Yogurt Aids Digestion

http://youtu.be/tnHr9p3Zir0

Digest Food Better with Yogurt

Yogurt contains active, good bacteria called probiotics. Probiotics help adjust the amount of microflora in the intestines, and it helps prevent digestive ailments such as ulcers, constipation, and colon cancer.

10 Surprising Health Benefits of Yogurt

1. Yogurt can give you flat abs.

Eat 18 ounces a day and you can drop a jeans size. People who ate that much — in conjunction with cutting their total calories — lost 22 percent more weight and 81 percent more belly fat than dieters who skipped the snack, according to research from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

2. Most brands of yogurt contain good-for-you bacteria.

The words “live and active cultures” on the container mean that your yogurt has probiotics, beneficial bugs that live in your digestive tract and help crowd out harmful microorganisms that can cause intestinal infections. (Only a very small number of companies put yogurt through a post-pasteurization process that kills off all bacteria.)

3. Yogurt is loaded with vitamins.

One serving is a significant source of potassium, phosphorous, riboflavin, iodine, zinc, and vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid). Yogurt also contains B12, which maintains red blood cells and helps keep your nervous system functioning properly. “Vitamin B12 is found mostly in animal products, such as chicken and fish, so strict vegetarians can easily fall short,” says Jackie Newgent, RD, a FITNESS advisory board member and author of Big Green Cookbook.

4. A cup of yogurt a day can help you recover faster after a workout.

With the right ratio of protein to carbohydrates, yogurt, particularly high-protein Greek yogurt, makes an excellent post-sweat-session snack. “The perfect time to grab a container is within 60 minutes of exercise,” says Keri Gans, RD, a nutritionist in New York City. The protein provides the amino acids your muscles need to repair themselves,

5. Not all yogurt is equal when it comes to calcium and vitamin D

. Since it naturally contains calcium, you’d think the amount would be the same no matter which yogurt you pick. Wrong. “The levels can vary widely from brand to brand, so you really need to check the label,” Newgent says. both nutrients.

6. Yogurt may prevent high blood pressure.

Every day 70 percent of us consume more than twice the recommended amount of salt; over time that can lead to hypertension and kidney and heart disease. The potassium in yogurt, almost 600 milligrams per eight ounces, may help flush some of the excess sodium out of your body. In fact, adults in a study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition who ate the most low-fat dairy — two or more least.

7. A daily serving of yogurt keeps colds away.

Dig into four ounces each day and you may find yourself sniffle-free in the months ahead, according to a study at the University of Vienna. Women eating this amount had much stronger and more active T cells, which battle illness and infection, than they did before they started consuming it. “The healthy bacteria in yogurt help send signals to the immune-boosting cells in your body to power up and fight off harmful bugs,” says lead study author Alexa Meyer, PhD, a nutrition researcher at the university.

8. Yogurt can help your smile.

Despite its sugar content, yogurt doesn’t cause cavities. When scientists at Marmara University in Turkey tested low-fat, light, and fruit flavors, they found that none of them eroded tooth enamel, the main cause of decay.

9. Raw doesn’t mean better.

Virtually all the yogurt in your grocery store has been pasteurized — that is, exposed to high temperatures to kill any harmful pathogens. Raw-dairy fans claim that unpasteurized milk, yogurt, and cheese are better for you because they contain more health-boosting bacteria, but pasteurization doesn’t destroy beneficial probiotics,

10. Yogurt is a high-protein food.

Yogurt can be an excellent source of protein, but “one variety may contain more than double the protein of another,” Blatner says. Greek yogurt, which is strained to make it thicker, has up to 20 grams of protein per container; traditional yogurt may have as few as five grams. If you’re eating it for the protein, look for brands that provide at least eight to 10 grams per serving. Read more at: http://shine.yahoo.com/healthy-living/10-surprising-health-benefits-yogurt-153200672.html

A personal view:

Anyone that follows me knows that I do not agree with low fat yogurts. I rather have the full fat in moderation that low fat with additives. That is my personal preference. I chose Greek, full fat and without sugar or sweeteners.  I also look for Greek Recipes if I want to add more yogurt to my diet.

Yogurt Recipes

Cucumber and Yogurt Sauce

Ingredients

• 4 oz. (125g) plain yogurt
• quarter tea-cup of seeded and finely chopped cucumber
• 1 tbsp. finely chopped onion
• half a clove garlic, crushed
• half a tsp. sugar

Preparation

• Place all the ingredinets in a mixing bowl and mix thoroughly

Pork Kabobs with Cucumber Yogurt Sauce

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 2 pounds boneless pork, cut into 1-inch cube (for taste it has to have some fat on it)

Cucumber Yogurt Sauce

• 1 (8 ounce) carton plain yogurt
• 1/2 cup chopped cucumber
• 1 tablespoon chopped onion
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1/8 teaspoon garlic salt
• Pita bread, optional

Preparation

• In a resealable plastic bag or shallow non reactive container, combine oil, onion, lemon juice, parsley, garlic, salt, marjoram, and pepper, add pork cubes and toss to coat. Seal or cover and refrigerate overnight.
• Combine sauce ingredients, cover and refrigerate for several hours.
• Drain pork and discard marinade, When ready to cook on grill. Thread pork on skewers, leaving a space between each. Grill uncovered, over medium coals for 8 to 10 minutes or until meat is done, turning frequently.
• Serve with dipping sauce if using as an appetizer or in pita bread with sauce drizzled over.

Gyros

Ingredients

• 8 oz. (225g) lean minced lamb
• half a tsp. dried oregano
• half a tsp. ground cumin
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 2 tbsps. lemon juice
• half a small onion, finely chopped
• Cucumber and Yogurt Sauce (see above)
• half a small onion, thinly sliced
• 2 pitta pocket breads, slit on edges

Preparation

• Lightly oil a heavy-based frying pan
• Mix together the onion and garlic and fry gently until soft
• Put the minced lamb in a mixing bowl, add the onion mixture together with the oregano, cumin and lemon juice then mix thoroughly
• Divide the mixture into two and shape into patties
• Cook the patties under a pre-heated grill for about 8-10 minutes or until the meat is cooked
• Carve the patties into thin slices and serve in pitta pockets with the onion, tomato and cucumber sauce

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Liliana

Successful dieter who loves to eat and will prove the HCG Diet is the diet to end them all! Wife, Accountant and Internet Marketer 🙂

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