The 10 benefits of yogurt for your health

Yogurt is one of those foods that has received great fame in recent decades. There are many advertisements on television in which, as an advertising claim, the properties of this food are insisted upon.

Is there any truth to this? Well, it seems that it is, and it is not something that is known about recently. Yogurt has acquired a reputation for being a kind of natural medicine thanks to the many properties it brings with it.

Next we will discover the 10 benefits of yogurt, how it is produced and what is the recommended daily amount to consume.

• Related article: "Types of vitamins: functions and benefits for your body"

The main benefits of yogurt

How many yogurts do you usually have? You may be one of those who have it very incorporated in their life, having it for breakfast or as a dessert. Yogurt is one of the most common foods in our society and it is not surprising because, in addition to being very rich, it is an easy food and fast to take, that we can take it anywhere and to which multiple properties are attributed, especially if it is consumed when natural.

The reason why certain properties are attributed to it has to do directly with how it is produced. Natural yogurt is a dairy product that is obtained by the fermentation of milk thanks to microorganisms, specifically Lactobacillus bulgaricus Y Streptococus thermophilus, which work on the milk in such a way that they ferment it and give it the characteristics of yogurt.

The process begins with pasteurization, a process in which the milk is heated to eliminate any pathogens. Once this is done, the fermentation process itself begins, in which it is incorporate into milk the microorganisms that we have mentioned, bacteria that are good for our organism. What these lactobacilli and streptococci do is that, if the milk is kept at around 40ºC for a few hours, they reproduce by consuming the sugars in the milk (lactose).

Since everything that goes in has to come out sooner or later, these microorganisms transform lactose into lactic acid in the form of waste, which is the substance which coagulates the proteins naturally present in milk, giving the yogurt its distinctive creamy appearance and texture. Once this has been achieved, the fermentation process is finished by keeping the yogurt at low temperatures and preventing microorganisms from being active.

The milk used to make yogurt can be from cow, goat, sheep... and there are even vegan options that have tried to emulate the same benefits attributed to the original product. We can find yogurts with all kinds of flavors, with sugar or other substitutes, but the most beneficial for health are, without a doubt, natural yogurts. Next we will explain its main benefits.

1. High nutrient content

One of the reasons why yogurt is so widely consumed is that it is a food with a high content of nutrients. It is one of the best sources of calcium, a fundamental mineral for keeping our bones and teeth in good condition..

This food is also rich in vitamin B12, a substance that is believed to help prevent heart disease, in addition to phosphorus and potassium, substances that strengthen the system immunological.

Lactose is a sugar that is difficult to digest, which can cause discomfort such as abdominal pain, diarrhea and gas, especially in people who are intolerant to this substance. Fortunately, yogurts are among the lactose-poor lactics thanks to their own fermentation process, which makes this dairy a good dose of calcium for lactose intolerant people.

• You may be interested in: "Lactose intolerance: what is it, types and causes of this condition"

2. High protein content

Another benefit of yogurt is its high content of protein. Proteins, in addition to providing us with energy, are active agents in regulating appetite because they increase the production of hormones that indicate the fullness of the stomach.

In addition to this, the main benefit of consuming foods rich in protein is that it is these substances that contribute to the formation and maintenance of muscle mass, keeping our muscles healthy and strong.

The proteins present in yogurt have a high biological value, since provide a wide variety of amino acids, basic units to make other proteins. This makes yogurt a staple food in any low-protein diet, especially vegetarian ones.

3. Improve our digestive health

One of the reasons yogurt is so famous is that it is credited with helping our digestive health. This food is probiotic, that is, it contributes to the production of microorganisms that are beneficial to our health, specifically the intestinal flora, calling it as a natural medicine.

The healthier our intestinal flora, the better our digestions, in addition to facilitating intestinal transit, avoiding constipation and diarrhea. It can also help people with irritable bowel syndrome, since yogurts with added bifidobacteria contribute to better digestive health in these patients.

4. Strengthens the immune system

Closely related to the previous point, yogurt It is a food that strengthens the immune system thanks to the fact that it is rich in probiotics. Thanks to this, it reduces the probability of contracting a disease, in addition to having anti-inflammatory properties.

5. Avoid osteoporosis

Related to the first point, yogurt prevents osteoporosis thanks to its high calcium content and, also, to have among its nutrients vitamin D and also be a food with between 15 and 20% of the recommended daily amount of calcium. What's more, having an acidic pH facilitates the absorption of this mineral, preventing it from being wasted or excreted.

6. Improves cardiovascular health

We have previously commented that yogurt contributes to the prevention of heart problems thanks to the fact that it contains vitamin B12, however, this is also due to the fact that has a high concentration of monounsaturated fats. It is these fats that provide a high dose of "good" cholesterol (HDL), an element that helps reduce blood pressure.

7. Contributes to physical recovery

We mentioned before that yogurt contains plenty of protein. In addition to this, it also has healthy carbohydrates and it has been seen that this food does not interfere with the creation and production of elastin and collagen. All these factors contribute to physical recovery after physical activity intense, in addition to also helping good muscle and dermal health, that is, having a healthy skin.

8. Does not harm teeth

As long as it is natural yogurt, without added sugar, it is a good food to preserve teeth. Not only because it contains a high content of calcium, but it is also a dessert that by not bringing sugars with it does not damage our teeth or favor the appearance of cavities, dental problems which can lead to the loss of a piece.

9. High omega 3 content

Yogurt is considered a very good food thanks to its contribution of omega 3. If the concentration of this nutrient in yogurt is not as high as in oily fish, it can be said that it is thanks to the amount of omega 3 it has that yogurt is a very good option to include in vegetarian diets to make up for the lack of this nutrient.

10. Rich and low in calories

In addition to tasting good, it has the great advantage that it has few calories in relation to the nutrients it provides, nutrients which are hardly lost in nutrients. As we have mentioned, these foods have phosphorus, potassium, various vitamins in addition to riboflavin, contributing at least 10-15% of the daily dietary intake.

If we are interested in losing weight, this food is perfect because it will help us avoid being hungry while having a good portion of nutrients. Its sugar-free flavor may cost us a bit at first, but after a few yogurts it will even taste a little sweet, being able to include it in our diet substituting desserts and other hypercaloric foods.

To give us an idea of ​​the few calories it has:

• Natural cow's milk yogurt (125g, normal portion): 76.8 kcal
• Skimmed yogurt: 56 kcal
• Glass of whole milk (200ml): 131 kcal
• Generic shake glass: 155-355 kcal

And how many yogurts should we have?

As we said, yogurt is one of the most consumed foods in society thanks to how easy, convenient and fast it is to take. Although there are those who have it incorporated in almost every meal they make, the truth is that the average is between 3 and 4 yogurts a week, something that is a bit far from what is recommended by the experts to enjoy the multiple benefits that we have discussed in the section previous.

It is recommended to take at least one yogurt a day. Its nutritional, probiotic and preventive profile for multiple diseases are more than enough reasons to decide to incorporate it into our daily eating routine. Although it is preferable that we take it natural, without sugar or anything added, flavored yogurts can be consumed as a whim, being much healthier than any dessert, pastry or smoothie that we can find in the market.