In New York City space means money, and at Manhattan grocery stores the yogurt sections are huge! In terms of retail shelf space, yogurt usually occupies a full refrigerated section as big as the combined space allotted for cheese, butter, sour cream, and eggs. By comparison, at our local grocery, pasta is given a single two by four foot shelf. In other words,  at present yogurt is big business.

The Facts of Yogurt

Most historians agree that yogurt and other fermented milk products were discovered accidentally as a result of milk being stored by primitive methods in warm climates.  Indeed, not much has changed; today yogurt is still created fermenting milk.^2,4 Bacteria starters or “cultures” are added to heated, pasteurized, homogenized milk, and the milk is then kept at a certain temperature to optimize the bacterial activity.  The bacteria transform the lactose (milk sugar) into lactic acid, which acts as a thickener.  The lactic acid also gives yogurt its tangy aftertaste and its relative acidity. (Milk is usually non-acidic, having a pH of about 7.) The yogurt is then cooled and flavored with fruit or sugar, and stabilizers or gelatin can be added for preservation.⁴

Yogurt is usually classified into the following groups⁴

Regular yogurt                              3.0 % min. milk fat
Partially skimmed yogurt              0.5 – 2.9 % fat
Skimmed yogurt                           <0.5% fat

Typical composition of a commercial fruited yogurt⁴

Fat                                  0.1-3.5%
Lactose                          3.0-4.5%
Non-fat milk solids        11-18%
Fruit                               10-20%

Yogurt is popular, but is it good for reflux?

Why is yogurt so popular?  Lately, yogurt’s been lauded as the healthy, low-carb, high protein, calcium-rich solution to all our breakfast, dessert, and snacking needs.^1-4 Not all yogurts are the same though.  Literally, just look at the labels; there are yogurts for kids and babies, low-fats and organics, Greek-style or Icelandic, and ones extra loaded with probiotics.  As a reflux sufferer, that’s a lot to sort through, so we’ve decided to test the pH of thirty varieties of yogurts and let you know how they measure up.  Let the testing begin!

Materials & Methods (How We Did the Testing)

It would have been impossible for us to test every flavor and variety of yogurt because there are literally hundreds of them on the market. In a way, however, our sampling method provided a semi-random selection of the best-selling ones — we bought all of the brands and their variations on the shelves at two New York grocery stores, Fairway and Whole Foods.

Greg recorded all of the nutitional data and made the pH measurements.

All of the pH measurements were made using a Minilab ISFET pH meter (Model IQ128 with Silicon Chip Sensor, Pulse Instruments, Carlsbad CA). The pH meter was carefully cleaned between measurements; and it was noted that the device returned to neutral pH before making the next measurement.

We measured the acidity using an ISFET pH meter.

Test Results: All Yogurts Are Not the Same

Some of the results were surprisingly similar. Fresh and homogenized milks are not acidic, pH usually 7.0 to 7.4. And it is expected that yogurt should be somewhat acidic because  the fermentation process results in the formation of lactic acid. The surprising result in our acid-testing was that the pH values of the yogurts were relatively similar — the range was pH 4.2-4.9.

A big HOWEVER belongs here. While we recommend no foods and beverages below pH 4 on the reflux diet, there is still a big difference between pH 4.2 and 4.9. Remember the pH acidity scale is logarithmic, so that pH 4 is twice as acidic as pH 5. Furthermore, for many people with severe reflux, though the good-foods-for-reflux diet may be limited, for the first two weeks of the reflux diet, we recommend only eating foods that are pH 5 or above.

And before we reveal our top 10 yogurt recommendations for people with reflux, let us explain that there there are two other reflux considerations: Fruit and fat.  Thankfully as it turns out, with a few exceptions, the yogurts containing fruit are no more acidic than those without fruit. In fact, the most acidic yogurt we tested was plain Frivan Acidophilus, made from unhomogenized milk; it was pH 4.2 and it also had one of the highest amounts of fat. Brown Cow brand actually adds cream to some of their yogurt varieties. When all of the factors are considered, we are recommending fat-free (or at least low-fat) yogurts with the highest (least acidic) pH levels.

Stonyfield organic plain yogurt is our top pick. If you wish to add fruit to this plain yogurt, consider using a banana (pH 5.6).

Reflux Diet Cookbook’s Top 10 Best Yogurts for People with Reflux

	Brand	Description	Fat Content	pH
1	Stonyfield	Plain organic	Fat free	4.9
2	Dannon	Plain (all natural)	Fat free	4.8
3	Dannon	Light and fit blackberry	Fat free	4.8
4	Stonyfield	Blueberry organic	Fat free	4.8
5	Stonyfield	Strawberry organic	Lowfat	4.8
6	La Yogurt	Probiotic pina colada	Lowfat	4.8
7	La Yogurt	Probiotic strawberry	Lowfat	4.8
8	Dannon	Cherry	Lowfat	4.9
9	Dannon	Lemon (all natural)	Lowfat	4.8
10	Fage	Greek strained (all natural)	2% milk	4.9

A Little Fly in the Ointment and Conclusion

For unexplained reasons, some people with reflux just cannot eat yogurt. Yogurt is an “idiosyncratic” food. What that means is that it causes reflux for some people but not others for no known reason.  We estimate that as many as 10-20% of people with reflux can’t eat yogurt; and for his subgroup, yogurt actually causes reflux. You either are or are not one of those people.

In conclusion, fat-free (and low-fat) yogurt is a good, not great, food for many people  with reflux; this is because its pH is less than 5 and because  yogurt is “idiosyncratic,” bad for reflux for some people.

Click here to view PDF of complete Yogurt test results

References
1. Health Benefits of Yogurt. Essortment Health. Retrieved 2-26-10.
2.The History of Yogurt. Dairy Goodness California.  Retrieved 2-26-10.
3. Roberts, Robert Ph.D. Yogurt. Penn State University.  Retrieved 2-26-10.
4. Yogurt History and Manufacturing Techniques. CIP Systems. Retrieved 2-26-10.

“It's difficult to think anything but pleasant thoughts while eating a homegrown tomato.” Lewis Grizzard

The history of the tomato begins with the Peruvian Incans in ancient times. By the 13^th century, tomatoes had proliferated throughout South America., and in the 1600s, Spanish colonialists exported them to Europe.

Tomatoes got a very cold reception, because they are related to the poisonous plant “the deadly nightshade,” used to make digitalis (a medicine for the heart). Incidentally, the same genus of plants includes the potato, eggplant, and chili pepper, as well as some notoriously toxic offshoots like mandrake root.

For centuries, the English thought that the tomato was unfit to eat. When the tomato was exported from Europe to the American colonies, it was again met with resistance and rejection. For a long time, the tomato was not consumed in the New World for quite some time. Legend has it that the public didn’t get over their fear of its poison until 1820 when Colonel Robert Gibbon Johnson publicly consumed the fruit on the front steps of a court house.^1,3,4

Because of this story of fear of the tomato, there is a concept called The Tomato Phenomenon, which refers to rejection or abandonment of an idea that is right or correct because the intellectual explanation does not fit.  In other words, the expression is equivalent to “That’s fine in practice, but it will never work in theory.”

Today, the contentious tomato is again in the spotlight; and this time, it’s because it’s on the list of foods excluded form the diet of people with reflux. The evil tomato is found in many different foods and forms, including raw tomato  slices or dices in garnishes and salads, and as an ingredient in many types of salsas  and sauces. Unfortunately, for most people with reflux the tomato is a real no-no. On our reflux diet, we usually do not allow any tomatoes or tomato sauces, sorry!

We tested the pH (acidity) of ripe tomatoes, cooked tomatoes, and prepared (canned/bottled) tomatoes and tomato sauces and found that almost all were in the unacceptably acidic range (below pH 4.0).  (With the pH scale pH 7 is neutral, and pH 1 is very acidic.  By the way, you should know that stomach acid is pH 1-4.)

If we were going to make a recommendation, and we aren’t sure that we should, the only tomatoes that we might condone for the refluxer are  ripe, home-cooked tomatoes (pH 4.8).  The problem is that tomatoes cause problems for many people with reflux no matter what the pH.  Here’s the bottom line — If you have big-time reflux, avoid tomatoes all together.

Still need to get your tomato-lovin’ fix?  Try to use it in moderation.  A good example is in our Vegetable Fritatta with Quinoa recipe found in our book, The Reflux Diet Cookbook and Cure.

References

1. Jones, Robert.  The Legend of Colonel Johnson.  American Vegetable Grower.  Retrieved 2010-2-23.
2. “Produce Statistics “ FAOSTAT: United Nations. Retrieved 2010-2-23.
3. Smith, Andrew F (1994). The Tomato in America: Early History, Culture, and Cookery. Columbia, S.C, USA: University of South Carolina Press.
4. “Tomato: The Apple of Peru” The McGraw-Hill Companies: Retrieved 2010-2-23

]]> http://www.refluxcookbook.com/http:/www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dropping-acid-jamie-koufman/1025045662?ean=9780982708316&itm=1&usri=koufman/feed 0 http://www.refluxcookbook.com/http:/www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dropping-acid-jamie-koufman/1025045662?ean=9780982708316&itm=1&usri=koufman http://www.refluxcookbook.com/http:/www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dropping-acid-jamie-koufman/1025045662?ean=9780982708316&itm=1&usri=koufman#comments Wed, 17 Feb 2010 03:08:03 +0000 Dr. Jamie Koufman http://www.refluxcookbook.com/?p=330

Known to the Egyptians 6,000 years ago as “the plant of immortality,” the aloe vera plant is again gaining a place of distinction amongst health conscious people, and not just as a topical gel to treat wounds, skin infections, burns and other skin conditions.^1-4 More and more this plant’s spiky leaves can be found popping up among the other mixed greens at local markets and health food stores. A properly prepared inch or half-inch section of aloe vera (see below) can be added to juices,  salads, soups, etc. We can attest that it is good for reflux and it is great in our smoothie.

Aloe vera is used for the treatment of reflux and heartburn. In addition, proponents of culinary aloe claim that it has benefits as a natural antibiotic and for the treatment of ulcers, irritable bowel, diabetes, kidney disease, and bladder problems.^1,3 Scientific research has yet to refute or substantiate those applicationans.² There are some preliminary research studies that suggest that aloe may lower blood glucose in diabetic patients and reduce blood lipid levels in patients with hyperlipidaemia.⁴ Yes, more research is needed, but it looks like aloe vera may be a very beneficial “superfood.”

1. Aloe Vera Not Just for Sunburns The Food Channel Online.  Retrieved 2010-2-17.
2. Eshun Kojo, Quian He. Aloe Vera: A Valuable Ingredient for the Food, Pharmaceutical and Cosmetic Industries—A Review. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, Volume 44, Number 2, March-April 2004, pp. 91-96(6).
3. Root, Jessica.   Forty Amazing New Uses for Aloe Vera. Planet Green: Discovery Online.   Retrieved 2010-2-17.
4. Vogler BK, Ernst E. Aloe Vera: A Systematic Review of its Clinical Effectiveness. British Journal of General Practice 1999;49:823-828.

Aloe has a beautiful glistening texture and appearance.

It is easy to handle, is relatively tasteless, but makes a great thickener.

It isn't all that pretty when you remove it from its green covering.

Bonus Recipe: Silky Pear Smoothie with Aloe Vera

Ingredients

2 pears (peeled, cored, seeds removed and diced
2 tbsp brown sugar
½ tsp ginger
2 Tbsp aloe (cut in half a leaf of aloe and scrape the rich clear cream from leaf)
1 cup of yogurt
1 cup of ice

Directions
In a blender, place the pears, sugar, ginger, aloe, yogurt and ice.
Blend until it becomes smooth.

They grow 'em big on the Upper West Side!