YOGHURT 1 A panel of experts met on June 14 to address the health and lifestyle attributes of live and active culture (LAC) yoghurt. The meeting was organised by the National Yoghurt Association (NYA), an American non-profit organisation representing manufacturers and marketers of yoghurt products. Robert Garfield, Senior Vice President of Regulatory and Technical Affairs at the NYA, provided an overview of scientific research on the health potential of live and active culture yoghurt. Among the health attributes discussed were the following: ========================================================================================================================================================= * Yoghurt is an excellent source of calcium, critical for bone growth, development and maintenance at every stage of life, especially for children. It plays a significant role in the prevention of osteoporosis, which afflicts one out of two women and one out of eight men. * Yoghurt is a good source of protein. In fact, an average 150-gram serving provides approximately 20 per cent of the Daily Value for protein. * A report from Tufts University researcher Simin Meydani, published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, points to even broader potential health benefits associated with eating live and active culture yoghurt, including potential benefit to the immune system. Given the right circumstances, yoghurt may help protect the intestinal tract.  For people who are lactose intolerant, studies have shown that the live and active cultures found in yoghurt enable adults who cannot tolerate other dairy products to enjoy yoghurt.  =================================================================================================================================================== * Vaginal yeast infections: research suggests that when eaten regularly, yoghurt that contains l. Acidophilus may decrease yeast growth and infection in certain individuals by as much as three-fold. * Yoghurt delivers calcium, potassium and magnesium, three nutrients that have been shown to reduce hypertension. Studies also show that a calcium-rich diet helps regulate blood pressure in women during and after pregnancy. Garfield also announced that the NYA is in the initial stages of commissioning a new scientific research review concerning the nutrient digestibility of yoghurt. Dr. Michele Cyr, Director of the Division of General Internal Medicine, Associate Dean for Graduate Medical Education and Associate Professor of Medicine at Brown University School of Medicine, singled out osteoporosis as one of the greatest health risks for women, especially as women's life expectancy increases. She said the earlier a woman begins a nutritional plan to prevent osteoporosis, the better. ========================================================================================================================================================= "One of the easiest ways to help prevent this debilitating disease is by making yoghurt part of your daily diet. An 150-gram serving provides approximately 400 mg of calcium. The recommended daily calcium intake is 1,000 mg for pre-menopausal women and 1,500 mg for post-menopausal women," said Dr. Cyr