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 Yogurt is a popular
food for Ramadan as well as Eid. However, much controversy has
surrounded the consumption of cow's milk and milk products for some
time.
Fortunately, though, this controversy only pertains to commercially
produced cow milk and milk products. As one of the oldest foods
known to man, yogurt is a product of pure milk. "…We give
you to drink of what is in their bellies ... pure milk, easy and
agreeable to swallow for those who drink" (Surat ul Nahl,
16:66). It is said that Rasulullah, the Prophet Mohammad (saw), fed
his followers with yogurt when they became ill (Eltean, p.2.). Now
yogurt has become one of the essential foods used to break the
Ramadan fast and is also a traditional addition to the "First
Day of Eid" breakfast.
For centuries, yogurt has been popular for traditional reasons. But
recently, science is finding out that this tradition has many health
benefits as well. The main benefits of yogurt are in the digestive
tract, where the friendly bacteria found in live yogurt can aid in
digestion as well as help to clean the intestines and digestive
tract.
In the Balkans, they testify as to the medicinal effects of yogurt,
believing it to have therapeutic qualities as well as providing a
strong constitution (Roden, p.21). During the early 1900's, Dr. Ilya
Metchnikoff proposed the widespread use of acidified (fermented)
milk, similar to yogurt, and proposed that the beneficial bacteria
be used in producing fermented milk. She stated that the bacteria,
still present in the yogurt, upon entering the intestinal tract
would prevent other bacteria in the intestines from forming harmful
toxins. Further investigation revealed that undigested and
unabsorbed carbohydrates in the small intestines produced three
effects:
a) Carbon dioxide, hydrogen and methane gas as well as
alcohol.
b) Microbial by-products like lactic acid.
c) Energy for microbial growth which leads to damage of the
small intestines resulting in carbohydrate malabsorption,
bacterial overgrowth, water drawn into the intestines increased
metabolic by-products and chronic diarrhea (Gotschall, p.15 -18).
One of the first digestive enzymes to suffer damage is lactase.
It has been found that most African-Americans, Latinos, Asians and
Southern Europeans lack the ability to digest lactose, a milk sugar
(Rangwani, p.1). Deficiencies in the enzyme lactase includes celiac
disease, malnutrition, cholera, gastroenteritis, infant diarrhea,
irritable colon, soy protein and cows milk intolerance, parasitic
infection of the intestines, cystic fibrosis, Crohn's Disease and
ulcerative colitis. Former Chairman of Pediatrics at John Hopkins
University Frank Osko blames a multitude of other health problems on
hormone-riddled commercial milk containing lactase (Rangwani, p.1).
Unfortunately, lactase can be found in most milk products such as
liquid milk, dried milk, commercial yogurt, fermented homemade
yogurt, processed cheese, cream cheese, ice cream, some sour creams,
whey and even in some vitamins (Gotschall, p.25). Lactase, however,
is not present in fully fermented live yogurt. The standards set by
the Food and Agricultural Organization for yogurt state that it must
have undergone lactic acid fermentation through the action of the
friendly bacterias lactobacillus bulgaris, and streptococcus
thermophilus, which comes from milk.
The real yogurt culture, lactobacillus and
streptococcus, should ferment the real 'live' yogurt, which must be
alive at the time of consumption (Eltean, p.1). Researchers at the
Pediatric and Adolescent Gastroenterology of the Women's and
Children Hospital in Adelaide, Australia have found that yogurts and
other fermented drinks contain more than one type of bacteria from
the lactobacillus family, which promote digestion. This is very
important in the breaking of a fast -either during Ramadan or during
any breakfast throughout the year.
Additionally, researchers have found that fermented milk plays a
large role in the prevention and management of serious
gastrointestinal conditions including inflammatory bowel disease. A
urine test was used to check the permeability of the intestines and
a breath test to measure the metabolic activity of bacteria in the
intestines. Healthy adults were given yogurt for two days using the
urine test. They found that the intestines had become less
permeable. Diarrhea is a result of excess permeability (Reuters p.1,
2).
Microbiologists at the University of Ontario found that a strain of
lactobacillus not identical to that in live yogurt and checked the
spread of the dangerous bacterium, staphylococcus aureus. The
laboratory research involved rats. All were given staphylococcus
aureus through implantation under the skin. Half were given
lactobacillus. Those that didn't receive lactobacillus developed
sores filled with pus whilst those that did had clean healthy
wounds. It is still unknown as to why this occurs, but it has shown
that friendly bacteria in yogurt can slow down staphylococcus
instead of destroying it with antibiotics, which causes the strain
to become resistant to treatment like those found in British general
hospitals. This would benefit patients with weakened immune systems
due to illness or surgery whereby antibiotic treatment would
endanger their lives (BBC, 1,2).
These friendly bacteria become an intrinsic part of real live
yogurt, when homemade and fermented for no less than 24 hours. The
bacteria contain a non-complex single-sugar (monosaccharides), which
requires no further splitting to be transported from the intestines
to the bloodstream (Gotschall, p.3, 27, 44). As a custom, many
Middle Eastern countries have enjoyed homemade live yogurt as a
condiment, often adding salt, mint and garlic. It is enjoyed with a
variety of vegetables and meat. Naturally sweet yogurt (curd) is
more nutritious than ghee or milk, so the wisest decision if one has
a limited choice of alternatives to commercially produced yogurts is
to cherish the benefits of making yogurt at home.
Read
Also:
Sources:
-
BBC. "Yogurt
Bacteria 'Fights' Superbugs." Health: BBC. 12/08/01.
-
Eltean.com.
"Yogurt."
Eltean.com. 12/06/01.
-
Gottschall, Elaine. "Breaking the Vicious Cycle." Canada:
Kirkton Press. 1998.
-
Rangwani, Shanti.
"White
Poison: The Horrors of Milk." AlterNet.org. 12/08/01.
-
Reuters. "Yogurt, Fermented Drinks Good for Bowel
Disease." Oxygen.com. 10/04/01.
-
Roden, Claudia. "Middle Eastern Food." Britain: Penguin
Books. 1985.
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