Is Yogurt Good for Diets?

Overview

If you go grocery shopping, you have probably noticed that the yogurt is becoming the king of the dairy section. The traditional dairy foods, such as sour cream and cottage cheese, are taking up less room on the shelves than they have in the past. This is because yogurt contains many benefits to your overall health and wellness. If you are looking for a new food to add to your diet, yogurt is an excellent choice.

Nutrition

Yogurt is full of the good nutrition your body needs. An 8-oz. serving of plain yogurt made with skim milk has approximately 120 calories, making it a good option for a snack or as a side with one of your meals. One serving of yogurt provides you with 13 g of protein and nearly half of your recommended daily amount of calcium. Yogurt is also a good source of phosphorous, vitamin B-12, riboflavin, pantothenic acid, zinc and potassium.

Diet

Yogurt is beneficial to a weight loss diet program. It is a complete source of protein, which makes it a good food to build your meals around. Because of the high protein content, it can be used as a substitute for high-fat meats. The protein also works to reduce your appetite, causing you to eat less while working to build strong muscles. The calcium in yogurt builds strong bones, helps you burn more calories and helping your body break down excess fat.

Benefits

Aside from being good for a diet program, yogurt has a number of other benefits for your health. Many brands of yogurt contain probiotics, which are essentially live cultures that enter your digestive tract with the purpose of eliminating anything that may lead to intestinal infections, according to "Fitness" magazine. Check the labels to find the brands that list live and active cultures, as some companies use a post-pasteurization process for their yogurt that kills this bacteria. "Fitness" also states that yogurt is beneficial to your immune system, helping to avoid illnesses, such as the common cold.

Considerations

When shopping for yogurt, remember that not every type is created equal. Just like other foods, some options are healthier than others. Read the labels to ensure there are not excess amounts of sugar or artificial additives. Flavored yogurts are typically the worst offenders. To avoid this, purchase plain yogurt and use your own sliced fruits and granola for flavoring.