Different Bacteria Cultures in Yogurt

Yogurt has been a central part of Indian, French and Mediterranean diets for centuries and is widely recognized as a healthy food. Manufacturers make yogurt by adding live and active cultures, sometimes called probiotics or "good" bacteria, to milk.

Probiotics

Probiotics work like beneficial microorganisms found naturally in the human digestive tract. They are available as dietary supplements and in foods like yogurt.

Types

The essential bacterial cultures in yogurt are Lactobacillus delbrueckii bulgaricus and Streptoccus thermophilus, according to the National Yogurt Association. Yogurt may also contain other cultures including Bifidus and Lactobacillus acidophilus.

Nutrition

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) recommends plain nonfat yogurt as the most nutritious kind of yogurt. Yogurt like this contains only milk and live cultures and offers significantly more protein and less sodium than regular yogurt.

Efficacy

The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) states that probiotics are effective in treating and preventing conditions including diarrhea, certain infections, irritable bowel syndrome and atopic dermatitis.

Considerations

According to the NCCAM, different strains and species of bacterial cultures may have different effects. Heating yogurt kills the bacteria; the NIH notes that foods like yogurt-covered pretzels and raisins generally do not contain live and active cultures.

References

• NCCAM: Probiotics
• NIH: Yogurt
• NYA: Live and Active Culture (LAC) Yogurt Facts

Resources

• National Yogurt Association