Yogurt - Health Food or Dessert?

I can't be the only person to wonder about this in the 4,500 years people have been eating yogurt...

It's made up of protein, calcium, riboflavin and vitamins B6 and B12. The lactic acid in it promotes good gum health.

A scientific experiment reported that patients who ate yogurt three times a day, lost 22% more weight and 81% more abdominal fat than the control group whch only counted calories. Attention: as this information was provided online as such it may well be very, very wrong. Do not begin to eat your own weight in yogurt every day!

Dannon brand yogurt began in 1919 when a man from Salonika started producing it in Barcelona. "Danone" (the original name) meant "little Daniel" and was named for his son. In 1933, adding cooked fruit was patented.

Yogurt is tremendously popular in India where it is traditionally served at the end of a meal as dessert. Indians also use it as a hair pomade! In Nepal, it is served as an appetizer or as dessert.

As a dessert, it's commonly presented as a smoothie or frozen gelato with or without berries or as a dip for fresh fruit.

You can easily make it at home! chirped the woman who put this recipe online. Commercial yogurt starter is available at Wal-Mart (!) as "Euro-Cuisine Yogurt Starter" and has five 50 mg packages for $20. (I buy the finished product for 79 cents a container...)

To make it: heat up a quart of milk with 2 T of yogurt starter and infinite patience. Heat the milk until it's steaming and then let it cool. Put it in a thermos, close the top and let it stand for four hours. Once it sets, drain it (cheesecloth in a strainer) for several hours. Add a flavor or fruit jam and enjoy!