Yogurt: which of all the varieties is better for health?

The confinement to which the pandemic It has radically changed our routines. The positive side of this is that it has given us the opportunity to rethink our daily choices to change them for options that are best for us.

Between the Healthy habits that we can adopt, the feeding occupies first place. By spending more time at home, we can take advantage of trying new ingredients, learning new recipes and reorganizing weekly planning so that it is possible to maintain the new customs once we return to normality.

Yogurt: a great ally for healthy eating

If you are looking to eat a healthy diet, yogurt will be an excellent addition to your diet. If you are a fan of home cooking, you can prepare it at home. If you don't think you have the time to do it, you can find it in different presentations. There is something for everyone!

In addition to being delicious, it is Very versatile. It can be eaten alone or with granola, fresh fruits or nuts in the breakfast or snack, and even as a snack to avoid pecking between foods. Thus, we managed to create "a complete and healthy meal, adding fiber, vitamins, proteins, minerals, fatty acids and, if the yogurt has them, also probiotics”, Indicates the medical specialist in nutrition Gabriela Fedele (MN: 124618).

The cook and sanitary doctor Victoria Cavoti (MN: 111677) provides that if what we are looking for is a dessertWe can mix it with a tablespoon of cocoa powder and carob. In lunches and dinnersWe can use it as a salad dressing or mix it with a puree to get a healthy spread.

Yogurt can also be used as preparations ingredient like breads, cakes or puddings. In them it works as replacement of other products that are more caloric and less nutritious, like butter or cream (cream).

Best of all, when using it this way, we reduce calories and incorporate essential nutrients, thus adding benefits to health. However, it is iimportant to consider that when we subject it to high temperatures during the cooking process, we lose the benefit provided by live microorganisms and probiotics, although all other nutritional benefits are maintained.

Health benefits of children and adults

"If we travel to countries where childhood obesity is the exceptionlike France, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Sweden, Austria and New Zealand, we will see that large amounts of yogurt are consumed"He points out Cavoti. "France is considered model for healthy eating habits and has a consumption of 35 kilos of yogurt per person per year", Add.

Fedele matches the yogurt "is associated with a healthy eating pattern and lifestyle"And highlights that in the diet of children their consumption is also linked" with a higher intake of fruits and cereals, decreasing the risk of developing obesity"

The medical specialist in nutrition also points out that "numerous scientific articles that show that regular consumption of yogurt improves the quality of the diet, and even prevents the development of Type 2 diabetes"

Cavoti stresses that the nutrient balance of any yogurt "is very positive for the diet of children and adults"Because" it contains macronutrients, micronutrients and living microorganisms essential for the intestinal microbiota, in addition to protein of high biological value, calcium of good availability, vitamin D and vitamins B group ".

“Regular consumption of yogurt provides us with many benefits and we help meet the requirement of 2 or 3 servings of dairy daily", summarizes Fedele.

Better with probiotics

The World Health Organization (WHO) defines the probiotics as microbiologically typed bacteria, with a first and last name, in a certain number and with solid scientific evidence of their beneficial action on our body. Although they have multiple properties, they stand out for promote digestive health. In addition, they contribute to strengthen the immune system.

"The presence of probiotics makes yogurt a superlative dairy", it states Cavoti. However, not everyone owns them. To know how to make sure that a yogurt has them, we must look at the label and look for it to say: "With probiotics", "contains probiotics". It may also indicate the presence of bacteria by name. in the ingredients list: L. Cassei, L. Rhamnosus Bifidobacterium Lactis and, L. GG.

In this way, of the great variety of yogurts that we have to choose from, opting for the one that contains probiotics is undoubtedly the best choice for our health.

Myths about yogurt?

It is possible that, despite reading all these benefits, you question the incorporation of yogurt in your diet or that of your family for any of the following statements, which you will surely have heard. Doctors Cavoti and Fedele offer their views on the matter:

"Yogurt is a treat"

Cavoti explains that this statement originates from the fact that "the sugar content of food It has become highly relevant since excess consumption is related to the development of overweight and obesity"

Although there are many sweetened yogurts on the market, the sanitary doctor indicates that an average serving of yogurt you have only two to three teaspoons of sugar, which does not represent a significant contribution if we consider the eating pattern globally.

Also, "no candy on the market has macronutrients and micronutrients like high-quality proteins, vitamins and minerals, ”he says.

"Yogurt is not recommended for those who want to lose weight"

On this statement, Fedele indicates that there are epidemiological studies that show that the intake of yogurt provides satiety by its protein matrix. Other studies show that calcium gives good availability and acts on adipose tissue, inhibiting its formation and stimulating its destruction. It also indicates that the decreased abdominal fat collaborates with the reduction of cardiovascular risk.

"Yogurts with probiotics are pure marketing because pasteurization inactivates them"

For a food to have the name "with probiotics" it must meet a series of requirements established by the Argentine food code and the relevant health authority. In addition, the incorporation of probiotics in the industrial process is carried out after pasteurization, therefore, probiotics reach the intestine alive, causing beneficial effects for our health.

And you, how do you like yogurt?