5 Health Benefits of Yogurt

5 health benefits of yogurt can be enjoyed if you make yogurt part of a well-balanced nutritious diet. Yogurt is chock full of nutrients, including some that build strong bones and help your blood pressure. Those little cups also have some friendly bacteria that may also be good for your digestion.  Find below the  5 Health Benefits of Yogurt, and how it can help you to stay healthy.

Cut Risk Of Type 2 Diabetes

If you’re a regular yogurt eater, you may be less likely to get type 2 diabetes, says a 2014 research.  Yogurt may have some unique health benefits not shared by other dairy products according to nutritionists.

The reason for yogurt’s benefit to prevent diabetes may be due to having probiotics.  Probiotics are bacteria good for your health.  The chances are they reduce inflammation and improve how your body reacts to insulin –  a hormone that manages the amount of sugar in your blood.

The study also shows that people who eat more yogurt gain less weight over time which is another thumbs up.

Get Stronger Bones

Yogurt is great for your bones. Yogurt is made from milk giving it calcium. Vitamin D is usually added during production. Calcium and Vitamin D are great nutrients to build healthy bones.  Eating yogurt, especially early in life, can reduce your risk of getting osteoporosis, a bone-weakening disease.

Improve Your Digestion

Probiotics, the “good” bacteria in yogurt are very healthy for the tummy.  Probiotics may help regulate your bowel movements, fight infections, or normalize your digestive system after a round of antibiotics, making it less likely to experience side effects like diarrhea.

Lower Blood Pressure

If you’re a woman, eating yogurt may help keep your blood pressure in check, according to a 2016 study.  Yogurt contains potassium which helps control blood pressure by eliminating salt from your body.

Improve  Immune System

Probiotics may help your body’s defense against the germ.  A yogurt a day is great.   It can serve as a healthy snack or simply a treat. Yogurt boosts your immune system against falling sick.

5 Things To Look At In Yogurt

New yogurt styles and flavors show up on the supermarket aisles. It’s important to check ingredients so you can make a healthy choice.

Sugar

Yogurt has natural sugar called lactose. For instance, six ounces of plain yogurt has about 12 grams.  However many yogurts are super-sweetened.  So check the sugar content as well as the ingredients to see how many sweeteners are listed.

Preferably chose the unsweetened plain type.  Then add fruit or honey when you get home. Another option is to mix a sweetened yogurt with a plain one.

Calcium

Check nutrition labels for yogurt that give you about 20% of your daily value of calcium in a serving.

Greek yogurt is strained to make it thicker, so it has more protein but less calcium. Since many brands supplement Greek yogurts with extra calcium, pick one that boosts the extra.

Vitamin D

Check to see that you get more than 10% of your daily amount of Vitamin D in a serving of yogurt.

Probiotics

Whether yogurt is made from cow’s milk or coconut, soy, or almond milk, it should say on the label that it contains live and active cultures. Don’t worry about which type is listed unless your doctor or dietician recommends otherwise.   All those bacteria are good. Get the benefits from all of them.

Fat

Low-fat yogurt is the best choice for most people.  Whole-milk yogurts have more saturated fat, which isn’t heart-healthy.

When you choose your yogurt, ensure it’s one you like and want to eat often.  Also, remember to eat healthy all-round by eating lots of fruits and vegetables, and less processed carbohydrates and meat.

Low Fat Dairy Offers Health Benefits

https://www.shape.com/healthy-eating/meal-ideas/many-benefits-greek-yogurt

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