More Americans Could Benefit From “Friendly” Bacteria (NAPSA)—Good newsfor people who want to eat well but find that dairy products upset their stomach. You can now get healthful, delicious, lactose-free yogurt =) How To Have Them More than a healthful snack or dessert, yogurt and kefir can be used in a variety of recipes and enjoyed in many ways, including: As a beverage: For breakfast, lunch or midnight snack, mix equal parts plain kefir with orange and kefir—a creamy, drinkable yogurt—with a custom blend of 10 probiotic cultures to help your body flourish. The Doctor Explains “The term ‘probiotics’ simply means‘for life,’ and it’s a way of describing bacteria—live, active cultures that are in fermented dairy products. These bacteria, probiotics, populate the intestinal tract and provide so many health benefits,” said Dr. Liz Applegate, director of sports nutrition at UC Davis, fellow of or tomato juice. For variety, stir in a Even people who thought they couldn’t enjoy yogurt can now the American College of Sports benefit from its probiotics and othernutrients. can Dietetic Association and author of the popular “Fridge Wisdom”nutrition column for Runner’s World magazine plus six books on nutrition. “We need to start thinking about how wecan get healthy bacteria in our diet on a regularbasis, and it’s by eating cultured dairy products like yogurt and kefir,” she added. Also referred to as “sood”or “friendly” bacteria, probiotics promote optimal bone health, good digestion and a strong immune system. New Green Valley Organics is the only dairy brand to offer Flourish—a custom blend of 10 live active probiotic cultures—eight more health-promoting live active cultures than the USDA’s yogurt requirement of lar part of your diet.” Relief For Lactose Intolerance Now, even people with lactose Medicine, member of the Ameri- two. “Foods that have always had probiotics such as yogurt and kefir havelive, active cultures that can help keep our intestinal tract healthy,” explained Dr. Applegate. “They may also help with weight control when consumed as a regu- all-natural products are made with fresh, organic milk from Certified Humanefarms. intolerance can enjoy the taste and get the health benefits that come from eating yogurt and drinkingkefir. All the protein, cal- cium, B vitamins and other nutri- tional benefits of real dairy are available in an organic, lactosefree, great-tasting option. The only thing that is removed in processing is the lactose. No chemicals are used, and the nutri- tional components of the milk are not altered in any way. What’s more, because Green Valley Organics yogurt has nolactose, it has less sugar—great news for anyone counting carbs, especially diabetics. The sugar content in one serving of the company’s natural plain yogurt or kefir is 4 grams, as opposed to about 11 in a comparable non-lactose-free product. The yogurts and kefirs are also low fat, kosher certified and gluten free with no coloring, preservatives or stabilizers. These chocolate or maple syrup. For a cold soup: Combine equal parts of kefir, tomato juice and a mixture of finely chopped cucumberand dill. As a topping for fresh fruit: Add a little honey and several drops of vanilla or rum extract to plain or vanilla yogurt. Serve over fresh berries, bananas or a mixed fruit salad. On a baked potato: Use plain yogurt in place of sour cream or butter. Sprinkle with chopped chives. * In muffins, pancakes and breads: Use plain kefir in place of milk or buttermilk for light, fluffy results. As a marinade: Yogurt makes an excellent tenderizer for grilled lamb, chicken or fish; plain or with soy sauce, oil and vinegar, or Dion. In coleslaw: Use yogurt in place of mayonnaise with garlic, oil, rice vinegar, lemon juice and a good sprinklingof celery seeds. Learn More You'll find these yogurts and kefirs at Whole Foods Market and other grocery, specialty and natural food retailers nationwide. For tips on identifying and living with lactose intolerance, great recipes, serving suggestions and a store locator, go to www. GreenValleyLactoseFree.com or call (707) 823-8250.
