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Yoghurt is too often thought of merely as something fruity, in a small plastic tub, which we hurriedly consume either at breakfast time, as a snack, or after lunch. The reality of course is that yoghurt has a great many potential uses and benefits for us - even more than it has spelling variations! It is extremely beneficial in a nutritional sense and there are a great many ways in which it can be used to improve our food menus, either by replacing less healthy ingredients or simply adding what amounts to a finishing touch.

Yoghurt and Nutrition

Yoghurt is of course a dairy product, artificially produced by fermenting milk to form bacteria - lactic acid - from the milk's sugar. It is rich in proteins, which are needed by our bodies to stimulate regenerative repairs and boost our immune systems. It contains calcium, an essential element for the health of such as our bones and our teeth. Yoghurt is also rich in Vitamins B6 and B12, vitamins which - among other things - are essential to the health of our blood and cellular structure.

Yoghurt as a Food

Low fat natural yoghurt has a multitude of uses in the kitchen. It can form a part of every course of the day in very different forms. Below are just some ideas for incorporating this very healthy ingredient in your meals.

Try serving natural yoghurt at breakfast time as a dip for some roughly chopped fruit. Arrange such as apples, bananas and pears around a large bowl of yoghurt and let your family help themselves. How often before will they have enjoyed a dipping sauce for breakfast?

It may of course be as a dip that we can employ low fat natural yoghurt in the biggest variety of ways. Here are some further suggestions:

1) Skin, de-seed and finely chop some cucumber. Mix it with natural yoghurt, some finely chopped mint and a clove of crushed or grated garlic.

2) Skin, de-seed and chop some tomatoes. Heat them in a pan until they begin to boil (the water content in them will facilitate this) then turn down the heat and simmer until a lush, rich sauce has formed. Allow to cool and add to some yoghurt with a pinch of chilli powder to taste.

3) Grate some carrot and finely chop a little cilantro/coriander leaf to add to the yoghurt. This serves particularly well as a dip for chopped vegetables, similar to the breakfast fruit idea.

Yoghurt is also used extensively as a marinade in particularly Indian and other Asian types of cooking, along with a variety of herbs and spices. Chicken or lamb are particularly delicious when prepared in this way before being gently fried in sunflower oil.

If looking for a healthy idea for pudding or dessert, mix some fresh strawberries (quartered or halved,) raspberries and blueberries with natural yoghurt. A swirl of honey or even some chocolate shavings can be added as a slightly wicked garnish without spoiling the overall healthy effect.

It can therefore hopefully be seen that humble yoghurt has many potential benefits to us in a variety of different ways. Perhaps the above explains why it is an ever present in my refrigerator...?

Learn more about this author, Gordon Hamilton.
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