Yogurt provides calcium, protein, probiotics and vitamins. It may help promote weight loss, and can be a positive addition to a safe, moderate diet. A relatively strict weight-loss program that includes yogurt can be healthy if the diet is nutritionally balanced overall. Any diet that restricts you to only one type of food can lead to malnutrition and other health problems, and is not safe.
Yogurt and Nutrition
Yogurt is made by adding bacteria to milk, causing it to ferment. One 8-ounce container of plain, low-fat yogurt contains about 143 calories, 3.52 grams of fat and 15.98 grams of carbohydrate. It is rich in protein, with 11.92 grams per 8 ounces. Yogurt is an excellent source of many minerals – 8 ounces provides 415 milligrams of calcium, 0.18 milligrams of iron, 39 milligrams of magnesium, 327 milligrams of phosphorous and 531 milligrams of potassium. It also offers 25 micrograms of folate, 116 international units of vitamin A, 2 international units of vitamin D and small amounts of other vitamins.
Probiotics
One way yogurt may support weight loss is by promoting efficient digestion. Yogurt with live and active cultures is rich in microorganisms called probiotics that imitate the action of the “good” bacteria naturally present in your body. They may help bolster the function of good bacteria, ward off harmful bacteria and keep your body’s digestive system running smoothly. Dietitian Karen Zeratsky of MayoClinic.com recommends eating probiotic-rich foods like yogurt over taking probiotic supplements, since these foods are safe for most people.
Yogurt and Digestion
In August 2004, “The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition” published the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Human Nutrition Research Center’s analysis of recent studies on the effects of yogurt and probiotics on digestive health. Although many studies show a relationship between yogurt consumption and healthy digestion, results are inconsistent. This may be because of the difficulty of comparing the probiotic strains used in different studies. The report recommends that additional well-designed studies be conducted on humans to support these findings.
Calcium and Weight Loss
Yogurt may help support weight-loss efforts in other ways. For example, one study conducted at the University of Tennessee and published in the “International Journal of Obesity” in April 2005 placed obese adults on a restricted-calorie diet. One group of dieters received yogurt containing about 1,000 milligrams of calcium a day, while the other did not. The group taking the yogurt lost significantly more fat and centimeters of waist circumference than the control group. The researchers believe that yogurt’s high calcium levels are responsible for this effect.
References
- U.S. Department of Agriculture National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference: Yogurt, Plain, Low Fat, 12 Grams Protein Per 8 Ounce, NDB #01117
- MayoClinic.com; Expert Answers: Is It Important to Include Probiotics in a Healthy Diet?; Katherine Zeratsky; 2010
- “The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition”; Yogurt and Gut Function; Jean Mayer; August 2004
- “International Journal of Obesity”; Dairy Augmentation of Total and Central Fat Loss in Obese Subjects; M. B. Zemel et al.; April 2005
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