The New Complete Book of Food



lower risk of developing antibiotic-related diarrhea. As an example, the following chart lists the
microorganisms in the yogurts made and sold under the Dannon brand names.

Product “Good” Microorganisms in the Yogurt

Activia Bifidus Regularis, Streptococcus thermophilus, Lactobacillus bulgaricus

DanActive Lactobacillus casei Immunitas, Streptococcus thermophilus, Lactobacillus

bulgaricus

Light & Fit Lactobacillus acidophilus, Streptococcus thermophilus, Lactobacillus bulgaricus

Danimals Lactobacillus GG (LGG), Streptococcus thermophilus, Lactobacillus bulgaricus

Source: The Dannon Company, Inc.

Reduced risk of hypertension (high blood pressure). In 2008, a team of researchers from
Brigham and Women’s Hospital and the Harvard School of Public Health report in the
American Heart Association journal Hypertension that women who consume two or more
servings of fat-free milk and milk products a day reduce their risk of high blood pressure by
10 percent, compared to women who consume these products less than once a month. The
finding is specific to low-fat milk products; it does not apply to milk products with higher
fat content or to calcium and vitamin D supplements.

Adverse Effects Associated with This Food

Increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Like other foods from animals, whole milk is a
source of cholesterol and saturated fats that increase the amount of cholesterol circulating
in your blood and raise your risk of heart disease. To reduce the risk of heart disease, the
National Cholesterol Education Project recommends following the Step I and Step II diets.
The Step I diet provides no more than 30 percent of total daily calories from fat, no
more than 10 percent of total daily calories from saturated fat, and no more than 300 mg
of cholesterol per day. It is designed for healthy people whose cholesterol is in the range of
200–239 mg/dL.
The Step II diet provides 25–35 percent of total calories from fat, less than 7 percent
of total calories from saturated fat, up to 10 percent of total calories from polyunsaturated
fat, up to 20 percent of total calories from monounsaturated fat, and less than 300 mg cho-
lesterol per day. This stricter regimen is designed for people who have one or more of the
following conditions:

Existing cardiovascular disease

High levels of low-density lipoproteins (LDLs, or “bad” cholesterol) or low

levels of high-density lipoproteins (HDLs, or “good” cholesterol)

Obesity

Type 1 diabetes (insulin-dependent diabetes, or diabetes mellitus)

Metabolic syndrome, a.k.a. insulin resistance syndrome, a cluster of risk fac-

tors that includes type 2 diabetes (non-insulin-dependent diabetes)

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Milk, Cultured