By Lisa Turner
Long
ago, in the second century A.D., a group of nomadic folk called the Bulghers
wandered across the arid climes of the Caucasus into Europe,
carrying with them, among other things, goat skin bags filled with raw milk.
During their travels, wild bacteria living on the bags fermented the milk
inside, rendering it a heavy, creamy substance that they nonetheless consumed.
(They were probably starving, having traveled for roughly 800 miles across
rugged terrain, so who were they to complain?) This fermented goo proved to be
delicious. Ultimately, around century A.D, they settled in the Balkans, and
began producing in earnest the creamy substance that had sustained them on their
travels. Thus was born the yogurt-making industry, and the love of this
cultured milk product.
However
appealing, yogurt wouldnÕt have sustained is charm without possessing
outstanding health benefits (if it was just about the creamy texture, weÕd just
be eating vanilla ice cream instead). Around the beginning of the 1900s, a
Russian biologist named Ilya Ilyich Mechnikov hypothesized that something about
the fermentation process was responsible for the long lifespans of Bulgarian
peasants, who regularly consumed yogurt. During fermentation, friendly,
non-pathogenic bacteria eat milk sugars, or lactose, and release lactic acid as
a waste product; lactic acid causes the proteins to get all tangled up and
congeal into a more solid mass. Mechnikov believed that fermenting milk
rendered it into a sort of wonderfood.
Which,
indeed, it is. Yogurt is rich in beneficial bacteria, also called probiotics,
that keep the lining of the digestive system healthy and functioning happily. These
bacteria are also responsible for the health benefits of yogurt, which include
improving immune response, lowering LDL cholesterol levels while increasing HDL
levels, improve bone health, help prevent and treat arthritis, and protect
against colon cancer. CanÕt say that about plain old milk.
Because
of its longstanding popularity, youÕll have many varieties from which to
choose. All should contain the beneficial bacteria Streptococcus
thermophilus and Lactobacillus
bulgaricus and sometimes Lactobacillus acidophilus and Lactobacillus casei. No matter which kind IÕm using at the moment, I always
pick an organic variety. ItÕs never a good idea to use conventional yogurt (or
conventional dairy of any kind, for that matter), especially when so many
organic varieties are available, and for just pennies more. If you absolutely
cannot find an organic variety, at least choose one thatÕs free of bovine
growth hormone (abbreviated as BGH, bST or rBST). I also have a personal
preference for Certified Humane products of all kinds, and those from local
sources, for all the obvious reasons.
Shall
we mention packaging? You can get a few varieties in glass jars; if these
appeal, by all means choose them. Otherwise, yogurt is packed in plastic. ItÕs
a bummer, but so it goes. To minimize waste, choose larger containers, and
recycle them.
Plain
yogurt. In its unadorned glory, a good
organic yogurt has a mild flavor and smooth texture, and is available as
fat-free, low-fat or full-fat. Most people prefer the reduced fat versions,
since theyÕre lower in or free from saturated fat, but choose full-fat if
youÕre using it in smaller amounts—in dressings or sauces, or as a
substitute for sour cream. Or if youÕre trying to get pregnant: surprisingly: new
studies show that full-fat dair increases a womanÕs chances of conceiving,
while low-fat dairy appears to decrease fertility. Try these: White Mountain Bulgarian whole milk (in a glass
jar—my favorite of all these); Cascadian Organic fat-free; Wallaby Organic
Creamy Australian Style low-fat; Brown Cow cream top; NancyÕs Organic non-fat.
Flavored
yogurt. These, of course, are more
flavorful, containing fruit, flavorings and sweetener of some sort. Sweeteners
used include organic sugar, evaporated cane juice, fruit juice sweeteners,
maple syrup or honey. These are all pretty much the same in terms of
nutritional value, and frankly arenÕt much different from white sugar, except
that they avoid unnecessary processing. (We hope it goes without saying that you
should avoid Nutrasweet and other artificial sweeteners.) Or you can buy plain
yogurt and add pureed fruit, for a completely natural way of sweetening and
flavoring. Try these: Wallaby Organic
Creamy Australian Style orange passion fruit; Cascadian Fresh low-fat cherry;
Stonyfield Organic fat-free lotsa lemon; Brown Cow Cream Top maple; Horizon
Organic low-fat raspberry; RachelÕs Relax low-fat vanilla chai.
KidsÕ
yogurt. These differ from grown-up yogurts in a few key ways: theyÕre
in smaller sizes, contain less sugar, and have brightly colored packages with
stylized, cartoon grapes and the like (more important than you might think,
once your kids start to shop with you). Some come in a narrow plastic tube, so
that they can be squeezed out into little mouths (or, under the worst
circumstances, pounded on with little fists so the gooey contents shoot across
the room). In my opinion, the tubes are fun, especially when theyÕre frozen.
But theyÕre a colossal waste of packaging, and contain such a small amount of
product that most kids eat two or three in one sitting. Nor am I convinced that
I want my childÕs yogurt to maintain such intimate contact with soft plastic
for most of its shelf life. Great for an occasional treat, but other than that,
stick with the conventional packaging. Try these: Stonyfield Farm YoBaby yogurt with cereal and fruit;
Stonyfield Farm YoKids Squeezers screaminÕ strawberry; Horizon pear and vanilla
baby yogurt; Horizon Yo-Yos screaming orange cream.
Dairy-free
yogurt. ItÕs made just like cowÕs milk
yogurt, by adding live bacteria cultures to soy or rice milk, along with a
small amount of natural sweetener on which the bugs may feed. Dairy-free
yogurts have a similar nutritional profile to dairy yogurt, with less calcium
and protein, but the same creamy taste and texture. Not my favorite, but if
youÕre on a dairy-free diet, theyÕre darn handy and not half bad. Try these:
SoDelicious vanilla soy; Whole Soy organic
mixed berry; Silk Live banana strawberry.
Greek
yogurt. Traditionally made by boiling down
milk to reduce the water content, or by straining the finished product to
remove excess moisture, Greek yogurt is exceptionally heavy, dense and velvety.
ItÕs typically made from sheepÕs milk, but in the United States, cowÕs milk
Greek yogurt is common. This is my absolute favorite type. I was introduced to
it by a woman in a large natural foods store, who gushed so convincingly about
its aestheic appeal that I was compelled to try it. I will never go back. Try
these: Voskos low-fat fig; Fage Total 0%
with honey; Greek GodÕs pomegranate; Oikos Organic vanilla.
Other
animal yogurt. There exists in the United
States a counter-culture of goat milk enthusiasts that swear by the product.
Apparently, itÕs less likely than cowÕs milk to cause lactose intolerance, and
is tolerated well by those with various digestive issues. Another up-and-coming
variety, water buffalo milk yogurt, is higher in calcium, protein and vitamin
E. To me, these are gamey and unpleasant, and resemble nothing so much as yogurt
thatÕs been fermented with gym socks. But some people love them, so give Ôem a
try if youÕre game. Try these: Old
Chatham Sheepherding Company sheepÕs milk yogurt; Redwood Hill Farms apricot
mango goat yogurt; Vermont Spoondance Creamery buffalo milk yogurt.