from www.popcorn.org
Water buffaloes, yaks, goats, mares, cows and even soybeans make it. You can eat it, sip it like a soup, or drink it as a drink. It’s yogurt – beloved by dieters and made famous by happy, bearded nomads living past the ripe age of 100. Yogurt made its appearance on American shelves in the mid 20th century, but it’s been around for thousands of years and is a staple in diets around the globe, including our own. Walk into the most remote of gas stations in the smallest of communities and you’ll find a container or two of this creamy concoction.
Many cultures claim yogurt as their own and each has a special recipe variation. It’s curious to think of how the first yogurt came into being. Who was that daring young herdsman carrying dairy in his goatskin bag on a warm summer’s day, suddenly deciding to give his soured milk a try? And would you be brave enough to try anything you thought had turned a biological corner?
Thankfully, someone did and now we get to benefit from the experience. Many yogurts contain live bacterial cultures that break down the milk sugar (lactose) to produce lactic acid, which gives it its refreshingly tart flavor. Breaking down the lactose is good news for lactose intolerant people, many of whom are able to eat yogurt without ill effect. Your body needs a certain amount of good bacteria to keep the body healthy and some yogurts contain these bacteria. (more…)
