It is always said that Greek yogurt is the best option, above normal yogurt, and even ahead of protein yogurts and even those that are advertised with bifidus. Throughout this text we are going to know all the details about Greek yogurt, from its nutritional value, to the benefits for our health, how to take it and what maximum amount per day.
Greek yogurts are famous for their smooth texture, low calories and low sugar compared to regular, protein and flavored yogurts. Greek yogurt is the best option we can choose, before any and in last position are flavored yogurts.
We refer to the Greek without light sugar. In the following sections we will learn how to combine it properly so that it always tastes good and we increase its nutritional value.
Nutritional values
Before choosing a food, it is important to know what it contributes to the body. Nor should we obsess and focus on a single food or a single vitamin or mineral. The most advisable thing is to have a healthy, varied and balanced diet where we eat different foods every day.
On average, a standard Greek yogurt has about 60 calories per 100 grams of product, 3.8 grams of carbohydrates, less than 1 gram of fiber, 11 grams of protein, 3.25 grams of sugar, and 86% is water. It hardly has cholesterol, only 5 mg, so you have to know how to combine it well, and it does not have bad fats, so it is suitable for weight loss diets.
Among other nutritional values, we find vitamins and minerals. For every 100 grams of this food, we have vitamin A, B12, B9 and D, apart from essential minerals such as calcium, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, sodium and selenium.
Profits
Among the benefits of consuming this food are those that we are going to highlight below, but do not trust us, since Greek yogurts also have contraindications, very few, but they do.
Suitable for lactose intolerant
It is curious and it is something that few people believe, but it is the truth. Greek yogurt is low in lactose, making it suitable for those who are lactose intolerant. It has 15 or 20% less lactose than conventional yogurt, which is why it does not usually have such a negative effect and helps improve digestion, as we will see in the next section.
This happens because the live cultures of this type of yogurt are responsible for converting lactose into lactic acid, which is more tolerable with digestion and it is easier for the body to absorb it. Even so, if our level of intolerance is very high, it is not advisable to consume this yogurt, since the consequences could be very serious, such as anaphylactic shock.
Only a doctor who knows our case and the product in question could decide and recommend its consumption. As a precaution, we do not recommend it if the level of intolerance is high.
Improves digestion
Based on the above, if we take a Greek yogurt after a meal, we will help digestion to be a lighter process. In addition, its content in probiotics and healthy bacteria helps to remove waste from the body, absorb nutrients and cleanse the body.
It also promotes good digestion due to its low content of fats and carbohydrates, unlike other yogurts. A food high in fats, carbohydrates and sugars, complicates digestion and then come problems such as gas, abdominal distention, nausea, diarrhea, stomach pain, discomfort, etc.
rich in calcium
This type of yogurt is very rich in calcium, which favors the good health of our bones. This aspect does not vary too much from the rest of the yogurts, but having so many probiotics, it favors the absorption of vitamins and minerals in the intestines.
By taking calcium throughout our lives, we favor the development of the musculoskeletal system and in the face of adulthood, especially in women with menopause, we reduce the chances of suffering from osteoporosis. Calcium is also good for teeth, as it gives them structure and rigidity. Without calcium, the teeth would not be fixed and their structure would not be healthy.
In addition, calcium is not only good for the bones, but has other important functions such as regulating the nervous system, and very few people know this fact.
Quantity and how to eat it
Experts recommend a Greek yogurt a day and 2 at most for an average adult. In case of being a child, it would be necessary to follow the instructions of our pediatrician or some expert in infant feeding. Be that as it may, the best thing is that it is sugar-free, especially at an early age where they are still developing their tastes and must know food as it is.
We can take one in the morning given how satiating it is and accompany it with some cereal such as oatmeal to complete this satiating cycle and avoid hunger for several hours. We can also eat it with chocolate and create healthy and homemade custard. For example, in a bowl, we put a yogurt and a tablespoon of pure cocoa powder, mix it with a fork and we already have a chocolate dessert.
Greek yogurt is also used for ice creams and fruit smoothies, chocolate or alone and decorate them on the outside with nuts. This yogurt, thanks to its creamy texture, will help us create sponge cakes that are fluffy and very tasty. We can also create the famous yogurt sauce for salads and other meals.
Contraindications
The contraindications of Greek yogurt are similar to those of other dairy products and it is that these adverse effects will appear if we abuse dairy products or if our body begins to develop a certain intolerance towards these foods.
We can suffer from abdominal distention if we take too many dairy products, apart from digestive discomfort, as well as diarrhea in the worst case, flatulence and gas and nausea or even vomiting.
Likewise, the consumption of dairy products such as Greek yogurt can worsen our acne, or increase it if we are prone to having pimples. Another contraindication is weight gain, and it is that an abuse of these foods can create excess calories.
