Yogurt Cultures for Cholesterol Control

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Second Opinion Health Alert

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December 20, 2006

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The best food to raise HDL cholesterol

Walk down any grocery store aisle and you'll see many labels touting the

cholesterol-lowering abilities of this or that food. Which ones actually work

is

often hard to determine. But there's one food you can eat that will

definitely lower your cholesterol. And, better yet, it will even raise your HDL

- the

good cholesterol.

The food is yogurt! But not just any yogurt. The best results come from

probiotic yogurt.

A small study on 33 healthy women looked at the benefits of probiotic vs.

conventional yogurt. Researchers found that consuming just 200 gm daily of a

probiotic yogurt caused significant drops in total cholesterol. Additionally,

the probiotic yogurt group also saw improvement in the hard to raise HDL

cholesterol. Even conventional yogurt as well as the probiotic yogurt caused

the

" bad " LDL cholesterol to fall.

You may know that I'm a big fan of food as the best medicine. Time and time

again, I see proof that food can accomplish far more than most drugs - and

without any side effects. Supplements, which are typically a form of food, are

my second choice.

With that said, I don't push a lot of dairy. I think cow's milk is a perfect

food for baby cows. But not humans. However, I'm a firm believer in

fermented foods and probiotics. With this study, we see benefits of both

fermentation

and probiotics in the form of yogurt. I do eat some yogurt, but I make sure

it's organic. I don't recommend yogurt that has been sweetened or in any way

altered with additives or heat. Plain white yogurt is the way to go. You can

add your own fresh fruit if you like.

Probiotic yogurt is a great low-cost way to help normalize your cholesterol

level. But remember, cholesterol is not the bad guy. It's what your body

does with it. This study suggests that a probiotic yogurt will help your body

deal positively with your cholesterol. You can find probiotic yogurt in some

grocery stores and in most health food stores.

Yours for better health and medical freedom,

Jay Rowen, MD

" Influence of daily consumption of probiotic and conventional yoghurt on the

plasma lipid profile in young healthy women, " Fabian E, Elmadfa I, Ann Nutr

Metab, 2006; 50(4): 387-93.

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