Precautions for Drinking Yogurt: Six Groups of People Who Should Drink More.

Introduction: Tart, sweet, and delicious, yogurt can also be paired with various fruits and cookies, making it the top snack for women. In reality, there are specific ways to drink yogurt, and six types of people should drink more of it.

Six Precautions for Drinking Yogurt

1. Thicker yogurt isn't necessarily better.

Many consumers believe that the thicker the yogurt, the better, but in fact, many thick yogurts only contain thickeners like hydroxypropyl distarch phosphate, pectin, and gelatin. While excessive thickeners satisfy the texture, they offer no health benefits.

2. Yogurt should not be taken with medication.

Yogurt pairs well with many foods, especially bread and pastries, for its good taste and rich nutrition. However, yogurt should not be taken with certain medications, such as antibiotics like chloramphenicol and erythromycin, or sulfonamides, as they can kill or destroy the lactic acid bacteria in yogurt.

3. It should only be refrigerated, not heated.

Many people know that the myriad of "bacteria" in yogurt are beneficial, but don't know how to preserve them. When yogurt is first produced, it is full of live bacteria, which can only be well-preserved through refrigeration. Some people also like to heat their yogurt before drinking, which is a true waste.

4. Yogurt is not suitable for everyone.

In fact, while yogurt is good, it's not suitable for everyone. Patients with diarrhea or other intestinal diseases should avoid drinking yogurt after intestinal damage. Babies under 1 year old should also not drink yogurt. Furthermore, diabetics, patients with atherosclerosis, cholecystitis, and pancreatitis should avoid sugary, full-fat yogurt, as it can easily worsen their condition.

Homemade Yogurt

5. Don't use yogurt to satisfy hunger.

When you're hungry, you might often grab a yogurt and drink it all at once. This can indeed relieve hunger, but using yogurt as a meal substitute is not advisable. Because the stomach's acidity is high on an empty stomach, the unique lactic acid bacteria in yogurt can be easily killed by stomach acid, significantly weakening its health benefits. The best time to drink yogurt is 1-2 hours after a meal, as the gastric juice is diluted and the stomach's pH level is most suitable for the growth of lactic acid bacteria. Additionally, drinking yogurt at night offers more benefits. Remember to brush your teeth after drinking yogurt, especially at night, as certain bacterial strains and acidic substances in yogurt can be harmful to teeth.

6. Fruit-flavored yogurt is not necessarily more nutritious.

If you want to enhance the flavor of your yogurt, it's better to add fresh fruit yourself. The fruit-flavored yogurts sold on the market often undergo multiple processing steps, so their naturalness is certainly inferior to fresh fruit.

6 Types of People Who Should Drink More Yogurt

1. People with lactose intolerance.

The lactose in milk is the "culprit" behind diarrhea when drinking milk. During the fermentation process of milk into yogurt, some of the lactose is converted into lactic acid and other organic acids, which reduces the problem of "lactose intolerance." Furthermore, lactic acid bacteria themselves produce large amounts of "lactase," which helps the human body digest lactose. Therefore, people with lactose intolerance are best suited for drinking yogurt.

2. Patients with osteoporosis.

After milk is fermented, the solubility and absorption rate of its calcium and phosphorus improve. Research has confirmed that yogurt has the highest calcium absorption rate among natural foods, making it especially suitable for osteoporosis patients.

3. People with bad breath.

Studies have shown that for people with bad breath, drinking sugar-free yogurt daily for six weeks can improve symptoms. This is mainly because the probiotics in yogurt work in the intestines, and the vitamin D in yogurt also has a bactericidal effect on gastrointestinal bacteria. It's worth noting that the bactericidal effect of sugary yogurt is significantly reduced.

4. People with indigestion.

Compared to regular milk, the protein in yogurt is more easily absorbed. The lactic acid produced after fermentation can also inhibit the growth of harmful microorganisms, promote gastrointestinal motility and the secretion of digestive fluids, and increase the absorption rate of various minerals. It is especially suitable for people with indigestion, as well as the elderly and children.

5. People with frequent constipation.

Yogurt contains a large amount of active lactic acid bacteria, which can effectively regulate the body's bacterial balance and promote gastrointestinal motility, thereby relieving constipation.

6. Patients with high blood pressure.

Domestic and international studies have shown that moderate intake of dairy products is beneficial for the prevention and control of high blood pressure, and low-fat dairy products and fermented dairy products help prevent stroke. In fact, the health benefits of yogurt are more recognized than those of milk. Even if no live bacteria reach the large intestine, its nutrients are very beneficial for controlling blood pressure.

Homemade Yogurt