One bowl of yogurt (dahi, curd) is undoubtedly a favourite across the length and breadth of the country. In fact, it is increasingly popular in the Western world as well — coming as it does in a range of interesting flavours.
This delicious coolant is excellent for the human health for lots of reasons. For starters, yogurt is a rare vegetarian source of vitamin B 12. Most vegetarians are deficient in this vitamin, which makes a person brighter and more alert. Another exceptional quality of yogurt is the fact that it is “probiotic”. This means that it contains healthy bacteria that become active in the intestines, allowing the yogurt to soothe the intestinal tract and boost immunity.
Yogurt also contains a form of calcium that is digestible by the human body, unlike raw milk. Used to increase the “good cholesterol” and decrease the “bad cholesterol” content in the body, yogurt is a dieter’s delight as it is low in calories and low on the glycemic index — which means that smaller quantities keep a person fuller for a longer time!
Yogurt is extremely versatile. Add it as a low-fat dressing to salads; make it interesting with dill or any other herb of your choice. Use hung yogurt to make dips with strips of vegetables. Or, simply eat spoonfuls of plain yogurt and enjoy it the way it is! My personal favourite form of having it is as buttermilk.
The writer is a Mumbai-based nutritionist