As a naturally protein-rich food, yogurt makes a great addition to any snack or meal that uses protein powder as a main component. Mixing the two together creates a smooth, pudding-like treat that you can enjoy on its own or use as the base for a smoothie or thick shake.
Benefits
According to the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, getting extra protein in your diet can help you gain lean muscle mass and build strength. If you're overweight, having yogurt with protein powder regularly may be able to help you slim down because protein-rich foods have satiation properties that can keep you full and curb total calorie consumption. "Trials continue to show comparable, if not superior, effects of high-protein diets on weight loss, preservation of lean body mass, and improvement in cardiovascular risk factors," state the authors of a 2008 article in "Current Opinion in Endocrinology, Diabetes and Obesity."
Nutrition Facts
Of course, you must take in more calories than you burn to gain muscle mass, and you must take in fewer calories than you burn to lose weight. Thus, your serving sizes and the type of yogurt you choose to eat with your protein powder matter. A 30 g scoop of whey protein powder has about 110 calories, 2 g fat, 1 g carbohydrates and 23 g protein, and 1 cup of nonfat Greek yogurt has 120 calories, no fat, 9 g carbohydrates, 9 g sugar and 20 g protein. Other yogurt varieties have considerably more sugar and less protein, however. According to the USDA, 1 cup of low-fat fruit yogurt has 245 calories, 3 g fat, 46 g carbohydrates, 46 g sugar and just 10 g protein.
Tips
Protein powder can sometimes clump up when you attempt to mix it with other foods. To prevent that from happening, add a small amount of water to the powder to form a paste before you mix the powder with yogurt, as Health Link Alberta recommends. If you can get a smooth, even paste, your powdered yogurt mixture will also be smooth. An alternative involves sifting the powder on top of yogurt and then stirring it in; the sifting process will remove large lumps and make the powder easier to incorporate into the mixture.
Considerations
Before adding protein powder or any other supplement to your regular diet, speak with your doctor. As the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports points out, most people get enough protein through what they normally eat, so that they may not need supplements.
References
- LIVESTRONG.com MyPlate: Calories in Whey Protein Powder
- Fitness.gov; The President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports - FAQ; 2011
- "Current Opinion in Endocrinology, Diabetes and Obesity"; Benefits of High-Protein Weight Loss Diets; BJ Brehm; October 2008
- LIVESTRONG.com MyPlate: Calories in Total 0% Greek Yogurt
- NAL.USDA.gov: Nutrient Data Laboratory
- Health Link Alberta; Adding Protein and Calories to Your Diet; December 2006
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