Yogurt has exceptional nutritional value. For women, study after study has proven that eating yogurt every day, even at more than one meal, contributes to a healthy, active life.

While there are many yogurts and yogurt mixes on the market today, the plainer the better. Here's why.

Plain natural or homemade yogurt, has everything a body needs. Stock up or make batches at a time, and you're all set to integrate, as opposed to segregate, yogurt into your daily foods, allowing the chemical reactions of certain food combinations to release vitamins and minerals, boost your metabolism, vitality, and systems, for a healthier happier you. Yogurt acts as a cutter, helping your body digest and process fats quikly and easily due to its acidity and bacterial makeup.

Facts:

• The more variety of true and natural foods eaten by a person each day (at least 20) the better a job your body can do at keeping you healthy and happy.
• The same goes for color. The foods on your plate should NOT be monochromatic. There should be as many colors of the rainbow at each meal as you can possibly manage.

Realizing and following these rules, and incorporating yogurt into each, means you've got a winning combination. Not to mention, you'll be fuller and more satisfied at each meal with less.

 Yogurt is one of the loves of my life.  It's a simple yet complex food filled with the necessary bacteria for a healthy digestive system.  It decreases the risk of urinary, yeast, and bladder infections.  It heals and replenishes the body after antibiotics have ridden yours of both good and bad.  Yes, antibiotics may do their job, but they have the tendency to overkill, leaving you and your body at risk of painful infections because the bacteria needed to protect you from these infections are no longer there. 

Yogurt is fresh, and can add wonderful tang, sweetness, or a refreshing cool to otherwise mundane recipes.  A dallop is all it takes. 

 As a child, I loved yogurt.  Mind you, I did not love it plain.  In fact, I don't think I even liked it plain.  I loved it with sugar mixed in.  part of my breakfasts almost every day. 

Add a cup of tea to drink with a scoop of sugared or honeyed yogurt, and I had my favorite snack. 

As I grew older, I enjoyed less and less sugar in my yogurt.  I also started experimenting.  Many recipes I thought that I made up, as so many of us do,only to find that someone had already marketed the idea.  No matter.  I enjoyed every bit of exploration and every tasty path it took me down. 

I learned early on that the key was, however, not to overdo the yogurt.  Too much, and your body doesn't want to look at it again for a while.  That's because your body only needs so much.  Ever heard of too much of a good thing?  This applies to the fabulous yogurt.  A dab is all you need.  Want more, fine.  But remember, your body, if you're listening to it, will tell you when to keep going, and when to stop.

 While some of these combinations may seem a bit strange to you, I really hope you give them a try (a little bit of yogurt to temp your palette at first, don't go overboard).

Of course we all know how wonderful yogurt and fruit and or cereal is. Here's my favorite blend (and for some, like me, order matters; don't ask me why).

1. a couple of heaping spoons of yogurt on a small plate
2. cut up some fresh banana to cover
3. add more cut up fruits if desired
4. sprinkle some crunchy honey oats and almond slivers

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Honey and cinnamon go exceptionally well, and make for an exceptional desert or mid afternoon snack with tea. Do take care, however, because cinnamon is stronger than you think. One small tap is probably all you want. As for the honey, drizzle as much or as little as you want. You can mix or just eat as is. Can you say, "yum!"

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There are many cake recipes out there today that use yogurt as an ingredient. This is a fine way to get your daily intake of yogurt. Whether or not your cake is made with yogurt, a dollop on the side of say a slice of pound cake or banana or blueberry bread, can be quite harmonious. Certain pies do well when substituting a whipped topping with yogurt.

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Fruits make nice bowls. Here are two of my favorite fruit as bowl ideas.

1. fresh or baked peach, cut in half, and pitted. You can add nuts (almonds or hazelnuts are good), crumbles, a granola or even a spoon of oatmeal, honey, or a touch of cinnamon.
2. Cut a pineapple in half, core it, crush or chop up the juicy fruit of it. In a mixing bowl, stir in a bit of yogurt with the cut up fruit, and set the pineapple bowl in the freezer to chill for a half an hour. Pour your yogurt mix into your chilled pineapple bowl, and enjoy.

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Yogurt goes great with vegetables, and blends well with quite a variety of herbs and spices. Set some on the center of a platter and surround with cucumbers, tomatoes, black olives, and pita bread for a fantastic and healthy appetizer.

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Roasted potatoes scream for yogurt, especially at brunch time. I like to set a small bowl of fresh, plain, yogurt at the table with a teaspoon, for people to use.

I have to say, yogurt is 10X more flavorful and exciting on potato skins than sour cream, and 10X more healthy as well. Quite frankly, it's also cheaper. This is a definite must try!

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A sprig of mint on yogurt not only adds a touch of pretty to a plate, but this combo is also excellent on meat. Yes, you read correctly... meat. A bit on your plate for your roast or on your hamburger is fantastic. Plain, spiced, or herbed yogurt is also fantastic on pasta and with fried chicken. Call me crazy, but don't knock it 'till you try it.

 Neither honey nor yogurt are good for a child's developing system.  Many tend to allow either of these in a baby or toddler's diet because they're soft, and tasty.  But fact is, both are major no-no's.  It can cause harmful damage to your child's digestive and bowel systems, causeing cramping, and at times, internal bleeding.  A child should NOT digest these tasty treats until he or she is able to chew and digest at-table meats well.