Yogurt is one of those foods that almost everyone eats because we’ve all been told that it’s good for our guts (plus it tastes food)…but did you know many of the top brands are FILLED with sugar?
Run to your fridge right now and check the sugar content of your yogurt…don’t worry I’ll wait.
Told ya!
Now don’t get me wrong…I think yogurt IS good for your gut…I’m going to tell you all the amazing health benefits of yogurt…and then I’ll tell you how to make it yourself at home and save yourself money, calories and diabetes!
Health Benefits of Yogurt
Yogurt is a fermented food that’s made by combining milk with healthy bacteria. These bacteria are called probiotics and they help keep the good bacteria in control in your gut.
It helps with:
Better Immunity. One of the greatest benefits of eating yogurt is an improved immune system. If you struggle with catching coughs and colds you’ll find that adding yogurt to your daily routine allows you to have better health.
Calcium Absorption. If you eat dairy products in order to increase your calcium intake, eating yogurt will actually allow your body to absorb more of the calcium. That’s because it provides you with the enzymes you need to digest it. You can actually absorb more calcium by eating yogurt than you can by drinking milk.
Fewer Yeast Infections. The healthy bacteria in yogurt help to fight excess yeast in your body. This can reduce the number of yeast infections you experience. For women who are prone to vaginal infection eating yogurt daily can get relief.
Digestive Regularity. Eating yogurt provides your body with healthy bacteria that work to keep digestion regular. It can help you to have fewer problems with both constipation and diarrhea.
Food Allergies. Some research suggests that by eating more yogurt with bacteria you can reduce your risk of problems from food allergies. You can both prevent problems and possibly treat food allergies with this approach.
Asthma Prevention. There is evidence that consuming the healthy bacteria found in yogurt will help your lung tissue stay healthier. Specifically it can stimulate the production of interleukin cells which decreases your risk of asthma inflammation.
Reducing Inflammation. Many of the diseases people experience are related to inflammation including diabetes, Crohn’s disease, cancer, and chronic fatigue syndrome.
Yogurt’s probiotic bacteria can help to reduce inflammation in the body and reduce your risk of these illnesses or reduce their effects. Weight gain is also related to inflammation and by eating yogurt you can support weight loss efforts in a natural way.
There are many different types of yogurt – and if you don’t do cow’s milk, don’t worry there’s a yogurt out there for you too, try coconut milk or goat milk. You may also notice that there’s a difference between regular yogurt and Greek yogurt (which is higher in protein). In the end all of these yogurts have the same benefits as long as they contain healthy, live bacteria cultures.
Many mainstream yogurts are VERY high in sugars. You want to stay away from these. I buy organic, plain, full fat yogurt (the fat gives it taste and your brain needs it). We like to add granola and fresh fruits and berries to our yogurt.
If you’re like my family and eat a lot, you might want to consider making your own. It SUPER easy (no really you’re going to be surprised how easy).
Click here to learn how to make your own yogurt.
Do you eat yogurt?
