Yogurt in infant nutrition: Answers to frequent questions.

Unlike pasteurized or sterile foods, fermented foods provide live microorganisms that are beneficial to health. Various dietary guidelines recommend certain fermented foods to promote a varied diet. Not all fermented foods are suitable for children, due to their palatability or alcohol content. Yogurt is made from pasteurized milk under controlled hygienic conditions and is available in versions without excess critical nutrients, so it is recommended from the start of complementary feeding. Along with fresh cheeses, it provides microorganisms that are useful for the intestinal microbiota and the immune system, as well as calcium and vitamin D, nutrients that are currently deficient in the child population. Despite its benefits, there are frequent doubts about its recommendation. This study answers frequent questions about yogurt from a multidisciplinary perspective, bringing together professionals from pediatrics, nutrition, gastroenterology, psychiatry, and microbiology.