FAMILY MEDICINE® COLUMN
By John C. Wolf, D.O.
Associate Professor of Family Medicine®
Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine

NO-FAT, LOW-SUGAR YOGURT NUTRITIOUS, WITHOUT MANY CALORIES

Question: I enjoy yogurt and eat it often. I have read that it is better for my health than milk, but my friend disagrees. He says it is no different than drinking an equivalent amount of milk. Is yogurt a good food to eat and is it any better than milk?

Answer: Yogurt, as I'm sure you know, is made by adding specific types of bacteria, usually Lactobacillus bulgaricus or Streptococcus thermophilus to milk. The mixture is then incubated at a temperature that favors the growth of these bacteria. The bacteria grow in the milk causing a change in both the milk sugar and the milk protein. These changes coagulate the milk and transform it into the creamy-textured curd known as yogurt.

Yogurt has been a regular part of the diet in the Middle East for centuries, but it is a relatively new addition to the American cuisine. In 1960 U.S. consumers bought 44 million pounds of yogurt or just over one cup per person per year. In 1970 the consumption was essentially unchanged from 10 years earlier, but by 1990 the production had increased to over a billion pounds or more than eight cups per person.

The bacterial action that converts milk to yogurt creates some important nutritional changes along with the more apparent physical changes. The milk sugar, called lactose, is broken down during the process of making yogurt. This is important because many adults lack the enzymes necessary to make milk sugar digestible. Individuals with this disorder called lactose intolerance must avoid milk, even the milk used in baked goods, or suffer digestive upset. Since the bacteria in yogurt have already modified the milk sugar into a digestible form, lactose-intolerant individuals can eat yogurt without concern for stomach upset.

Milk is high in calcium, an essential component of our diets. One cup of milk provides 37 percent of the adult Recommended Dietary Allowance of this mineral, while a cup of plain nonfat yogurt provides 57 percent. The concentration of calcium goes up as milk becomes yogurt because it takes more than one cup of milk to make one cup of yogurt. In this sense you could say that yogurt is "better" than milk. But before you can say a food is "good" or "bad," it is necessary to look at more than the calcium content.

Yogurt is usually made from cow's milk, although it can be make from any milk, and therefore it can be quite high in saturated fat. And as you know, the consumption of saturated fats increases the cholesterol levels. Some yogurt brands may have up to 45 percent of their total calories as fat. All yogurt, however, is not high in fat. When low-fat milk is used as the starting product, the resulting yogurt is lower in fat. And just as you would expect, the lowest fat yogurt is made from no-fat milk. So, you would probably be wiser to consider low-fat or no-fat yogurt as "good for you."

Most yogurt is consumed with other flavorings added. Fruit flavors are the most popular. They are produced by adding fruit and a significant amount of sugar to regular, low-fat or no-fat yogurt. The sugar raises the calories of a serving of yogurt without adding any other healthful nutrients. In fact, it makes this type of flavored yogurt unacceptable for those with diabetes. The yogurt you choose would be better for your nutrition if you select plain, vanilla or lemon flavors since these contain little or no added sugar. Many dairies are now making yogurt sweetened with Nutrasweet instead of sugar. This is a sensible alternative to yogurt with added sugar.

The previous comments don't apply to frozen yogurts since they are made with the addition of other ingredients. As a group, they are generally lower in fat than ice cream, but they are not necessarily lower in calories. No deserts, including frozen yogurt, fall into my category of "nutritionally good for you." Though, in moderation, as an occasional treat, they are acceptable.

Family Medicine® is a weekly column. To submit questions, write to John C. Wolf, D.O., Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine, Grosvenor Hall, Athens, Ohio 45701.