24

Niacin (mg)   2.3   1.3   1.7   1.7   1.7   2.5   2.0   1.6

Riboflavin (mg)   0.40   0.24   0.33   0.32   0.44   0.20   0.33   0.32

Thiamin (mg)   0.09   0.18   0.18   0.18   0.06   0.18   0.11   0.06

Vitamin B12 (µg)   0.3   0.5   0.5   0.5   0.3   0.3   0   0.4

Calcium (mg) 300 183 243 210 195 189 228 200

Magnesium (mg) 29  20  24  23  20  20  23  22

Phosphorus (mg) 255 144 215 180 165 207 186 162

Zinc (mg)   1.1   0.6   0.9   0.8   0.6   0.8   0.7   0.6