Yogurt fruit dip recipes are much healthier than a marshmallow fluff fruit dip or dipping fruit in chocolate. This may sound like heresy to some folks but it's true.
Health Benefits Of Yogurt
One of the most important health benefits of yogurt is the fact most yogurts have "active cultures." This means it has live bacteria in it. Don't get grossed out! It's OK. The live bacteria in most yogurts are the "good" bacteria your body needs to function correctly to stay healthy. Before buying yogurt you should check the label on side of the package to make sure it lists "live active culture" or similar wording.
Any mention of "yogurt" in this article will be referring to products with active cultures. Yogurt without active cultures is not as useful to your body. If you have the choice, doesn't it make sense to buy the yogurt with active cultures instead of those without? Of course it makes sense. Especially when you consider they cost almost exactly the same. So, what type of conditions may yogurt be valuable in helping?
Yogurt Consumption Discourages Vaginal and Bladder Infections
After completing antibiotic therapy for a bacterial infection you should consume yogurt to restore beneficial gut bacteria. Why? Because antibiotics kill the "good" gut bacteria the same as they destroy the "bad" bacteria making you sick. It is well established that bladder infections commonly occur after a regimen of antibiotic therapy. This is because the good bacteria are wiped out leaving fertile ground for bad bacteria to colonize, multiply, and create a secondary infection after the killing effects of the antibiotic are gone.
Consuming yogurt may discourage a secondary infection from occurring. It is helpful because it restores good bacteria, which offers a protective presence. This wards off the bad bacteria. Think about this for a moment. If good bacteria are living on every space available because you ate yogurt with active cultures (or took specialized "good gut bacteria" from the pharmacy) then there is less room for bad bacteria to gain a foothold. The good bacteria literally squeeze out the bad.
One study of diabetic women revealed that yogurt consumption helped their vaginal area maintain a more acidic environment. This area of the female body is naturally more acidic to create an inhospitable environment for bacteria, viruses, or fungi. The less favorable the growing conditions the less growth of these unwanted organisms occurs. In this study the increased acidity caused by yogurt consumption discouraged the growth of Candida (yeast). Yeast infections are common in diabetics but eating yogurt decreased its occurrence.
In addition to helping fight certain infections, yogurt may be helpful with conditions such as constipation, chronic diarrhea, and inflammatory bowel disease. It appears the active cultures are responsible for these beneficial effects. Going natural is the best way to reap the most benefits from yogurt.
Yogurt Contains Calcium and Protein
Because yogurt is made from milk and other dairy products it contains calcium and protein. Yogurt will help provide some of these needed nutrients in a convenient, easily consumed form. Try this easy yogurt fruit dip recipe if you want to begin exploring this culinary delight.
Easy Yogurt Dip Recipe
One eight-ounce (8 oz.) container of plain yogurt (regular, fat-free, or low-fat is your choice)
One-tablespoon honey (it is absorbed less abruptly than table sugar so it doesn't disrupt your body as much)
Three-tablespoons of shredded coconut.
Whisk ingredients together and serve immediately with fruit chunks.
Why Have Fruit Dips?
Why have fruit dips? Isn't fruit alone good enough by itself? Don't most fruits have a wonderful flavor, a great texture on the tongue, and sweetness combined into a tidy, ready-to-eat morsel? Fruit contains minerals, essential vitamins, and fiber, which maintain normal body function.
Folks who consume greater amounts of fruits and vegetables on a daily basis have less chronic diseases such as stroke, cardiovascular disease, and certain cancers including breast and bowel cancers. Consider adding the health benefits of yogurt to those of fruit the next time you need a snack or fun dish for a party. It is a great way to offer good healthy foods to guests who may not otherwise consider going natural and eating such foods.
--------
Yogurt contains more health benefits, you should have it everyday as snack.
Source
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Sunday, September 27, 2009
The health benefits of yogurt
Eating yogurt everday is very healthy for the body. For those looking to supplement their protein, calcium and dairy, yogart is a healthy choice.
Yogurt is not just a delicious snack with fruits on the bottom, it has great health benefits. It is an excellent source of protein, calcium, riboflavin and vitamin B 12. When yogurt is compared to milk, yogurt contains more calcium and protein because of the added cultures in the yogurt.
Yogurt must contain active and living cultures to be yogurt. Cultures are composed of unique living microorganisms which are responsible for many of the health and nutritional benefits of yogurt. Some of the health benefits of yogurt are"
It improves natural defense, it contains a good amount of phosphorus and 88% water. People with a risk of osteoporosis should eat at least one serving of yogurt per day.
It has also been claimed that yogurt may protect against some types of cancer but more investigations have to be carried out.
There are three types of yogurt: regular(whole milk), low-fat and skim. Low-fat and skim yogurt are good for people who are on a cholesterol lowering diet or just simply watching their weights. These types of yogurt does not raise blood cholesterol levels.
Some people have trouble digesting lactose, a carbohydrate in milk and milk products, because of the deficiency of enzyme lactase in the body. Live yogurt cultures produce lactase and break down the lactose. Yogurt is a healthy way to get the calcium the body needs, for the people who can not tolerate milk products.
Other benefits of live and active cultures in the yogurt are, they may help to boost the immune system. They encourage the right kind of bacteria to multiply in the gut. These bacteria help to digest food and prevent stomach infections. Also, they help to provide relief from vaginal infections.
Yogurt is fresh dairy product that must be stored in the refrigerator. The heat treated yogurt has a longer shelf life but it does not give the nutritional benefits like the yogurt with live cultures because heat processing destroys the cultures. To get the most health benefit from yogurt, there must be a live and active cultures seal on the label.
Yogurt is known and consumed in almost all parts of the world. Mediterranean Countries use a lot of yogurt in their cuisine. They usually eat yogurt, plain with no sugar along with main dishes like stuffed cabbage and spinach. They add yogurt to their salads or use it to make traditional "meze" They also prepare yogurt drinks made with plain yogurt, salt and water and serve it with shish kebabs. Fried vegetables such as eggplant or zucchini are eaten with yogurt. Cucumber and yogurt salad is very popular among the Mediterranean countries, it is prepared with yogurt, cucumbers, fresh or dried mint, garlic and salt.
To add more yogurt to everyday diet, here are some healthier alternatives and tips:
- Replace mayonnaise and salad dressings with yogurt
- Replace ice cream and milkshake with frozen yogurt and mixed fruit yogurt smoothie
- Make dips with yogurt instead of sour-cream
- Try using yogurt cheese instead of cream cheese
- Use to marinate meat and poultry
- Yogurt can also be stove cooked, but it will curdle if heated to too high a temperature or boiled. Adding a tablespoon of cornstarch into each cup of yogurt before cooking it, can prevent this problem.
--------
You should try yogurt and fruit in your diet, it helps you get slimmer and it can protect you from intestinal diseases.
Source
Yogurt is not just a delicious snack with fruits on the bottom, it has great health benefits. It is an excellent source of protein, calcium, riboflavin and vitamin B 12. When yogurt is compared to milk, yogurt contains more calcium and protein because of the added cultures in the yogurt.
Yogurt must contain active and living cultures to be yogurt. Cultures are composed of unique living microorganisms which are responsible for many of the health and nutritional benefits of yogurt. Some of the health benefits of yogurt are"
It improves natural defense, it contains a good amount of phosphorus and 88% water. People with a risk of osteoporosis should eat at least one serving of yogurt per day.
It has also been claimed that yogurt may protect against some types of cancer but more investigations have to be carried out.
There are three types of yogurt: regular(whole milk), low-fat and skim. Low-fat and skim yogurt are good for people who are on a cholesterol lowering diet or just simply watching their weights. These types of yogurt does not raise blood cholesterol levels.
Some people have trouble digesting lactose, a carbohydrate in milk and milk products, because of the deficiency of enzyme lactase in the body. Live yogurt cultures produce lactase and break down the lactose. Yogurt is a healthy way to get the calcium the body needs, for the people who can not tolerate milk products.
Other benefits of live and active cultures in the yogurt are, they may help to boost the immune system. They encourage the right kind of bacteria to multiply in the gut. These bacteria help to digest food and prevent stomach infections. Also, they help to provide relief from vaginal infections.
Yogurt is fresh dairy product that must be stored in the refrigerator. The heat treated yogurt has a longer shelf life but it does not give the nutritional benefits like the yogurt with live cultures because heat processing destroys the cultures. To get the most health benefit from yogurt, there must be a live and active cultures seal on the label.
Yogurt is known and consumed in almost all parts of the world. Mediterranean Countries use a lot of yogurt in their cuisine. They usually eat yogurt, plain with no sugar along with main dishes like stuffed cabbage and spinach. They add yogurt to their salads or use it to make traditional "meze" They also prepare yogurt drinks made with plain yogurt, salt and water and serve it with shish kebabs. Fried vegetables such as eggplant or zucchini are eaten with yogurt. Cucumber and yogurt salad is very popular among the Mediterranean countries, it is prepared with yogurt, cucumbers, fresh or dried mint, garlic and salt.
To add more yogurt to everyday diet, here are some healthier alternatives and tips:
- Replace mayonnaise and salad dressings with yogurt
- Replace ice cream and milkshake with frozen yogurt and mixed fruit yogurt smoothie
- Make dips with yogurt instead of sour-cream
- Try using yogurt cheese instead of cream cheese
- Use to marinate meat and poultry
- Yogurt can also be stove cooked, but it will curdle if heated to too high a temperature or boiled. Adding a tablespoon of cornstarch into each cup of yogurt before cooking it, can prevent this problem.
--------
You should try yogurt and fruit in your diet, it helps you get slimmer and it can protect you from intestinal diseases.
Source
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Fresh Fruit Salad with Honey Vanilla Yogurt
Ingredients
* 2 cups plain yogurt
* 2 tablespoons good honey
* 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
* Seeds scraped from 1/2 vanilla bean, optional
* 1/2 orange, juiced
* 1 banana, sliced
* 1/2 pint fresh blueberries
* 1/2 pint fresh raspberries
* 1 pint fresh strawberries, hulled and cut in half
* 1 bunch seedless green grapes, halved
Directions
Combine the yogurt, honey, vanilla extract, and vanilla bean seeds in a bowl and set aside. Combine the orange juice and banana slices in a separate bowl. Add the berries and grapes and gently mix the fruit mixture together. Spoon the fruit into serving bowls and top with the yogurt.
--------
Fruit and yogurt is a very healthy combination. You should try it, especially this fruit salad and yogurt recipe it's very refreshing.
Source
* 2 cups plain yogurt
* 2 tablespoons good honey
* 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
* Seeds scraped from 1/2 vanilla bean, optional
* 1/2 orange, juiced
* 1 banana, sliced
* 1/2 pint fresh blueberries
* 1/2 pint fresh raspberries
* 1 pint fresh strawberries, hulled and cut in half
* 1 bunch seedless green grapes, halved
Directions
Combine the yogurt, honey, vanilla extract, and vanilla bean seeds in a bowl and set aside. Combine the orange juice and banana slices in a separate bowl. Add the berries and grapes and gently mix the fruit mixture together. Spoon the fruit into serving bowls and top with the yogurt.
--------
Fruit and yogurt is a very healthy combination. You should try it, especially this fruit salad and yogurt recipe it's very refreshing.
Source
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Fruit Yogurt Could Play An Important Role In Diabetes Management
Yogurt enriched with fruit or made from soy could play an important dietary role for people living with Type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure, suggests new findings by University of Massachusetts Amherst researchers.
Led by Kalidas Shetty, the UMass Amherst scientists screened extracts from a sampling of dairy and soy yogurts for properties that could help keep diabetes and hypertension in check, such as the activity level of enzymes that help moderate blood glucose levels. The researchers found that fruit-enriched yogurts—especially those made with blueberries or made from soy—contain active natural compounds that may curb some aspects of diabetes, the researchers report in an upcoming issue of the Journal of Food Biochemistry.
The findings provide a strong rationale for further clinical studies, and for incorporating 'healthy diet design' into disease management strategies, says Shetty. 'What one eats should be part of an overall approach to therapy,' he says.
Doctoral students Emmanouil Apostolidis and Young-In Kwon collaborated with Shetty on the research.
Type 2 diabetes, which accounts for roughly 90 percent of U.S. cases, is often associated with obesity, high blood pressure and elevated levels of cholesterol. The disease is characterized by an abnormal rise in blood sugar right after a meal. This chronic high blood sugar, known as hyperglycemia, is associated with many of the complications that can arise from the disease, including the failure of various organs such as the kidneys, heart, eyes and problems with nerves and blood vessels.
Medications that prevent the spike in blood glucose often target certain enzymes—in particular, enzymes that are responsible for modifying carbohydrates before they can be absorbed by the small intestine. Carbohydrates are the major source of blood sugar and inhibiting these carb-altering enzymes—-amylase and glucosidase—slows the body's absorption of sugars.
The researchers were also interested in a third enzyme—angiotensin-I converting enzyme or ACE-I—which plays a role in the constriction of blood vessels. Medications known as ACE inhibitors block the activity of this enzyme, and such medications are used in treating high blood pressure in both diabetic and non-diabetic patients.
Such medications have been shown to be an effective strategy for diabetes management, yet they can have unwanted side effects, says Shetty. Previous research by Shetty and others found that certain plant compounds also play a role in blocking all three of these enzymes, opening up the possibility that foods rich in such compounds may provide health benefits, but without the adverse side affects, he says.
So Shetty and his team went to the local supermarket and bought peach, strawberry, blueberry and plain yogurts made by four different brands, including a soy brand. The researchers took samples of each yogurt, and tested their ability to inhibit each of the enzymes of interest, using water or a buffer solution as a control.
Of all the sampled yogurts, soy yogurt enriched with blueberries packed the most punch, inhibiting the activity of all three enzymes tested, the researchers report. Peach and strawberry enriched yogurts also fared well in their ability to inhibit the carb-altering enzymes - amylase and glucosidase.
The researchers also tested the yogurts for antioxidant activity and the quantity of a group of plant chemicals known as phenols. Phenols and polyphenols are found in a wide variety of plants; they give red wine and tea their heart-healthy boosts and are especially prominent in dark-colored fruits and vegetables. The benefits of these compounds seem to come from their antioxidant powers—polyphenols scavenge cells for nasty free radicals such as reactive forms of oxygen. Free radicals can damage cellular machinery much the way that metal is turned to rust.
The extracts from blueberry yogurts had the second-highest concentrations of phenols and the most antioxidant activity, the researchers found, beat out only by soy (even the plain soy yogurt had higher phenol content than any regular yogurt with fruit). The blueberry extracts also were the best at blocking the action of glucosidase, which was correlated with the amount of phenols.
There was much more variation in which extracts inhibited -amylase and ACE-I, and it wasn't necessarily correlated with phenol content says Shetty. Soy yogurts had the highest phenol content overall, and were the best at inhibiting ACE-I.
A growing body of research indicates that diets rich in fruits and vegetables are associated with lower incidences of certain diseases, and plant compounds such as phenols are of increasing interest to scientists, says Shetty. How these dietary antioxidants mediate disease isn't clearly understood, Shetty suspects that they stimulate the body's own antioxidant enzymes to shift into a defense mode that protects tissues from chronic disease, many of which are associated with damaging free radicals.
'The numbers of people with environment-related diseases are going through the roof,' says Shetty, noting that in the United States alone more than 20 million people are estimated to have diabetes. Worldwide estimates are that 170 million to 200 million people have diet-linked Type 2 diabetes, and the World Health Organization expects those numbers to double by the year 2030.
'Poor communities and especially Native Americans are afflicted with Type 2 diabetes more than other communities,' say Shetty. 'Cost-effective dietary changes are essential for fighting this disease, and traditional diets that have a higher content of these protective antioxidants are an important part of the solution. We should be able to use diet along with other therapies, and diabetes is a disease where this especially makes sense.'
********************
Wow! Yogurt is really healthy and very delicious. For those who are diabetic you can eat fruit and yogurt, it's really good for you.
Source
Led by Kalidas Shetty, the UMass Amherst scientists screened extracts from a sampling of dairy and soy yogurts for properties that could help keep diabetes and hypertension in check, such as the activity level of enzymes that help moderate blood glucose levels. The researchers found that fruit-enriched yogurts—especially those made with blueberries or made from soy—contain active natural compounds that may curb some aspects of diabetes, the researchers report in an upcoming issue of the Journal of Food Biochemistry.
The findings provide a strong rationale for further clinical studies, and for incorporating 'healthy diet design' into disease management strategies, says Shetty. 'What one eats should be part of an overall approach to therapy,' he says.
Doctoral students Emmanouil Apostolidis and Young-In Kwon collaborated with Shetty on the research.
Type 2 diabetes, which accounts for roughly 90 percent of U.S. cases, is often associated with obesity, high blood pressure and elevated levels of cholesterol. The disease is characterized by an abnormal rise in blood sugar right after a meal. This chronic high blood sugar, known as hyperglycemia, is associated with many of the complications that can arise from the disease, including the failure of various organs such as the kidneys, heart, eyes and problems with nerves and blood vessels.
Medications that prevent the spike in blood glucose often target certain enzymes—in particular, enzymes that are responsible for modifying carbohydrates before they can be absorbed by the small intestine. Carbohydrates are the major source of blood sugar and inhibiting these carb-altering enzymes—-amylase and glucosidase—slows the body's absorption of sugars.
The researchers were also interested in a third enzyme—angiotensin-I converting enzyme or ACE-I—which plays a role in the constriction of blood vessels. Medications known as ACE inhibitors block the activity of this enzyme, and such medications are used in treating high blood pressure in both diabetic and non-diabetic patients.
Such medications have been shown to be an effective strategy for diabetes management, yet they can have unwanted side effects, says Shetty. Previous research by Shetty and others found that certain plant compounds also play a role in blocking all three of these enzymes, opening up the possibility that foods rich in such compounds may provide health benefits, but without the adverse side affects, he says.
So Shetty and his team went to the local supermarket and bought peach, strawberry, blueberry and plain yogurts made by four different brands, including a soy brand. The researchers took samples of each yogurt, and tested their ability to inhibit each of the enzymes of interest, using water or a buffer solution as a control.
Of all the sampled yogurts, soy yogurt enriched with blueberries packed the most punch, inhibiting the activity of all three enzymes tested, the researchers report. Peach and strawberry enriched yogurts also fared well in their ability to inhibit the carb-altering enzymes - amylase and glucosidase.
The researchers also tested the yogurts for antioxidant activity and the quantity of a group of plant chemicals known as phenols. Phenols and polyphenols are found in a wide variety of plants; they give red wine and tea their heart-healthy boosts and are especially prominent in dark-colored fruits and vegetables. The benefits of these compounds seem to come from their antioxidant powers—polyphenols scavenge cells for nasty free radicals such as reactive forms of oxygen. Free radicals can damage cellular machinery much the way that metal is turned to rust.
The extracts from blueberry yogurts had the second-highest concentrations of phenols and the most antioxidant activity, the researchers found, beat out only by soy (even the plain soy yogurt had higher phenol content than any regular yogurt with fruit). The blueberry extracts also were the best at blocking the action of glucosidase, which was correlated with the amount of phenols.
There was much more variation in which extracts inhibited -amylase and ACE-I, and it wasn't necessarily correlated with phenol content says Shetty. Soy yogurts had the highest phenol content overall, and were the best at inhibiting ACE-I.
A growing body of research indicates that diets rich in fruits and vegetables are associated with lower incidences of certain diseases, and plant compounds such as phenols are of increasing interest to scientists, says Shetty. How these dietary antioxidants mediate disease isn't clearly understood, Shetty suspects that they stimulate the body's own antioxidant enzymes to shift into a defense mode that protects tissues from chronic disease, many of which are associated with damaging free radicals.
'The numbers of people with environment-related diseases are going through the roof,' says Shetty, noting that in the United States alone more than 20 million people are estimated to have diabetes. Worldwide estimates are that 170 million to 200 million people have diet-linked Type 2 diabetes, and the World Health Organization expects those numbers to double by the year 2030.
'Poor communities and especially Native Americans are afflicted with Type 2 diabetes more than other communities,' say Shetty. 'Cost-effective dietary changes are essential for fighting this disease, and traditional diets that have a higher content of these protective antioxidants are an important part of the solution. We should be able to use diet along with other therapies, and diabetes is a disease where this especially makes sense.'
********************
Wow! Yogurt is really healthy and very delicious. For those who are diabetic you can eat fruit and yogurt, it's really good for you.
Source
Monday, September 21, 2009
Making Your Own Yogurt
Want a ready supply of healthy, inexpensive plain yogurt? Try making your own.The process is simple: Add live cultures to heated milk, and hold it at 110 degrees Fahrenheit until it's firm. You can then add flavorings, or, if you want to thicken it and boost the nutrition, you can add nonfat milk solids.
You can buy yogurt makers, which cost from $15-$60, or make it the old fashioned way with the recipe below:
Homemade Yogurt
U.S. Department of Agriculture
1 quart of milk (Low-fat is healthiest, but the higher the fat content, the creamier and smoother the yogurt will be)
1/4 cup dried starter culture or yogurt with active culture.*
1/3 cup nonfat dry milk powder (use 2/3 cup if you're using skim milk); optional
1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin for thickening; optional)
Clean yogurt containers or canning jars with lids
*You can purchase dried starter cultures, or just get some plain yogurt containing live culture. Make sure the carton says it contains "live culture" or "active yogurt culture." Many pasteurized yogurts no longer contain the active ingredient.
* Place the starter culture or active-culture yogurt in a large bowl. Add the dry milk powder, if using. If you want a thicker yogurt, add 1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin, mixed with a small amount of milk.
* Warm milk to 110 degrees Fahrenheit (use a thermometer) in a 1-2 quart saucepan or double boiler.
* Add a small amount of the warmed milk to the active-culture yogurt or starter culture and stir.
* Slowly add the rest of the warmed milk to the mixture. Stir well.
* Cover the bowl and place the mixture into a commercial yogurt maker, an oven on very low heat (200 degrees), a heating pad, or a warm spot in your kitchen. Leave until set, about 6-8 hours. Use the thermometer to make sure the temperature stays at 100 degrees.
* When set, refrigerate the yogurt for 8 hours before eating.
Yield: 4-5 cups yogurt
After the yogurt is set, you can stir in fruit and/or flavorings. To sweeten, try 2-4 teaspoons honey or sugar.
To make drinkable yogurt: add additional milk and/or fruit syrups to taste, after the yogurt is done.
To make frozen yogurt: Follow the directions on your ice cream maker, using the homemade yogurt instead of cream or milk.
To make yogurt cheese (which can be used as a substitute for cream cheese or in cooking): Drain yogurt in a strainer lined with cheesecloth and leave overnight (cover the entire bowl, yogurt and strainer with a cloth).
In the morning, drain the liquid in the bowl. Place a weight (you can use a sealed plastic bag filled with water) on the cheese, cover again, and let stand another 8 hours. Wrap yogurt cheese and refrigerate.
********************
Wow! Now you can make your own yogurt at home. It's simple and very healthy.
Source
French Women's Diet Secret: Yogurt (Continuation..)
More Health Benefits
Yogurt is an excellent source of calcium, protein and B vitamins, but its health benefits go beyond that, experts say.
"It is a wonderful food that helps the immune system and overall health," says Tufts University researcher Miriam Nelson, PhD.
Eating yogurt with live cultures adds "good" bacteria to your intestinal tract, and promotes a healthy environment to help fight off "bad" bacteria. People taking antibiotics can benefit from eating fermented foods like yogurt, which helps replace the friendly bacteria that get wiped out by the drugs, Nelson says.
"I would recommend organic yogurts, such as Stonyfield Farm and Brown Cow," Nelson says, "because while some products indicate live cultures, there may be only a few, whereas the organic variety tends to have the highest percentage of good bacteria."
Also available are specially formulated "cultured dairy supplement drinks," like Dannon's Actimel -- concentrated, drinkable yogurts designed to help restore healthy bacteria.
Acidophilus milk, kefir, miso, tamari, are other examples of "probiotic" or fermented foods that help add healthy bacteria. To get their benefits, you need to consume a steady diet of these foods.
Yogurt has another benefit. The live cultures that are used to make yogurt are helpful in breaking down lactose (milk sugar) and make it easier to digest -- even for people who are lactose-sensitive. And those looking to get more soy products into their diets can find an easy solution with soy yogurt. It has virtually no fat and plenty of soy protein, which research has shown may help lower cholesterol levels. However, soy yogurt contains less calcium, protein, and B vitamins than yogurt made with milk.
Ways to Add More Yogurt to Your Diet
One of the easiest and healthiest ways to enjoy yogurt, as a nourishing snack or mini-meal, is to toss chopped fresh fruit into plain yogurt or add a little honey and wheat germ.
You can eat yogurt for breakfast, straight out of the carton, topped with fruit and/or cereal, or as a topping for pancakes or waffles. Blended with fresh fruit and ice, it becomes a smoothie -- a quick and portable breakfast or snack.
Or, satisfy your sweet tooth with frozen yogurt (or a frozen container of regular yogurt). You'll get half the calories of premium ice cream and none of the fat.
Yogurt is also a versatile ingredient for recipes ranging from appetizers to desserts. When recipes call for cream, sour cream, or mayonnaise, low-fat plain yogurt can easily stand in for part or all of the higher-fat ingredients.
Elaine Magee, MPH, RD, the "Recipe Doctor" for the WebMD Weight Loss Clinic, advises using yogurt in cool dishes such as cold soups, salad dressings and dips, or as a creamy dessert topping.
Since yogurt separates when heated, it's a little trickier using it in hot dishes. But it can be done: Try mixing a little cornstarch into the yogurt, then stirring into your hot dish at the end of the cooking period.
Magee often uses yogurt to lower the fat content of her baked goods. "Yogurt is a great substitute for oil or butter in cakes and muffins because it adds moisture, volume and flavor without added fat or calories," she says.
Yogurt's acid content means it also works well in a marinade, to help tenderize meats.
Yogurt is perishable, so be sure to check the date on the container. An unopened container should keep about 10 days past the marked freshness date.
*********************
Yogurt have lots of health benefits. It can help you digest easily, it also contains good bacteria for your intestinal tract and it strengthens your immune system.
Source
Yogurt is an excellent source of calcium, protein and B vitamins, but its health benefits go beyond that, experts say.
"It is a wonderful food that helps the immune system and overall health," says Tufts University researcher Miriam Nelson, PhD.
Eating yogurt with live cultures adds "good" bacteria to your intestinal tract, and promotes a healthy environment to help fight off "bad" bacteria. People taking antibiotics can benefit from eating fermented foods like yogurt, which helps replace the friendly bacteria that get wiped out by the drugs, Nelson says.
"I would recommend organic yogurts, such as Stonyfield Farm and Brown Cow," Nelson says, "because while some products indicate live cultures, there may be only a few, whereas the organic variety tends to have the highest percentage of good bacteria."
Also available are specially formulated "cultured dairy supplement drinks," like Dannon's Actimel -- concentrated, drinkable yogurts designed to help restore healthy bacteria.
Acidophilus milk, kefir, miso, tamari, are other examples of "probiotic" or fermented foods that help add healthy bacteria. To get their benefits, you need to consume a steady diet of these foods.
Yogurt has another benefit. The live cultures that are used to make yogurt are helpful in breaking down lactose (milk sugar) and make it easier to digest -- even for people who are lactose-sensitive. And those looking to get more soy products into their diets can find an easy solution with soy yogurt. It has virtually no fat and plenty of soy protein, which research has shown may help lower cholesterol levels. However, soy yogurt contains less calcium, protein, and B vitamins than yogurt made with milk.
Ways to Add More Yogurt to Your Diet
One of the easiest and healthiest ways to enjoy yogurt, as a nourishing snack or mini-meal, is to toss chopped fresh fruit into plain yogurt or add a little honey and wheat germ.
You can eat yogurt for breakfast, straight out of the carton, topped with fruit and/or cereal, or as a topping for pancakes or waffles. Blended with fresh fruit and ice, it becomes a smoothie -- a quick and portable breakfast or snack.
Or, satisfy your sweet tooth with frozen yogurt (or a frozen container of regular yogurt). You'll get half the calories of premium ice cream and none of the fat.
Yogurt is also a versatile ingredient for recipes ranging from appetizers to desserts. When recipes call for cream, sour cream, or mayonnaise, low-fat plain yogurt can easily stand in for part or all of the higher-fat ingredients.
Elaine Magee, MPH, RD, the "Recipe Doctor" for the WebMD Weight Loss Clinic, advises using yogurt in cool dishes such as cold soups, salad dressings and dips, or as a creamy dessert topping.
Since yogurt separates when heated, it's a little trickier using it in hot dishes. But it can be done: Try mixing a little cornstarch into the yogurt, then stirring into your hot dish at the end of the cooking period.
Magee often uses yogurt to lower the fat content of her baked goods. "Yogurt is a great substitute for oil or butter in cakes and muffins because it adds moisture, volume and flavor without added fat or calories," she says.
Yogurt's acid content means it also works well in a marinade, to help tenderize meats.
Yogurt is perishable, so be sure to check the date on the container. An unopened container should keep about 10 days past the marked freshness date.
*********************
Yogurt have lots of health benefits. It can help you digest easily, it also contains good bacteria for your intestinal tract and it strengthens your immune system.
Source
French Women's Diet Secret: Yogurt
Easy, portable, and tasty, yogurt may also aid in weight loss
For many years, eating yogurt has been associated with good health. The creamy dairy food has long been a staple of Mediterranean, Indian, and French diets. In fact, according to Mireille Guilliano, author of the best-selling French Women Don't Get Fat, yogurt is one of the French secrets to weight control.
* Yogurt may burn fatand promote weight loss
* What we can learn from how the French eat
* Enjoy food without wrecking your waistline
Americans love their yogurt just as much as the French, although we don't necessarily think of it as diet food. We gobbled up $2.5 billion worth last year. Stroll down the yogurt aisle at your supermarket and you'll see a dizzying array of choices: trendy new flavors, additives ranging from granola to candy, fat-free and sugar-free types, creamy blended varieties, drinkable and squeezable yogurts, and fiber-enriched and probiotic options.
No wonder we love it, in all its forms. Yogurt is portable, convenient, nutritious, and delicious, and works for breakfast, dessert, or a snack.
Yogurt and Weight Loss
In her book, Guiliano touts yogurt as the ultimate way to manage hunger.
"Yogurt is the perfect food because it is high in calcium, [and] has carbs, protein and fat, which are what you need in every meal," she tells WebMD.
She says most French women eat one or two yogurts a day, and often enjoy it for breakfast -- especially after an evening of overindulgence, to help balance out the calories.
Health professionals have long advocated dairy products and other calcium-rich foods for helping to keep bones and teeth strong and preventing osteoporosis. And over the past few years, several studies have shown that eating low-fat dairy may enhance weight loss as well.
A study published in the April 2005 International Journal of Obesity looked at obese adults who cut 500 calories a day while consuming three daily servings of low-fat yogurt. It found that they lost significant amounts of fat, especially around the waist, while maintaining lean muscle tissue. The three-yogurts-a-day group lost 22% more weight, 61% more body fat, and 81% more stomach fat than a comparison group who ate just one serving of yogurt daily.
The study's author, Michael Zemel, suggests that eating dairy and getting plenty of calcium maintains bone density and muscle mass while increasing fat loss.
"Here we have one more clinical trial that demonstrates how including dairy in your diet can help those who are trying to take pounds off and those who don't want to gain weight," Zemel says. "We use yogurt because it is a convenient form of dairy and most people enjoy it."
Still, it's important to remember that not all yogurts are created equal. Some have levels of fat and sugar that can undo any weight loss benefits.
One cup of nonfat yogurt contains 100 calories, 300 milligrams calcium, 10 grams of protein and no fat. Some brands, though, are also loaded with sugar, fat and artificial ingredients. To select the most nutritious yogurt, read the label, and zero in on the fat, sugar, and calorie content per serving.
*******************
Yogurt is healthy. You can replace your regular in between meals with yogurt and fruits. It can help you loss weight and it's very nutritious.
Source
For many years, eating yogurt has been associated with good health. The creamy dairy food has long been a staple of Mediterranean, Indian, and French diets. In fact, according to Mireille Guilliano, author of the best-selling French Women Don't Get Fat, yogurt is one of the French secrets to weight control.
* Yogurt may burn fatand promote weight loss
* What we can learn from how the French eat
* Enjoy food without wrecking your waistline
Americans love their yogurt just as much as the French, although we don't necessarily think of it as diet food. We gobbled up $2.5 billion worth last year. Stroll down the yogurt aisle at your supermarket and you'll see a dizzying array of choices: trendy new flavors, additives ranging from granola to candy, fat-free and sugar-free types, creamy blended varieties, drinkable and squeezable yogurts, and fiber-enriched and probiotic options.
No wonder we love it, in all its forms. Yogurt is portable, convenient, nutritious, and delicious, and works for breakfast, dessert, or a snack.
Yogurt and Weight Loss
In her book, Guiliano touts yogurt as the ultimate way to manage hunger.
"Yogurt is the perfect food because it is high in calcium, [and] has carbs, protein and fat, which are what you need in every meal," she tells WebMD.
She says most French women eat one or two yogurts a day, and often enjoy it for breakfast -- especially after an evening of overindulgence, to help balance out the calories.
Health professionals have long advocated dairy products and other calcium-rich foods for helping to keep bones and teeth strong and preventing osteoporosis. And over the past few years, several studies have shown that eating low-fat dairy may enhance weight loss as well.
A study published in the April 2005 International Journal of Obesity looked at obese adults who cut 500 calories a day while consuming three daily servings of low-fat yogurt. It found that they lost significant amounts of fat, especially around the waist, while maintaining lean muscle tissue. The three-yogurts-a-day group lost 22% more weight, 61% more body fat, and 81% more stomach fat than a comparison group who ate just one serving of yogurt daily.
The study's author, Michael Zemel, suggests that eating dairy and getting plenty of calcium maintains bone density and muscle mass while increasing fat loss.
"Here we have one more clinical trial that demonstrates how including dairy in your diet can help those who are trying to take pounds off and those who don't want to gain weight," Zemel says. "We use yogurt because it is a convenient form of dairy and most people enjoy it."
Still, it's important to remember that not all yogurts are created equal. Some have levels of fat and sugar that can undo any weight loss benefits.
One cup of nonfat yogurt contains 100 calories, 300 milligrams calcium, 10 grams of protein and no fat. Some brands, though, are also loaded with sugar, fat and artificial ingredients. To select the most nutritious yogurt, read the label, and zero in on the fat, sugar, and calorie content per serving.
*******************
Yogurt is healthy. You can replace your regular in between meals with yogurt and fruits. It can help you loss weight and it's very nutritious.
Source
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
LinkWithin
