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Word of the Day: Yogurt

conceptual art in yogurt-y cream colors

You may have heard people saying that yogurt is health food, but did you ever wonder why that is?

To qualify as actual yogurt, two live strains of bacteria have to be present: Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus. The bacteria are added to turn the milk into yogurt.

You're eating living bacteria when you eat yogurt, and that's a good thing! A lot of people don't understand that there are good bacteria and bad bacteria. The good ones live in our digestive systems and help us break down the food we eat. They also produce natural antibiotics that drive out the bad bacteria-kinds that can give you diarrhea, cramps, and worse. In addition, the bacteria in yogurt break down lactose, which makes yogurt easier to tolerate for people who are lactose intolerant and don't drink milk.

Real yogurt is chock-full of good bacteria. Just look for the word 'active' on the label, to be sure you're getting the kind that's both yummy and alive.

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