Ask the dietitian: Yogurt can be good for your immune system

Q: What have you heard about yogurt being good for your immune system? I have heard some advertisements promoting this idea, and I would like to include more yogurt in my day if it is true.

— K.M., Omaha

A: There is some truth to the statement the probiotics (via live cultures) in yogurt can help immunity. It seems to be especially true after being on a course of antibiotics for illness. That’s because there are good and bad bacteria living in your GI tract. Antibiotics can wipe out both. That may sound like no big deal, but you need the good bacteria to aid in digestion and as a counterbalance to bad bacteria in your system.

Any yogurt with “live cultures” can add good bacteria to your system. The part of the immunity picture that hasn’t been proven is that taking a probiotic (via yogurt or in pill form) every day will boost your immunity. It certainly shouldn’t hurt and, if you choose yogurt, you will be getting a good source of calcium and protein, too.

Other healthy-living activities also can be beneficial to your immune system. One is eating healthy, including a variety of fruits and vegetables and eating fish, nuts and avocados, and lean meat and seafood.

Regular exercise and getting enough sleep also will benefit your immune system.

Q: My question is about making cranberry vinegar. Both of my recipes call for white wine rice vinegar. Could I substitute regular rice vinegar? I hesitate using cider vinegar because of the dark color.

— M.C.T., Grand Rapids

A: I looked at a number of cranberry vinegar recipes, and every one uses a different vinegar. Some recipes even call for cider vinegar; I think they were aiming for a darker-colored vinegar. So it shouldn’t matter which vinegar you use. If you want to keep your cranberry vinegar lighter in color, use the rice vinegar or distilled white vinegar.
