Lately, I haven't been so great about blogging my yummy creations. Please believe me that I am still cooking all my meals but my creativity has been lacking. Not to mention my camera that has been very bored throughout this last part of my internship. However, even if time is not on my side, my health is still my top priority. For the last 16 weeks (my clinical rotation) I have eaten breakfast every day, have prepared my lunch at home all but 3 times and have made a fresh dinner every night.
I have to say, never had I had to sacrifice so many things in my life!! Although graduate school was difficult and time consuming, I was not an IM athlete, I was not married and I did not have 3 furry children. So while I have sacrificed my training routine, my anticipated races, social events and traveling with my hubby, I have not sacrificed by love for exercise and wholesome food.
In the April 2011 issue of Nutrition Action there was a great article on Yogurt. Here are a few facts (YOGURT 101):
1. What makes yogurt?
Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus. Those are the two strains of bacteria that companies add to milk to make yogurt. Many brands also add other bacteria.
2. If the label doesn't have a "Live and Active Cultures" symbol is it still yogurt?
Almost certainly. As long as it contains live L. Bulgaricus and S. thermophilus, it's yogurt. To qualify for the symbol, a yogurt has to have at least 100 million cultures per gram at the time it's manufactured. Some companies (like Stonyfield) don't use the symbol, even though they could (provided they pain the National Yogurt Association yearly fee). Just watch out for yogurt-covered pretzels and candies. Their "yogurt" coatings are largely oil and sugar. And any yogurt powder they contain has likely been "heat treated" enough to kill the yogurt's bacteria.
3. What can yogurt's cultures do?
The only well-documented benefit: they turn milk's naturally occurring sugar (lactose) into lactic acid, so people who are lactose intolerant have less diarrhea, gas or other symptoms when they eat yogurt. Many people believe that yogurt can help restore beneficial bacteria to the gut after a course of antibiotics, but no good studies have tested yogurt with live cultures against a placebo (yogurt with heat-treated cultures). Ditto for treating yeast infections.
4. What are the best yogurts?
Yogurt should be a decent source of protein and calcium without loading you down with saturated fat, sugar, or unsafe sweeteners. Just how much is enough (or too much) of each depends on the serving size. Some brands add 10-50 percent of the Daily Value for vitamin D. But missing vitamin D isn't a reason to pass over some of the best-tasting calcium and protein-rich yogurts, many of which have no added D.
Coming soon...a yummy creative dish with Greek Yogurt!
I have to say, never had I had to sacrifice so many things in my life!! Although graduate school was difficult and time consuming, I was not an IM athlete, I was not married and I did not have 3 furry children. So while I have sacrificed my training routine, my anticipated races, social events and traveling with my hubby, I have not sacrificed by love for exercise and wholesome food.
In the April 2011 issue of Nutrition Action there was a great article on Yogurt. Here are a few facts (YOGURT 101):
1. What makes yogurt?
Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus. Those are the two strains of bacteria that companies add to milk to make yogurt. Many brands also add other bacteria.
2. If the label doesn't have a "Live and Active Cultures" symbol is it still yogurt?
Almost certainly. As long as it contains live L. Bulgaricus and S. thermophilus, it's yogurt. To qualify for the symbol, a yogurt has to have at least 100 million cultures per gram at the time it's manufactured. Some companies (like Stonyfield) don't use the symbol, even though they could (provided they pain the National Yogurt Association yearly fee). Just watch out for yogurt-covered pretzels and candies. Their "yogurt" coatings are largely oil and sugar. And any yogurt powder they contain has likely been "heat treated" enough to kill the yogurt's bacteria.
3. What can yogurt's cultures do?
The only well-documented benefit: they turn milk's naturally occurring sugar (lactose) into lactic acid, so people who are lactose intolerant have less diarrhea, gas or other symptoms when they eat yogurt. Many people believe that yogurt can help restore beneficial bacteria to the gut after a course of antibiotics, but no good studies have tested yogurt with live cultures against a placebo (yogurt with heat-treated cultures). Ditto for treating yeast infections.
4. What are the best yogurts?
Yogurt should be a decent source of protein and calcium without loading you down with saturated fat, sugar, or unsafe sweeteners. Just how much is enough (or too much) of each depends on the serving size. Some brands add 10-50 percent of the Daily Value for vitamin D. But missing vitamin D isn't a reason to pass over some of the best-tasting calcium and protein-rich yogurts, many of which have no added D.
Coming soon...a yummy creative dish with Greek Yogurt!