Wonder Benefits and Uses of Yogurt for Weight Loss

What is a probiotic?

Yogurt is full of health benefits. Yogurt is probiotic, which means ‘for life’. Yogurt is associated with probiotic bacteria that are extremely helpful in the smooth functioning of the digestive system. Milk converts into yogurt due to specific lactobacillus probiotic bacteria called lactobacillus bulgaricus and streptococcus thermophilus. These probiotic bacteria are effective in boosting the immune system and overcome sickness. Yogurt has many surprising health benefits including weight loss and lowering hypertension.

Yogurt nutrition value

Yogurt is full of vital nutrients. Yogurt is the best source of protein, calcium, and potassium. The nutritional fact of yogurt is as follow: It has important nutrients like calcium, vitamin B2, B5, vitamin D, magnesium, potassium, phosphorous, iodine. It is enriched with important bodybuilding protein and amino acids. Yogurt contains vitamin B12, which is an important factor in the formation of red blood cells. It is suggested that complete vegetarian people should take regular yogurt as the vitamin B12 is present in animals. As far as vitamins are concerned, yogurt is one of the easy products to get necessary vitamins. The presence of the required amount of carbohydrate and protein in yogurt is good for heavy workout people as it provides the necessary energy to your body as well as repairs your muscles. The 6-ounce yogurt contains nutrients: calories (100 k.cal), fat (3.5 grams), protein (10 grams), sugar (20 grams), calcium (20% of your daily requirement), vitamin D (20% of daily value).

Yogurt for osteoporosis treatment

Yogurt is having an adequate amount of calcium and vitamin D, which are effective in the management and treatment of osteoporosis. Both calcium and vitamin D helps in strengthening bone irrespective of age group. An 8-ounce yogurt contains 415 mg of calcium, which is 42% of the daily requirement. Vitamin D is needed to absorb calcium.

Yogurt reduces high blood pressure

In a recent study at Spanish University, it has been observed taking dairy products such as yogurt, the risk of high blood pressure gets reduced. In a daily routine, we are taking more amount of sodium in the form of salt that leads to diseases like hypertension, kidney, and heart diseases. Since yogurt is containing a good amount of potassium that counters sodium and reduces the chances of high blood pressure. Yogurt lowers cholesterol as it is a medium to assimilate the cholesterol.

Yogurt improves digestion

Yogurt is good for the smooth functioning of the digestive system. It is effective in cases like lactose intolerance, constipation, diarrhea, colon cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, and H. pylori infection. In yogurt, milk lactose converted into lactic acid by bacteria that is easily digestible while calcium helps to absorb the food easily. These bacteria help to digest milk protein casein and make it easier to absorb. Generally, yogurt is probiotic in nature that helps to sideline the harmful intestinal infection-causing microorganisms. Yogurt is beneficial in strengthening the immune system too. Yogurt is because of containing more lactase, acts as a healing food for those who are suffering from diarrhea. Yogurt also minimizes the impact of antibiotics on the intestine due to the presence of friendly bacteria.

Yogurt for weight loss

In a survey conducted by the University of Tennessee, Knoxville; it is observed that regular eating of curd helps to burn belly fat. There is a hormone called cortisol present in the waist, which sends a signal to the body to accumulate more fat in the belly region. Yogurt contains enough amount of calcium, which instructs cortisol to release a lesser amount of fat cells. The presence of amino acids is also good in burning fat. In this case, the eating of Greek yogurt is more beneficial in weight loss management because it contains a higher percentage of calcium than normal yogurt.

Yogurt prevents colon cancer

Yogurt presents lactobacillus bacteria that are pro-intestine and good for colon health.  Lactobacillus bacteria discourage the conversion of bile into carcinogenic substances. It is scientifically said that more number of such bacteria are present in the colon means there is a lesser chance of the production of harmful substances. Yogurt has enough amount of calcium, which discourages cell lining in the colon thus reduces the risk of colon cancer. Calcium prevents the cancer-producing bile to disturb the colon wall. People who have a calcium-rich diet having a lower incidence of colon cancer.

Yogurt is full of Calcium and Protein

Yogurt is one of the best sources of calcium. An 8-ounce yogurt is containing about 450 mg. of calcium, which is 50% of a child’s RDA and 40 % of adult RDA for calcium. Yogurt is an excellent source of protein. An 8-ounce yogurt contains 14 grams of protein that is 20 % of the daily requirement. Live and cultures yogurt contains more amount of protein and also easier to digest. Therefore, protein in yogurt is often called predigested.

Uses of Yogurt

Yogurt is a very important dairy product, which is used to make multiple dishes. Yogurt is used as yogurt rice, lassi, cucumber raita, beetroot raita, bottle gourd raita, shirkhand, piyush, etc. Yogurt is one of the integral ingredients that are used for beauty and a fair complexion.

What is Greek yogurt?

The nutrition facts of Greek yogurt are different in comparison to normal yogurt. Greek yogurt is in great demand all over the world due to its high nutritional value. Greek yogurt has double the amount of protein, half of the sodium, and carbohydrates than the normal yogurt. The presence of a higher amount of protein in Greek yogurt makes it a high-demand product among athletes and senior citizens. The lower amount of sodium is also good for high blood pressure patients. It contains an adequate amount of calcium (25% of daily intake).