Yogurt digestibility benefits
Protein in yogurt has higher digestibility
Milk and yogurt are excellent sources of high quality protein, which is roughly made up of 80% casein and 20% whey protein. The high nutritional value of milk proteins is well preserved during the fermentation process involved in yogurt production. The protein content of yogurt is generally higher than that of milk because of the addition of non-fat dry milk during production (10). Proteins in yogurt have been found to be more digestible than proteins in unfermented (standard) milk.
Both the heat treatment and acid production involved in fermentation appear to start breaking down milk proteins, producing smaller, more easily digested forms of the milk protein casein, and releasing some free amino acids into yogurt (10). Cultured yogurt also has a higher protein quality than the mix it is made from (10).
References:
6. Moore DR, Robinson MJ, Fry JL, Tang JE, Glover EI, Wilkinson SB, Prior T, Tarnopolsky MA, Phillips SM. Ingested protein dose response of muscle and albumin protein synthesis after resistance exercise in young men. Am J Clin Nutr. 2009;89:161–168.
7. Tang JE, Moore DR, Kujbida GW, Tarnopolsky MA, Phillips SM. Ingestion of whey hydrolysate, casein, or soy protein isolate: effects on mixed muscle protein synthesis at rest and following resistance exercise in young men. J Appl Physiol. 2009;107:987–99.
8. Pennings B, Boirie Y, Senden JM, Gijsen AP, Kuipers H, van Loon LJ. Whey protein stimulates postprandial muscle protein accretion more effectively than do casein and casein hydrolysate in older men. Am J Clin Nutr. 2011;93:997–1005.
9. Wilkinson SB, Tarnopolsky MA, Macdonald MJ, Macdonald JR, Armstrong D, Phillips SM. Consumption of _uid skim milk promotes greater muscle protein accretion after resistance exercise than does consumption of an isonitrogenous and isoenergetic soy-protein beverage. Am J Clin Nutr. 2007;85:1031–1040. 10. Adolfsson O, Meydani SN, Russell RM. Yogurt and gut function. Am J Clin Nutr. 2004; 80(2):245-56.
Milk and yogurt are excellent sources of high quality protein, which is roughly made up of 80% casein and 20% whey protein. The high nutritional value of milk proteins is well preserved during the fermentation process involved in yogurt production. The protein content of yogurt is generally higher than that of milk because of the addition of non-fat dry milk during production (10). Proteins in yogurt have been found to be more digestible than proteins in unfermented (standard) milk.
