All you need to know about yoghurt (2)

Myth 5: Even people who are lactose-intolerant or allergic to dairy products can eat yoghurt: Because the cultures turn the milk sugar lactose into lactic acid, some people who are lactose intolerant can eat yoghurt without digestive distress. Depending on the amount of lactose present in the end product (which is usually a product of the fermentation time and the activity of the particular cultures used), a person with lactose-intolerance may not be able to eat dairy-based yoghurt. Additionally, anyone with a full-blown allergy to dairy products will still have an immune response to dairy yoghurt and needs to avoid it altogether. Having said that, there are many excellent non-dairy alternatives that still confer the health benefits of eating yoghurt.

Myth 6: The “I-eat-yoghurt-so-I-get-all-the-probiotics-I-need” myth: I regularly hear this myth from people who consider themselves knowledgeable about health and wellness. They (incorrectly) believe that yoghurt is a cure-all for what ails them and can correct any imbalances in their intestines. Because most yoghurt only contains two or three strains of probiotics (out of the 1,000 or so currently known probiotics possible in our food), you’re only going to reap the health benefits of taking these strains. However, there are many benefits from the few different strains found in yoghurt, including easing traveler’s diarrhoea, boosting nutrient absorption, and treating H. pylori infections or food poisoning. H. pylori infections have been linked to ulcers, gastritis, and other health conditions.

Myth 7: Dairy-based Yoghurts are nutritionally superior to non-dairy-based yoghurts: While the amount of research assessing non-dairy yoghurts is still relatively small in comparison to dairy-yoghurt, there are some good studies showing the health benefits of the dairy-free versions. Non-dairy yoghurt has been linked to reducing cholesterol levels and heart-disease markers, and even demonstrated anti-cancer activity.

Even when yoghurt is portrayed in an accurate way, without embellishment of its healing properties, this delicious food still warrants superfood status.

care2.com