Yogurt May Boost the Immune System, By Simin Meydani, Ph.D.

My review of yogurt-related research, which was published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, indicates that the potential health attributes associated with eating yogurt stretch beyond protein and calcium. In fact, yogurt has been proven to have many beneficial health attributes, and future studies on yogurt are very promising.

My research reveals that given the right circumstances, eating yogurt may help protect the intestinal tract. As a result, yogurt has great potential as a protective, anti-infection agent.

Increased yogurt consumption might help increase one's resistance to immune-related diseases such as cancer and infection, particularly gastrointestinal infection. This is in part due to the live and active cultures found in yogurt. Yogurt continues to be an excellent source of calcium and a good source of protein.

As women tend to reduce their milk consumption as they get older - which may lead to osteoporosis - and children consume more soft drinks than milk, yogurt provides a great-tasting way to get the calcium and protein needed to maintain good health.