As well as being an excellent source of calcium, protein,
riboflavin, phosphorous and vitamin B12, yogurt promotes the growth of healthy
bacteria in our guts.
These bacteria have a variety of important jobs, from
helping to digest food to defending us against the unfriendly bacteria that
cause infection and tummy upsets (including the bacterium Helicobacter pylori,
the bug now recognized as a common underlying factor in digestive conditions
such as ulcers and stomach cancer.)
Do all yogurts
contain “good” bacteria?
While all yogurts starts off with it, these bacteria do not
live forever. Depending on how the yogurt is processed, stored and when it is
eaten, you may get less beneficial bacteria than you think. So buy the “live”
kind, keep it in the fridge and, once opened, eat within a few days.