Cultures for Life

Many yogurts also deliver vitamin D, which is essential to the body’s ability to absorb calcium and important for maintaining strong bones. However, a significant portion of the U.S. population is lacking in both calcium and vitamin D intake, which can cause rickets in children and softened bones in adults, increasing the risk of fractures.
Yogurt has other minerals and essential vitamins, including riboflavin (vitamin B2), vitamin B12, phosphorous and potassium.

Protein serves as a building block for strong muscles and may help satisfy hunger. Like most dairy products, yogurt is a good source of protein. Typically, a 6 ounce serving of yogurt provides 5-10 grams of protein, or 10-20 percent of the Daily Value. Many Greek-style yogurts contain more than 10 grams of protein per serving.
Below are the recommended daily dietary intakes of protein for different age groups.

*RECOMMENDED DIETARY ALLOWANCE FOR PROTEIN Children ages 1-3 13 grams Children ages 4-8 19 grams Children ages 9-13 34 grams Girls ages 14-18 46 grams Boys ages 14-18 52 grams Women ages 19+ 46 grams Men ages 19+ 56 grams
*That the values are taken from a 2005 Institutes of Medicine macronutrient report.

Lactose Intolerance Lactose intolerance is the inability to digest lactose, the primary carbohydrate in milk, due to a deficiency of the lactase enzyme in the body. For the many people with this deficiency, the consumption of milk often leads to unpleasant gastrointestinal problems and discomfort, such as gas and bloating.
However, those who suffer from lactose intolerance may be able to enjoy yogurt with live and active cultures. During fermentation, the live and active cultures produce lactase, which breaks down a lot of the lactose and allows those with lactose intolerance to receive all the benefits of yogurt without the fear of developing unpleasant symptoms. Yogurt can be an especially important source of calcium and other nutrients for this segment of the population.

RECOMMENDED DIETARY ALLOWANCE FOR PROTEIN Children ages 1-3 13 grams Children ages 4-8 19 grams Children ages 9-13 34 grams Girls ages 14-18 46 grams Boys ages 14-18 52 grams Women ages 19+ 46 grams Men ages 19+ 56 grams
*That the values are taken from a 2005 Institutes of Medicine macronutrient report.

KNOW YOUR YOGURT People around the world have long recognized yogurt’s taste appeal and healthful properties. Today, yogurt’s popularity as a nutritious and delicious snack or part of a meal has propelled annual sales to nearly $7 billion in the USA. Hundreds of spoonable, squeezable and drinkable yogurt products, in countless flavors and styles, make yogurt a favorite for kids and adults alike. Frozen yogurt is also wildly popular.

Live and Active Cultures What makes yogurt ‘yogurt?’ Live and active cultures! The words “live and active cultures” refer to the living organisms, Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus, which convert pasteurized milk to yogurt through fermentation. This process is very similar to that used in cheese-making, in that live cultures transform milk into a product with unique taste, texture and health attributes.
Other beneficial “probiotic” cultures may also be added to yogurt, such as certain strains of Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidus.

Look for the Live and Active Cultures Seal Even though all yogurt begins with Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus cultures, some products are heat-treated after fermentation, thus killing most of the cultures. Other yogurt products may have very low levels of cultures even if they are not heat treated.
To help identify yogurt, frozen yogurt, and other yogurt products that contain significant amounts of live and active cultures, look for the National Yogurt Association’s Live and Active Cultures Seal (LAC Seal). This seal, which appears on many refrigerated yogurt product containers and some frozen yogurts, identifies yogurt with at least 100 million live and active cultures per gram at the time of manufacture (10 million for frozen yogurt). The LAC Seal is your assurance that the product contains a sufficient quantity of the cultures you’d expect to be present.
YOGURT AND HEALTH Yogurt is a versatile, nutrient-dense food that can be enjoyed alone or as a healthy ingredient in many home-made recipes, while also meeting a wide variety of nutritional needs at every stage of life. Yogurt can play a key role in helping you meet the Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommended three servings of dairy foods per day.

Vitamins and Minerals Yogurt is an excellent source of calcium, a mineral best known for its role in building strong teeth and bones. A typical 6 ounce serving contains between 20 and 30 percent of the Daily Value.

Relative to body size, growing infants, children and teens need more calcium than do middle-aged adults. For aging adults, especially postmenopausal women, it is important to consume adequate levels of calcium to help prevent osteoporosis.
Below are the recommended daily dietary intakes of calcium and vitamin D for different age groups.

RECOMMENDED DIETARY ALLOWANCES
AGE CALCIUM /MALE CALCIUM /FEMALE VITAMIN D 1-3 years 700 mg 700 mg 600 IU 4-8 years 1,000 mg 1,000 mg 600 IU 9-13 years 1,300 mg 1,300 mg 600 IU 14-18 years 1,300 mg 1,300 mg 600 IU 19-50 years 1,000 mg 1,000 mg 600 IU 51-70 years 1,000 mg 1,200 mg 600 IU + 70 years 1,200 mg 1,200 mg 800 IU
* Institute of Medicine DRI Report on Calcium and Vitamin D (2010)