4 Health Benefits of Yogurt - Why Do Celebrities Love Greek Yogurt?

What's the best thing to eat when the weather is hot? Many people choose cold, sweet and sour yogurt, as they believe that it contains probiotics that can protect the intestines, help lose weight, and enhance immunity, while also supplementing the protein and nutrients needed by the human body. It has many benefits. But is it really like that? Greek yogurt has become a popular product in the market recently. What is the difference between it and regular yogurt? Let’s see what the nutritionist says!

As Chinese people's diet becomes more westernized, the habit of eating yogurt is gradually gaining popularity. Besides its unique taste, what other charm does yogurt have that can capture people's hearts? From a health perspective, Ni Manting, a nutritionist at Changhua Christian Hospital, believes that there are at least four points to discuss:

1. Supplement high-quality food sources of protein:

Yogurt is a nutrient-dense dairy product that is rich in protein, calcium and other micronutrients and is believed to be useful in preventing weight gain and cardiometabolic diseases. Protein is one of the three major nutrients in food, and is related to producing heat for the human body, building and repairing tissues, synthesizing enzymes and hormones, and promoting human growth and development.

According to the new edition of the daily dietary guidelines published by the National Health Administration in 2018, dairy products among the six major food categories have been newly included as a recommended option for yogurt. Each serving of dairy products = 210 grams of yogurt, which contains about 8 grams of protein.

2. Rich probiotics can protect the intestines:

In addition to being the digestive system that everyone knows, the intestines are also the body's largest immune system. There are many good bacteria and bad bacteria in the intestines. The ideal state is for them to coexist peacefully. Once conflicts occur and an imbalance between good and bad bacteria occurs, it will indirectly affect the health of the body. Taking probiotics is believed to have health benefits such as improving gastrointestinal function, lowering blood lipids and cardiovascular disease.

A study pointed out that for school-age children, one group was given probiotics every day, and the other group was not given probiotics completely. After a period of time, it was found that the experimental group that supplemented with probiotics had significantly lower fever, cough, runny nose, and absenteeism than the control group that did not supplement. Yogurt, known as a "superfood", is one of the best sources of probiotics.

Yogurt, known as a "superfood", is one of the best sources of probiotics.

3. May Have Positive Effects on Weight Control:

For many women, the biggest appeal of eating yogurt is to "improve weight loss effects", but is this method really effective? Nutritionist Ni Manting said that according to a systematic literature review, yogurt intake is negatively correlated with changes in waist circumference, weight changes, overweight and obesity risks, and metabolic disease risks, but the results of each experiment may not be completely consistent or statistically significant. Even so, most current research still takes a "supportive" stance, believing that moderate yogurt intake may help control weight and improve metabolic diseases.

4. Friends with lactose intolerance can also eat it with peace of mind:

Most Taiwanese people have lactose intolerance, which means they will experience abdominal pain, diarrhea and other discomforts after drinking dairy products. Although the main ingredient of yogurt is also milk, the lactic acid bacteria added during the production will convert lactose into lactic acid, reducing the amount of lactose in dairy products. It is naturally less likely to cause lactose intolerance. Therefore, for people who easily get diarrhea after drinking milk, yogurt is a good source of calcium supplement.

The biggest difference between Greek yogurt and regular yogurt is the protein content

It is worth mentioning that there is not only one kind of yogurt. Standing on the shelves in the store, consumers basically see two types: regular yogurt and Greek yogurt. What is the difference between Greek yogurt and regular yogurt? Why do many models, gourmets, and diet experts prefer Greek yogurt when recommending yogurt diets?

Nutritionist Ni Manting said that the main difference between Greek yogurt and ordinary yogurt is the addition of a water removal process, which makes the Greek yogurt thicker and more solid in taste and retains a higher protein content. For the elderly with poor dental function, Greek yogurt is soft and easy to chew, and can be used as a good way to supplement protein.

Greek yogurt is rich in protein and contains carbohydrates, so it can be used as a nutritional supplement after exercise.

Greek yogurt is also a good helper for post-exercise nutritional replenishment! Many people know that they need to supplement protein after exercise to help repair damaged muscles, but in fact, the supplement of carbohydrates is also very important, because carbohydrates can replenish the glycogen consumed during exercise, and moderate supplementation can help restore physical strength. Greek yogurt is rich in protein and contains carbohydrates, so it can be used as a nutritional supplement after exercise.

However, whether it is regular yogurt or Greek yogurt, don’t forget to choose sugar-free or low-fat/fat-free products, and pair them with oatmeal and fruit to increase satiety, which may be more helpful for weight control!

Yogurt paired with oatmeal and fruit can increase satiety and may be more helpful for weight regulation!