Many kinds of yogurt can fit into a weight loss diet, but some choices may be better than others at helping you reduce your calories. Yogurt is a healthy food because it provides essential nutrients such as calcium, potassium and vitamin A. Eat a moderate amount of yogurt as part of an overall balanced diet for the best chance at losing weight and preventing weight gain.
Reduced-Fat
Fat-free yogurt is lower in calories than full-fat or low-fat versions. Fat is the most calorie-dense nutrient, with 9 calories per gram compared to 4 calories per gram for carbohydrates or protein. Each cup of yogurt from whole milk has 149 calories, low-fat yogurt has 154 calories and fat-free yogurt has only 127 calories per 8-oz. cup. The fat from milk is mostly saturated fat, which raises your cholesterol levels, and another benefit of avoiding full-fat yogurt is a lower intake of saturated fat.
Lower Sugar
Plain or no sugar-added yogurts can help you lose more weight than yogurt flavored with sugar or corn syrup. All yogurt contains some sugar from lactose, the natural sugar in milk, but sugar-sweetened, flavored yogurts also have added sugars, which are called "empty calories" because they provide extra calories but no nutrients. A cup of fruit-flavored, fat-free yogurt sweetened with sugar has 233 calories, while the same amount of fat-free yogurt with a non-nutritive sweetener has only 110 calories.
High-Protein Yogurts
Yogurts with a higher protein content may help you lose weight because protein is a filling nutrient, according to the Harvard School of Public Health. Instead of a yogurt with only 8 g protein per cup, choose one with 11 to 13 g. Greek yogurt is a category of yogurt that is not only high in protein, but it is thick so it helps you feel full, according to the Ohio State University Extension. Keep in mind that your total calorie intake determines your weight loss regardless of whether those calories come from protein, fat or carbohydrate.
Other Information
You may want to look for yogurt with the highest possible calcium content because individuals who eat high-calcium diets tend to have a lower weight, according to the Linus Pauling Institute Micronutrient Information Center. To lose weight, you need to eat fewer calories than you expend, and yogurt can help you lose weight when you use it instead of higher-calorie snacks or desserts. You can also use yogurt as a substitute for high-fat, creamy salad dressings, sauces or dips.
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