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Yogurt: A Food to Eat to Lose Weight

Greekyogurtblue-300x296New research suggest that yogurt is a food to eat to lose weight. 

A new study published in the Nutrition, Metabolism and Cardiovascular Diseases, from the University of Navarra in Spain followed more than 8,500 adults and found that those who eat 7 or more servings of yogurt per week of yogurt (including full fat) were 20 percent less likely to become overweight and 38% less likely to become obese during the six-year study, compared to those eating fewer than two servings of yogurt per week. This study also noted yogurt eaters followed a more Mediterranean style diet and generally ate yogurt as dessert. Those who ate the most yogurt and fruit were the least likely to gain weight.

Here’s how enjoying the creamy goodness of yogurt may help you lose lbs and whittle your middle. The authors suggest that the calcium in yogurt may help promote fat-burning and they also suggest that the probiotics may somehow play a role in energy balance. Others suggest that yogurt, due to it’s high protein content, may enhance satiety, making dieters less likely to overeat or have food cravings.

How to Buy a Better Yogurt

yogurt

There are literally hundreds of choices in the yogurt aisle these days, including regular, fruit-flavored, artificially-sweetened, Greek, Swiss, Icelandic and oodles of other options. Use this guide to help you find the best choices.

Nutrient facts among yogurts are often close in calories, protein and fat but sugar content varies greatly and you need to look at it when buying yogurt.  Plain Greek yogurt, (my choice) in any brand is definitely highest in protein, lowest in fat, and lowest in sugar. However, many new varieties of flavored Greek yogurt have lots of added sugars, so be sure to check the sugar counts on what you’re buying.

Always look at the protein and sugar content of yogurts and buy those with the most protein and least amount of sugars.


***This informative article and chart were written by Julie Upton, MS, RD, CSSD
at Appetite for Health.

Brand

Type

Serving Size

Calories

Fat

Protein

Sugar

Chobani

Greek Non-fat plain

6oz

100

0g

18g

7g

Dannon

Greek Non-Fat plain

5.2oz

80

0g

15g

6g

Stonyfield Farms

Greek Non-fat plain

8oz

130

0g

23g

5g

Yoplait

Greek Non-fat plain

6oz

100

0g

13.9

9g

Brown Cow

Greek Non-plain plain

5.3oz

80

0g

15g

6g

Yoplait

Light

Non-fat (strawberry) Artificially sweetened

6oz

90

0g

5g

10g

Brown Cow

Non-fat

(strawberry on the bottom)

Naturally sweetened

6oz

130

0g

6g

23g

Chobani

Low-fat Greek (pineapple) Naturally sweetened

6oz

160

2.5g

13g

18g

Brown Cow

Low-fat

(peach)

Naturally sweetened

6oz

150

2g

7g

25g

Dannon

Activia

Low-fat

(blueberry)

Artificially sweetened

4oz

120

2g

4g

19g

Yoplait

Low-fat

6oz

170

1.5g

5g

26g

Dannon

Full-fat

8oz

160

8g

9g

12g

Stonyfield Farm

Full-fat

8oz

170

9g

9g

13g

Brown Cow

Full-fat

8oz

170

10g

8g

12g

If you make this recipe, let me know how you liked it. Leave me a comment below or give it a rating. Thanks so much. Happy Skinny Cooking!