When healthy food comes into the topic, delicious Yogurt is always present.
Yogurt is popularly known for its creamy and rich taste. Beyond that, Yogurt, like milk, contains many essential vitamins and minerals such as easily consumable proteins, which lower cholesterol levels and prevent hypertension, calcium for healthier and stronger bones and dental health, and immunity boosters.
In this article, let me show why Yogurt is termed as one of the superfoods, and let’s also dig deeper to find out its health benefits.
But before that. Let’s define Yogurt as.
What is Yogurt?
Yogurt is commonly offered as desserts as well as used in dish flavorings. Made from bacterial fermentation or pasteurization, Yogurt is considered a dairy product that can be made from goat, sheep, or cow’s milk.
Looking back over 6000 years ago, the fermentation of dairy milk is believed to start in Central Asian countries like India, Persia, and Turkey. The process of dairy milk’s fermentation is much different than in the older times. Today, a process known as pasteurization is used to kill the existing bacteria and fermenting the milk for several hours until the proper texture is achieved.
Interesting Facts about Yogurt
- Yogurt does not have a Greek origin. It actually originated from turkey.
- Mongolian Empire leader, Genghis Khan actually consumed yogurt with his armies.
- 43% of men consume yogurt and 68% of women.
- Regular yogurt is introduced 5,000 years ago, while in the 1970s in New England, the frozen yogurts were introduced.
- During the Ottoman Empire era, Yogurt is considered a miraculous cure for diarrhea when French King, Francois J suffered from it.
What are the Types of Yogurt?
- Greek Yogurt. This type of yogurt is commonly used in Mediterranean-style cuisines as well as dips. The Greek yogurt texture is usually thick and creamy, it contains more protein but lower calcium content than the regular yogurt. It is available in full, low, or non-fat.
- Kefir Yogurt. Kefir basically means liquidized yogurt, it contains probiotics. You can also make Kefir Yogurt by adding Kefir grains to the milk and fermenting it for half or the whole day.
- Frozen Yogurt. As the name implies, this type of yogurt is frozen and commonly known as an alternative to Ice cream. Some frozen yogurt contains live and active cultures while other uses heat-treated yogurts to kill them.
- Low Fat or Non-Fat Yogurt. These types of Yogurt differs from its milk content. Low-fat contains 2% milk while non-fat contains skim or 0% milk.
- Skyr Yogurt. Pronounced as “skeer”, this type of Yogurt originated from Iceland which commonly dense and creamy. Skyr requires 4 times milk to achieve more protein content.
- Non-Dairy Yogurt. Soy and coconut milk yogurt are alternatives to non-dairy yogurts.
Health Benefits of Yogurt
1. Yogurt aids in Digestion and good for gut health
Yogurt is the powerhouse of beneficial bacteria called probiotics which is essential for keeping your digestion runs smoothly and balances the microflora in your gut. It can also be used as a milk substitute for a person who cannot digest milk.
These good bacteria are known for easing constipation, pylori infection or ulcer, lactose intolerance, diarrhea, preventing inflammatory bowel diseases or any gastrointestinal conditions.
If you want to create your Yogurt, here is the Easiest Yogurt Recipe that you should try.
2. Yogurt can control your blood pressure
To prevent any severe health problems, consuming Yogurt can lessen the risks of hypertension or any kidney complications. The high amount of sodium in the body is linked to high blood pressure, but Yogurt will help reduce any salts, Thanks to its high content of potassium. However, it is not advisable to excessively consume Yogurt mainly because of the presence of high-fat content.
3. Yogurt can give your immunity a boost
The good bacteria found in Yogurt can also boost your immune system and tissue functions, which helps produce antibodies that protect your body against different types of viruses and bacteria.
4. Yogurt can good for the bone and dental health
Yogurt is rich in Vitamin D and Calcium, which is essential for keeping healthier and stronger bones and teeth. It is great for young to the development of bones and for adults to prevent any bone density loss and osteoporosis.
You can acquire 300 grams of calcium in a bowl of Yogurt, so if you’re worried about your bone health, you might as well add Yogurt to your diet, especially after each lunch.
5. Yogurt can help you to lose weight
If you’re trying to lose weight and burn those embarrassing belly fats, then you should consume Yogurt today.
A recent study found that replacing an unhealthy snack with 3-6 ounces of yogurts a day for 12 weeks can help you reduce calories intake, which means losing weight and doubled the number of lost fats. It also contains healthy fats like Omega-3s, which can also be found on salmons and tuna.
6. Yogurt can reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes
Diabetes is one of the most common causes of death in the world. According to studies, high consumption of probiotic Yogurt is linked to reducing the development of type 2 diabetes. This is also essential for nutrients absorption and maintaining a healthy blood sugar level.
So if you’re planning to add Yogurt to your diet, you should opt for low-fat or non-fat yogurt brands. Greek Yogurt can also be your option because it contains more protein than the regular type of Yogurt.
7. Yogurt can make you feel full
Protein or amino acids are important in your diet. It is essential for muscle building. Consuming Yogurt can make you feel full, according to the 2006 study, which concludes the Yogurt is high in satiety rating than fruit-based drinks due to its high protein content.
8. Yogurt is great as a workout snack
The perfect combination of carbohydrates and protein is great if you’re a fitness nut or health-conscious person. Greek Yogurt, specifically, contains more protein than any Yogurt. Adding Yogurt to your post-workout session (60 minutes) and water is a great idea for repairing stressed muscle tissues and also for good hydration.
9. Yogurt may help to improve your mood
As mentioned above, Yogurt is good for gut health which is also linked to mood improvement. A study has been conducted and shows that participants who consumed probiotics regularly (2 servings per day for four weeks) have improved moods and emotions when exposed to emotional events.
10. Yogurt can prevent yeast infections
The study suggests that consuming the right amount of Yogurt can help you prevent any vaginal yeast infection occurrences commonly observed in diabetic women, mainly because Yogurt contains active and good bacteria called Lactobacillus that lower the pH levels the vaginal area and prevent any infections from occurring.
However, not all types of Yogurt contain Lactobacillus, so it’s still better to consult your doctor before consuming Yogurt.
11. Yogurt may ease Chronic pain and prevents any brain-related illnesses
According to a study, probiotics found in Yogurt are linked to lessening the risk of having chronic pain, Parkinson’s, Autism, and Alzheimer’s. The medical researchers also raised a question about antibiotics that can kill the bad and healthy bacteria in the guts that might affect our brain region. But further researches are still being conducted to prove its effectiveness.
12. Yogurt may prevent certain types of cancer
According to one study, the consumption of Yogurt can be essential to those people who have colon cancer. It is also said that it may slightly extend their lives.
13. Yogurt can reduce Bad Cholesterol
As mentioned earlier, Yogurt contains a probiotic called Lactobacillus Acidophilus which can also help to decrease your cholesterol level. The study suggests that one 200ml serving of Yogurt per day can reduce 6% – 10% of the risks of coronary heart diseases or any cardiovascular diseases.
14. Yogurt is great for Skin and Hair
Surprisingly, applying Yogurt to the skin can reduce dark circles, pores and prevents common skin problems such as acne and skin rashes by giving you healthy, younger-looking skin. It is also great for your hair if you’re suffering from an itchy scalp caused by dandruff yogurt can do the job.
15. Yogurt can cure Bad breath
Having bad breath can be embarrassing. It is commonly caused by the lack of saliva in the gut. Eating Yogurt and other probiotic-containing foods can lessen the odor by neutralizing the acid in your stomach.
It is proven that consuming Yogurt can reduce halitosis by 80%, lowering plaque and gingivitis levels.
Important Notes
- Certain types of pre-made yogurts contains sugar, so you should avoid them, instead, opt for regular yogurt like Greek yogurt, it contains high amount of protein.
- Yogurt can cause allergic reaction to those individuals who has milk allergy.
Conclusion
Yogurt is delicious food, and it also provides a wide range of essential vitamins and minerals that are very beneficial in our body’s health.
Rigorous studies proved that consuming Yogurt can definitely give you tons of health benefits, and it can significantly affect achieving and maintaining a healthy body.
Took a step to a healthy lifestyle and grab some delicious yogurt today!
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Here’s an interesting infographic from health.clevelandclinic.org
