Yogurt tolerated better than milk by lactose intolerant individuals

(17-March-2005) Researchers now say people with lactose intolerance--in other words, those who are allergic to milk products--can usually tolerate yogurt. It’s just one more reason to reach for a yogurt after your workout. Dieticians note that yogurt is low in fat but high in calcium. Yogurt also contains plenty of vitamins and minerals, including B-12, riboflavin, potassium, magnesium, and zinc.

 

  • Although yogurt is a popular food product, many people are unaware of exactly what it is.

  • Yogurt is a milk product that has undergone fermentation.

  • The lactic acid present in the milk is fermented by various bacteria.

  • As a result of this process, live bacteria -- lactic acid bacteria -- are present in the yogurt, frequently the same bacteria that are present in the body's gastrointestinal system.

  • The lactic acid bacteria snthesize or produce various products including an enzyme called lactase.

  • Lactase decreases the amount of lactose, a sugar, present in the yogurt which is helpful to people who are lactose intolerant.

  • Individuals who are lactose intolerant, and there are many, have difficulty digesting lactose.

  • As a result, they develop symptoms of excessive gas production, feel bloated and have diarrhea and abdominal pain.

  • Since yogurt does not contain much lactose, it is a food people with lactose intolerance can usually consume.

  • It is high in calcium but the amount varies depending upon the type of yogurt.

  • It also contains vitamin B-12, riboflavin, potassium, magnesium and zinc.

  • Many contain fruit jam which adds as much as seven teaspoons of sugar per cup.

  • The amount of calories per cup of yogurt varies depending upon the type of yogurt.

  • Some yogurts, such as low-fat coffee yogurt, contain as much caffeine as a half a cup of brewed coffee.

  • Yogurt is generally a nutritious food product, but what is added to it may vary.

  • Dr. Murray Feingold is the physician in chief of the National Birth Defects Center, medical editor of CBS4 TV and WBZ radio, and president of the Genesis Fund.

  • The Genesis Fund is a nonprofit organization that funds the care of children born with birth defects, mental retardation and genetic diseases.