Yogurt is an easy, healthy addition to anyone’s diet.  First thing to make sure of is that you are not sensitive to dairy and dairy products.  The culturing process of yogurt does make it more digestible than milk, some people who are unable to tolerate milk are able eat yogurt without issues.  The live culturing of yogurt produces lactase which is an enzyme that breaks down the sugar in milk and converts it into easily absorbable sugars.  Casein, a milk protein, is also partially digested in yogurt by bacteria.  This blog post discusses some of the benefits of yogurt.  You may consider adding yogurt as a part of your breakfast or as a snack.

Many yogurts are rich in probiotics, probiotics are bacteria that live in the digestive tract.  These healthy bacteria help foster a healthy colon and boosts immune function.  Yogurt is also rich in protein, eight ounces of yogurt may provide you with 10-12 grams of protein.  Yogurt is also a rich source of calcium, calcium helps with colon and bone health.

The combination of calcium and probiotics is powerful in reducing the occurrence of colon diseases.  Beneficial bacteria are required in the intestinal tract for the development of gut-associated lymphoid tissues (GALT), GALT helps mediate immune function.  Probiotics are often used to prevent and treat the negative effects of taking antibiotics, diarrhea, urinary tract infections, and eczema to name a few common health concerns.  It is also beneficial for patients at risk for osteoporosis.  Yogurt with probiotics can help the GI tract assimilate nutrients from food more efficiently and make you feel fuller.

When shopping for yogurt – buy unflavored yogurt and add in fruit to sweeten it.  Look for organic on the label, which lets you know that the yogurt was produced without the use of antibiotics, synthetic growth hormones and toxic pesticides.