15 Amazing Health Benefits of Yogurt
Monday, September 23, 2019
Yogurt is a very complete food, especially in vitamins,
proteins, and minerals. Therefore, it is an ideal food to include in our
daily diet and it has amazing health benefits.
Yogurt is a dairy product that is obtained by bacterial
fermentation of milk. While any type of milk can be used, current
production predominantly uses cow's milk. The fermentation of lactose, which is
the name given to the sugar in milk, in lactic acid is what gives yogurt
its distinctive texture and flavor.
Regular consumption of yogurt is able to strengthen the
immune system, improve intestinal flora, prevent diarrhea, lower the
cholesterol and even prevent cancer, thanks to the lactobacilli present in it. Throughout
this article, the different properties of this food and the health
benefits it brings to our body will be explained.
Properties of Yogurt
Yogurt has many health benefits and fundamental properties
for our body, so they make it a very complete food for its nutritional
richness.
Therefore, yogurt could be considered as an
indispensable food in terms of a balanced diet. To support your daily
consumption we can set an example that 100 grams of this food provides the
following amounts of these nutrients:
15 Amazing Health Benefits of Yogurt
Yogurt provides numerous nutrients such as calcium, vital for
the health of our bones. There are many benefits that this food brings for
our health. Among them we can mention:
1. Great Source of Nutrients
It is a very rich food in proteins, vitamins, and
minerals. Provides proteins of high biological value. These
proteins are what give us all the essential amino acids. Due to this
protein content, yogurt helps calm the appetite sensation effectively.
That is why yogurt becomes a very complete food. In
addition, it contains many vitamins and minerals, as mentioned
earlier. Among the first, we can mention vitamin D, which is essential
for the absorption of calcium, vitamin A and vitamins of group B. As
for minerals, it is a food especially rich in calcium, phosphorus,
magnesium, and potassium.
2. Maintenance of the Intestinal Microbiota
Yogurt helps keep the bacterial microbiota that is in the intestine in good condition. Thanks
to the high content of bacteria and yeasts used in a lactic fermentation.
These microorganisms, of the genus Bifidobacterium among others, help us regulate intestinal
transit and prevent the colonization of other microorganisms that cause disease. In
this way, we can use yogurt as a probiotic to restore the microbiota in the consumption of antibiotics.
In turn, as highlighted by the medical
journal Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics, bifidobacteria help promote digestive well-being and may
contribute to the control of symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
The probiotics present in natural yogurt are able to restore
balance in the intestinal flora, preventing harmful bacteria from proliferating
that could cause various diseases.
3. Prevents Diarrhea
The nutrients contained in this dairy drink are supported to
reduce the risk of:
- Suffer from diarrhea
- Having inflammation of the colon
Its natural fibers promote good digestion of
food. Therefore, together with healthy bacteria, they help restore the
intestine to the alterations that cause this type of problems.
According to WHO data, it is estimated that there are more
than 800 million diarrheal episodes annually worldwide, which cause visits to
the pediatrician, hospitalizations and in some cases the death of children and
young people, even in developed countries.
Studies have been conducted in which it is shown that some of
the bacteria present in the fermented milk are able to significantly reduce the
risk of diarrhea in infants.
Canadian scientists belonging to a research program at the
University of Alberta, in Edmonton, conducted a study on this preventive effect
in children. He concluded that after an antibiotic treatment, lactobacilli and other bacteria present
in yogurt were able to reduce the risk of diarrhea.
4. Control Cholesterol
Natural yogurt is one of the foods that help reduce
blood cholesterol levels:
- On the one hand, it decreases its absorption in the intestine.
- On the other hand, it promotes the elimination of what is retained in the arteries.
These properties are attributed to the action of its
probiotic compounds that, together with fiber, favor the breakdown
of lipids.
The research was carried out at McGill University, in Canada,
and showed that people who received probiotics during the 9 weeks of the study,
reduced their "bad" cholesterol level by 11%, compared to the group
of control.
5. Improves Digestive Health
Because of its ability to regulate bacterial flora and the
level of acidity of the stomach, yogurt is a natural remedy for major
digestive health problems.
First, its natural acids regulate the production of acid
juices. In this way, the risk of suffering from disorders such as gastritis
and ulcers is reduced.
In addition, live cultures help curb the negative
action of the H. Pylori bacteria. This
is primarily responsible for stomach infections.
6. Fight Allergies
The vitamins and minerals of yogurt, together with its
probiotics, increase the body's immune response to the presence of
agents and particles that cause allergies.
These nutrients:
- First, they decrease the inflammation of the body.
- In addition, they restore the lymphocyte function, which is key to the control of these types of conditions.
Probiotics reduce intestinal inflammation, balance the lymphocyte
population and regulate cytokine secretion, all of which contribute to
decreasing the appearance of allergies.
7. Reduces the Risk of Obesity
While this drink contains fat and a significant amount of
calories, its consumption in small quantities could be beneficial for the
prevention of obesity. Its natural fibers help prolong the feeling of
satiety and reduce the anxiety that leads to overeating.
It contains amino acids and fatty acids that help
increase physical performance. In turn, it optimizes energy
expenditure.
8. Prevents Vaginal Infections
The high content of lactic bacteria makes yogurt an excellent
probiotic for vaginal health. Their live cultures inhibit the proliferation of
fungi such as candida and decrease
the secretion of flows and itching.
Lactobacilli, a type of bacteria present in the
ferment:
- On the one hand, they regulate vaginal flora.
- On the other hand, they create a protective barrier against yeasts and bacteria.
Some studies indicate that the consumption of a portion of
yogurt daily can decrease the incidence of this type of infections, because of the
lactobacilli present in the ferment
easily colonize the region, avoiding the proliferation of the fungus.
9. Strengthens Bone Health
There are several reasons why natural yogurt is one of the super
foods to protect and strengthen bone health.
First, it is a significant source of vitamin D, calcium and
magnesium. These are, as we know, essential nutrients to
preserve bone density.
In addition, its anti-inflammatory power decreases the risk
of premature wear. Therefore it keeps the bone pieces strong and pain-free.
As if that were not enough, their live cultures inhibit the
negative effects of antibiotics and chemicals. This is key to avoid
deterioration.
10. Help Prevent Cancer
The beneficial bacteria present in fermented milk can also
decrease the risk of several types of cancer.
Apparently, the regulation of the intestinal flora promoted
by these bacteria and the stimulation, they perform on the immune system would
be the mechanisms that achieve the antitumor effect.
In various laboratory tests, probiotics have managed to
reduce the risk of colon cancer, breast cancer, and bladder cancer.
11. Combat Overweight and Obesity
A study published in the International Journal of Obesity,
showed that replacing certain foods with yogurt (with the same caloric
content), helped a group of people with obesity lose more kilos.
A study published in the International Journal of Obesity
showed that obese participants who consumed low-fat yogurt as part of a
reduced-calorie diet lost 22% more weight than those who took only the diet.
12. Reduce the Risk of Diabetes
A daily cup of yogurt can reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes,
which is what the results of a study conducted at Harvard University suggest.
The research was based on information on diets carried out by
more than 200,000 health professionals.
The scientists monitored the diet of these people for 30
years, finding that those who had included a portion of yogurt in their daily
diet had an 18% lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
13. Relieves Lactose Intolerance
Many people around the world suffer from lactose
intolerance. In many cases, intolerance is due to the deficiency of an
enzyme called lactase, which is responsible for digesting lactose (a sugar),
present in milk and other dairy products.
Several scientific researchers have discovered that certain
bacteria present in yogurt are capable of digesting lactose. Therefore
facilitating the digestion of this lactose in intolerant people.
14. Radiant Skin
Yogurts provide great benefits for the skin. First, they
contain the dose of essential proteins to keep the skin firm, and away from
wrinkles. Secondly, the anti-inflammatory power of probiotics (beneficial
bacteria contained in yogurts, and naturally in our body) relieves tensions
that affect the skin and can cause acne. In addition, eating yogurts
prevents the appearance of wrinkles, strengthening the skin and moisturizing
it.
15. Fight Constipation
Constipation is a very uncomfortable health problem. A
study published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that the bifidobacilli and lactobacilli present in yogurt in addition to restoring the balance
of the intestinal flora, favor intestinal transit and excretion of feces.
These all are the
amazing health benefits of yogurt. If you do not have it very often, be
encouraged to increase its consumption and see how good it is to promote
the well-being of your body.
