FOOD SPECIAL................. BREAKING DOWN YOGURT

BREAKING DOWN YOGURT  Greek or Icelandic, soy or coconut, goat milk or good ol’ cow milk… yogurt’s gone gourmet. The health benefits of this super staple     For Indians, it is a digestive and a must-have accompaniment in most meals. As Chef Marut Sikka puts it, “Be it street chaats or shahi kormas, India will come to a halt without yogurt!” But the same yogurt/curd/dahi is going uber-trendy, with a dizzying variety of flavours, textures, milk sources, fat content, and sweeteners. Let’s find out what makes yogurt such a hotseller these days. Power punch “Yogurt is a bodybuilding, restorative, soothing and anti-fungal food with special healing properties. A daily serving of at least 200-300 gm is recommended,” says clinical nutritionist Ishi Khosla. In terms of nutrients and calcium content, yogurt is the same as the milk from which it is prepared. “The difference is that in yogurt, the sugars, proteins and fats are broken into simple forms. That’s why it’s called predigested food, and is suitable even for infants,” adds Khosla. Calcium is best absorbed along with phosphorus and vitamin D, as in yogurt. Therefore, liberal consumption of yogurt in childhood can help prevent osteoporosis later in life. What’s more, it contains good bacteria, also known as probiotics, which smoothen the digestive tract and boost the immune system.     Caution: It must be remembered that yogurt should not be prepared from full fat milk, as it would increase the fat and calorie value. ‘Whey’ too dynamic Yogurt’s versatility makes it popular all over the world. Taking its multiple facets to new levels, dahi now dons a new avatar suited to vegans (who don’t eat dairy products) all over the world. We are talking about mock yogurt. Just like mock meat, it is a non-dairy yogurt extracted not from cow, buffalo or goat milk but from soy or coconut milk. Food consultant and nutritionist Jia Singh says, “Soy yogurt (fashionably called soygurt or yofu) has an acquired aftertaste, since it doesn’t have lactose (makes dairy products palatable) in it. But it gives you almost as much protein as regular yogurt.”     Other than that, there’s Greek yogurt, which is creating waves across the globe. During processing, Greek yogurt is strained several times, which removes some of the lactose, sugar and liquid whey. This gives the yogurt a thicker consistency and tangy flavour, much like homemade Indian yogurt. “Greek yogurt is high on nutrition and one can make it at home by adding some cheese to hung curd,” says Singh. Must-have ingredient Chefs find themselves constantly intrigued by this cooling staple, and are coming up with its newer, fancier variations. For instance, Delhi-based Chef Saby swears by his Baked Saffron Yogurt for brunches and Mishti Doi Cheesecake. Food consultant Rushina Munshaw Ghildiyal makes Middle Eastern strained yogurt cheese Labneh, much like Greek yogurt. Yogurt has become ‘the’ party starter with Middle-Eastern dips like Tzatziki. Chef Saby also does hung yogurt balls with extra virgin olive oil, and Arabic garlic yogurt.     Yogurt tops the shopping list of weight watchers who love this probiotic food as a parfait in the morning or a sandwich spread in the evening. “It is, however, better to make your own version at home with regular yogurt, honey and fresh fruits since ready-made ones are high on artificial sweeteners,” suggests Singh to the health-savvy among us. KNOW YOUR YOGURTS     Skyr: Skyr is the traditional yogurt of Iceland and is comparable in texture and nutrition to Greek yogurt, delivering just as much protein, but lesser calories (because it’s always made with skimmed milk).     Kefir: This drinkable fermented milk product contains additional strains of probiotics and beneficial yeast that other yogurts don’t have. Your best bet is to opt for low-fat and non-fat varieties.    Swiss yogurt: This type of yogurt is thinner and creamier than Greek yogurt. It’s made from cultured milk that is incubated and cooled in a large container. But watch out! It has almost double the sugar and carbohydrates than Greek yogurt!    Goat milk yogurt: Considered one of the most popular yogurts worldwide, this is made from whole goat milk. It has a softer texture with a slightly sweet ’n’ salty flavour. It’s low in calcium and high in fat, but you can lower the fat content by skimming the cream off the top.     Coconut yogurt: Some brands of coconut yogurt, made from coconut milk, contain no dairy at all. This type of yogurt is vegan, which makes it appropriate for those on vegetarian diets. It may also prove useful for those who suffer from lactose intolerance. Supriya Sharma TL130920