Yoghurt - a food that deserves a place in the diet not only for its taste, but also for its health benefits.

A food with a great taste, many health benefits, and yet you can find it in every store. Yes, we are indeed talking about yoghurt, a food that has been consumed by our ancestors and has therefore been around for a long time. This is probably one of the reasons why this local food is so popular with a wide range of the population. If you do not suffer from a dairy allergy, we will show you that yoghurt has a decent list of benefits for your health and convince you that this food has its place in every diet. In the kitchen, this food has a wide range of uses. Yoghurt is perfect for making all sorts of desserts, you can use it to make spreads and dips, or it can be combined with fruit and nuts to make a really simple snack. Let's take a closer look at this delicacy.

First, some theory - what is yoghurt and how is it made?

The information that yoghurt is a dairy product will not surprise you. Yoghurt is made by fermenting milk with bacteria. However, the bacteria used for this purpose are not as harmful as those that cause disease. We refer to the bacteria in yoghurt as 'yoghurt cultures'. These bacteria can ferment lactose, or milk sugar. Their fermentation produces lactic acid, which causes the milk protein to curdle, and it is this process that gives yogurt its unique consistency and taste.

Yogurts can be made from different types of milk. Depending on how much fat the milk used to make the yogurt contains, that is how much fat the resulting yogurt has. Thus, low-fat milk produces low-fat yoghurt, while full-fat milk produces full-fat yoghurt. Unfortunately, a lot of products also contain other additives, such as sugar, colourings and others. Such products are not really suitable. The ideal choice is classic, white, unsweetened yoghurt.

Here are seven reasons why yoghurt is actually good to consume.

Almost perfect nutrient content

Yogurts contain almost all the nutrients the human body needs. For example, yogurts contain a lot of calcium, which is important for bone and dental health. They also contain B vitamins , especially B12 and B2, which protect the body against cardiovascular disease. In addition, yoghurt contains phosphorus, magnesium and potassium, which are minerals essential for many biological and metabolic processes (such as blood pressure regulation, bone health and metabolism).

Even so, there are nutrients that yoghurt does not contain, such as vitamin D. This is very often added artificially to yoghurt, because it is really very important for the body (bone health, strengthening the immune system or perhaps alleviating the symptoms of depression).

Protein content

If you have a problem with your protein intake, yogurt is a great way to increase it! Eating enough protein is very important for appetite control, as protein increases the production of satiety hormones. Protein therefore helps us to "automatically" regulate (and reduce) the total amount of calories we take in, which is useful for weight loss, for example. Therefore, one of the basic recommendations when reducing is to ensure a high protein intake.

If you really want to get the most out of your protein intake with yoghurt, reach for Greek yoghurt, ideally in a lower-fat version. Greek yoghurt is denser and more protein-rich than regular yoghurt. Why? Naturally, this is because it is made from the sediment that forms after the yoghurt milk has curdled. In Greek yoghurt, we can find up to around 12 grams of protein per 100g! Greek yoghurt will therefore keep you full for longer.

The beneficial effect on digestive problems and overall biom

Yoghurts also very often contain so-called probiotics, which are bacteria produced during the fermentation process (fermentation). Such yoghurt has an absolutely wonderful effect on your digestive system. Beware, however, that most yoghurts available on the market are pasteurised. This process destroys the beneficial bacteria in yoghurt and other milk cultures.

If you want to do your digestion a favour, choose a yoghurt that says 'contains active live yoghurt cultures' on the packaging. Certain probiotic bacteria cultures, such as bifidobacteria or lactobacilli, have been shown to reduce the unpleasant manifestations of conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome, a common colon disease, and of course the manifestations of other digestive disorders.

So if you've heard the old advice that white yoghurt is good for a tummy ache, it really is. Regular consumption of yogurt is a great prevention against constipation, indigestion and can also relieve diarrhea. Another fact is that the probiotics contained in yoghurt can protect not only against constipation, but also against diarrhea caused by the use of aggressive drugs - for example, antibiotics, which the biome does not spare.

Strengthen your immune system

Regular consumption of yoghurt with probiotic cultures can really boost your immune system. Probiotics have been repeatedly shown to reduce inflammation, which is behind most illnesses, from viral ones like strep throat and flu to digestive diseases. Research also suggests that probiotics may also affect the frequency, duration and severity of the common cold to some extent.

As we discussed above, yogurts also contain magnesium, selenium and zinc, minerals that our bodies need for proper immune system function. Yogurts that have vitamin D added to them are even more effective in this regard. Vitamin D is a great preventative against common illnesses such as colds and flu.

A great help in the fight against osteoporosis

Yoghurt contains a number of nutrients that have a very positive effect on the health of our bones. For example, calcium, magnesium, potassium, protein, phosphorus and sometimes even vitamin D. These micronutrients are a great prevention against osteoporosis, a disease whose symptoms are weakening (softening) of the bones. People suffering from this disease have lower bone density and are very susceptible to injury. Studies say that consuming at least three servings of dairy products a dayhelps protect the body from excessive bone loss and thus deteriorating bone strength. Older people and children in particular should beware.

Yoghurt for a healthy heart

There are also experts who do not recommend yoghurt because some of them contain a lot of fat, mainly saturated fat and very little monounsaturated fatty acids. It used to be thought that saturated fat caused cardiovascular disease, but modern studies have disproved this view. Despite this, low-fat yogurts are still the most popular.

The notion that yoghurts have a negative effect on the heart due to their fat content is unsubstantiated and vice versa! It turns out that the fats in yogurt may even serve as a cardiovascular disease preventative. Some research suggests that consuming saturated fats from dairy products helps raise "good" HDL cholesterol, which helps protect the health of your heart. Last but not least, dairy products such as yogurt also lower blood pressure, which is one of the main risk factors for cardiovascular disease.

The ideal food for slimming diets

Yogurts have several properties that make them great helpers in losing weight and maintaining a healthy body weight. They contain a large amount of protein, which helps keep you fuller for longer. Analysis of several studies has also confirmed that eating full-fat dairy products, including yogurt, helps reduce the incidence of obesity. This is in stark contrast to what doctors previously thought about fat consumption and obesity. Other studies have also confirmed that people who eat yogurt eat a much healthier diet overall than those who don't. This is partly due, in fact, to the fact that yogurt contains a large number of health-promoting nutrients in proportion to its low calorie value.

But unfortunately, even yoghurt is not a food that we can all consume.

Although yoghurt is almost a superfood for the majority of the population, some individuals can experience real difficulties after consuming it. In particular, those who are lactose intolerant and have allergies to milk and dairy products should beware. What is actually the difference between lactose intolerance and milk allergy?

Lactose intolerance is the name given to a disease that results from a deficiency of the enzyme lactase, which breaks down milk sugar, called lactose. Symptoms typical of this disease, which comes after consuming dairy products, include diarrhea, indigestion and abdominal pain. However, some people who have this intolerance can consume yogurt without any problems. This is because some of the lactose is removed during the production of the yogurt and probiotic bacteria are added to aid digestion.

Milk allergy is then caused by the fact that milk and its products contain casein and whey, which are proteins that some people are really allergic to. The manifestations of this disease are the same as in the case of other allergies - swelling, rash, itching and other skin manifestations, in extreme cases even life-threatening conditions.

If you suffer from one of the above mentioned diseases, do not despair! Modern times offer many ways to indulge in yoghurt without the slightest difficulty. Try a lactose-free version, made from soya or other plant milk, or go for sheep or goat yoghurt, which has a specific taste but, unlike cow's milk, is not allergenic.

Another thing to watch out for is sugar, which is added to many yogurts. Fat is the carrier of the taste of yoghurt, so sugar is added to low-fat products in particular to improve their taste, which is not very pronounced once the milk fat has been removed. Classic sugar is a food that we do not want in our diets and try to avoid. So watch out for these hidden sugars.

So how to choose a good quality yoghurt?

The key is to make sure that the ingredients on the packaging list as few ingredients as possible. Yes, the more natural the yogurt is, the more benefits it has. Choose white yogurts without added sugar and avoid flavoured and sweetened variants. Also, focus on making sure the product contains live probiotic cultures to really get the most health benefits from eating yogurt. You don't have to focus only on low-fat products, it's always about your total daily intake, not just one particular food.

What to say in conclusion?

Yogurt is a really great food that should definitely have a place in any healthy diet, if only because it is so easily accessible and affordable. When consumed regularly, you will be doing your health a great service. If you want to increase your daily protein intake with this popular treat, look for reduced-fat Greek yoghurt or skyr. Have at least one yoghurt a day to support not only your digestion but your overall health. Superfoods don't just have to be exotic and newly whipped. Superfoods can also be found among perfectly ordinary foods, and plain white yoghurt is one of them.

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