Yogurt: Nutrition Facts and Health Benefits

Yogurt: A Protein Solution

Yogurt is made from milk through fermentation of milk by adding the cultures Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus. As the cultures grow, the milk thickens and takes on a tangy quality, resulting in the creamy yogurt we know and love. The longer the yogurt is strained, the thicker it will be like Greek- or Icelandic-style yogurts.

The nutritional benefits of yogurt are part of its appeal. Yogurt provides important nutrients important throughout life, because it provides protein and other essential nutrients like calcium, iodine, selenium, zinc and B12. Most yogurts are made with live and active cultures, and some also provide probiotics—or good bacteria—that help maintain digestive health. Those good bacteria can offer many health benefits by aiding in the digestion of lactose, making it easier to digest if you have lactose intolerance. And strained yogurts like Greek- and Icelandic-style have even less lactose.

There’s a lot to love about yogurt, especially its versatility. You can spoon it, squeeze it, drink it or freeze it. There’s a rainbow of flavored options to try, and endless combinations of fruits, whole grain cereals and nuts to add on top. Or you can try savory options that you can dip veggies into like tzatziki or labneh with zaatar.

Check out a few of our favorite recipes here.