Yogurt: Nutritive and therapeutic aspects
1981
Deeth, H.C. | Tamime, A.Y.
Beneficial effects of yoghurt on human health have been claimed for hundreds of years; recent investigations tend to support those nutritional, organoleptic and possibly therapeutic claims. While the chemical composition of yoghurts varies considerably by processing, the fermentation which changes lactose to lactic acid makes the product valuable to lactose-intolerant individuals. Vitamin content can be affected by heat treatment, addition of stabilizers, strains of starter bacteria used, or storage time. Digestibility is increased over raw milk; there is a decrease in protein particle size and increase in soluble protein. Pasteurization of yoghurt for enhancing storage life has been criticized on the grounds that it is unnecessary, destroys lactose, decreases vitamin content, makes labeling complicated, and eliminates beneficial flora; freezing may be a logical alternative. The therapeutic effects of yoghurt are still debated. It seems beneficial in the treatment of diarrhea, particularly infantile, but whether yoghurt organisms can survive gastric and duodenal conditions, and implant in the intestine is not quite clear. Yoghurt does seem to have antibacterial effects. Hypocholesterolemic effects have also been reported.
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