I don’t know about you, but I love Yogurt! It’s hands down one of my favorite treats / life fuel.
It’s very nutritious, and eating it daily can boost several areas of your health. For example, yogurt has been found to reduce the risk of heart disease and osteoporosis, as well it aids in weight management and taming IBS symptoms.
So, you might be wondering what just is yogurt?
Yogurt is a dairy product made by fermenting milk with a yogurt culture. It provides protein and calcium. Nowadays, there are non-dairy options as well.
You may have heard that yogurt is not good for you, well the fact of the matter is that, like cars, not all yogurts are created equal. Added sugar and processing can make some yogurt products unhealthy. Depending on the brand you like best, you might have to trade out that piece of cake for your yogurt.
How to know if you are choosing a healthy yogurt brand.
Look at the ingredients:
The list of Ingredients should be short. “ Milk, active cultures, and sometimes there’s added vitamins depending on what the brand chosen“ Keep in mind if you are eating a desert yogurt It will have more ingredients, and it is intended as a desert not a healthy meal alternative. Not to say you can’t eat them, some of them are fantastic! I am a big fan of the Chobani Orange and Cream. A 5.3oz serving has 11 grams of protein and only 3.75% milk fat.
Boost the protein: For cow’s milk yogurt, the average amount of protein per serving you want to look for is a minimum of 5 grams. Choosing a strained yogurt brand, like a Greek yogurt, can boost that number significantly upwards of 11-13 grams of protein, which can ultimately help you stay fuller for longer.
To help you pick the best high-protein yogurt on your next trip to the grocery store go by this criteria:
Amount of protein per serving
Amount of sugar per serving
Other nutrients
Taste and texture
So far the highest protein yogurt I have been able to find is
18 grams of protein
5 grams of sugar
lots of probiotics
Don’t over do the sugar:
The American Heart Association recommends limiting daily sugar to 24 grams for women and 36 grams for men. Many yogurts can hit way beyond 20 grams per So before you eat make sure you know what your intake for the day was.
If you want a fantastic low sugar option, I would suggest Chobani Complete.
This Drinkable yogurt is a “game-changer.” It’s tasty without completely throwing you off your health goals.” This yogurt uses natural sweeteners such as stevia leaf and monk fruit for its sweetener, it has 0 grams of added sugars,”
Chobani® Complete. Advanced, lactose-free yogurt that solves the nutrition puzzle, with up to 25g of complete protein*, 3g of fiber, and 0g added sugar*” quote from the website
Did you know yogurt contains some of nearly every nutrient that your body needs?
Most Yogurts contain a lot of calcium, a mineral necessary for healthy teeth and bones. Just one cup provides 49% of your daily calcium needs.
It’s also high in B vitamins, importantly vitamin B12 and riboflavin, both of which may protect against heart disease and certain neural tube birth defects
One cup also provides 28% of your daily phosphorus, 10% for magnesium, and 12% for potassium. These minerals are essential for several biological processes, such as regulating blood pressure, metabolism, and bone health.
It’s really hard to say anything bad about yogurt, the only advice I can give you is this. “ Just like anything else enjoyable in life, moderation is key”.
If you took the time to read this today, thank you so much for reading my rant on yogurt! In all honesty, I have recently been watching a lot of Burn Notice, The main character loves yogurt, it’s all you ever see him eat. Which, me being very easily influenced, have now fallen under the grouping of yogurt loyalist.
I Thank the Valley Voice for printing this article, and I can’t wait to see what other stories and articles readers come up with. Don’t forget to submit your content here → Content Submission Form – The Valley Voice (thevoicecv.ca)
Captain Dairy