Yogurt is the traditional food of Bulgarian people, it is necessary and irreplaceable, commented Eng. Petra Velichkova, doctor of biological sciences, microbiologist.
Dairy products are one of the most complete and balanced foods. The pursuit of healthy eating in recent years has had many positive effects on both consumer awareness and the fairness of producers, said the expert.
Yogurt has anticancer, hypocholesterolemic and even lipidemic effects. This means that it breaks fat, reduces weight and a number of other beneficial effects, Eng. Velichkova. One hundred years ago, the Bulgarians were the longest-living nation. At that time, there were 1,600 centenarians per 1 million people. Dairy products are one of the most complete and balanced foods known to humans, they are extremely tasty and have been an integral part of our national cuisine for centuries.
Today, yogurt is made from sheep’s, cow’s, buffalo, goat’s or mixed milk through lactic acid fermentation caused by a specific starter culture. The useful product contains proteins, fats, carbohydrates, minerals, phosphorus, calcium, potassium, iron, and many vitamins. A product similar to Bulgarian yogurt is produced in a number of countries around the world under the name yogurt. However, the original milk differs from the varieties produced outside Bulgaria in its specific aroma, nutritional, and medicinal properties. Its characteristic properties are due to its microflora, which is a combination of the strains Lactobacterium bulgaricum (LB) and Streptococcus thermophilus contained in the starter culture, explained Eng. Velichkova.
She denied speculation that milk was harmful and should not be consumed, saying that research refuted these claims and that milk could not be harmful. There are people who are sensitive to it: they lack the enzyme lactase, which breaks down milk, and they swell when they consume milk. However, lactic acid products are suitable for them, because in these products lactic sugar is converted into acid.
There is no scientific evidence that yogurt is harmful. Probiotics, beneficial bacteria that live in the intestines and aid digestion while suppressing the growth of pathogenic microorganisms, are becoming more common as a means of treating and helping the body deal with various diseases. They are lyophilized yeasts that improve the microflora of the gastrointestinal tract.
Source: www.dartsnews.bg
