Properties, composition and nutritional value
When producing the drink, manufacturers use water, flavorings, thickeners and fruits. However, the most valuable ingredient in the product is beneficial bacteria of various types:
- Bulgarian and acidophilus bacillus;
- bifidobacteria;
- thermophilic streptococcus;
- probiotics.
The main benefit of the product for the human body is its high calcium content. Microelement deficiency is observed in every second person, especially for residents of megacities. 1 glass of drink can replenish the daily requirement of calcium. Fermented milk products also contain other useful microelements:
- phosphorus – is responsible for the normal course of many chemical reactions in the body;
- zinc – stimulates the activity of the digestive system.
Expert opinion
Evgeniy Kislitsa
Practicing surgeon. Certified massage master. Two-time vice-champion and heavyweight champion of regional kettlebell lifting competitions.
The main benefit of yogurt is that it helps normalize digestion processes. This is due to the fact that the drink is rich in beneficial bacteria. Entering the intestines and multiplying there, they compete with pathogenic organisms that are present in the digestive canal even in a healthy body. By creating competition for pathogenic microorganisms, beneficial bacteria suppress their population and prevent reproduction. Thanks to this, the balance of microflora in the intestines is formed and maintained. And since specific bacteria are needed for the normal digestion of a number of foods, the digestion processes proceed normally, and nutrients from food are absorbed to the maximum. In addition, some bacteria are capable of producing vitamins and enzymes necessary for the normal course of the metabolic process (metabolism).
Natural yogurt also contains bacteria that can inhibit the proliferation of fungi in the intestines, which not only improves the functioning of the immune system, but also prevents the development of many diseases, including infectious ones.
The ratio of BJU per 100 g of product (1.5% fat content) is 4.3, 1.5 and 5.7 g, respectively. The energy value of the drink is 57 kcal.
In addition to calcium, phosphorus and zinc, yogurt also contains other micro- and macroelements necessary for the body:
- iron;
- sodium;
- magnesium;
- copper.
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Yogurt recipes for weight loss
Yogurts for weight loss should initially be without any additives in the form of sugar, jam, honey and other things. All the delicious and healthy ingredients will be added later.
Calorie content of yogurt
On average, the calorie content of yogurt with bifidobacteria is 60-110 kcal per 100 g of product; if we give an example by brand, then the number of calories in Miracle yogurt is 99 kcal, Frugurt (1.5%) is 70 kcal, Activia with muesli is 108 kcal , so yogurt products cannot be called low-calorie in the true sense of the word. The calorie content of natural yogurt 2% is 60 kcal per 100 grams of product.
The fat content of yogurt also varies from almost 0% fat to 40%, if drinking Activia with strawberries and wild strawberries is 2 g of fat per 100 g or 2%, Fruttis is light - 1%, but contains both dyes and acidity regulators.
Low-fat yogurt
Can you eat yogurt on a diet? In general, yes, but provided that this purchase is at least harmless to the body. Especially if you decide to use low-fat yogurt for this. Along with fat, the salt content in the composition is reduced, which is often replaced with potassium chloride. As for fat, in this dairy product it is replaced with water and sugar. The last component cannot make the diet truly healthy.
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To make a low-fat fermented milk product as similar in consistency as possible to the regular version, starch is often added to the composition. Its presence interferes with the fat burning processes occurring in the body. It turns out that if you degrease these products, then instead of some components you have to add others, which can be more harmful. Therefore, you should not overuse this low-fat option, even if it is very fresh.
Natural yogurt
Natural yogurt is very popular in America, Turkey and Greece, as well as in other parts of the world. This product is obtained by fermenting milk using a bacterial starter. Natural yogurt is not sweet, but has a sour taste.
It has been proven that natural yogurt promotes weight loss, because its calorie content is low, which means it is recommended for obese people.
The beneficial properties of natural yogurt lie in its unique composition. Thanks to them, it is possible for women to take this product not only during pregnancy, but also during breastfeeding. When consuming natural yogurt, the young mother’s body is enriched with calcium, as well as vitamins and other microelements, which are subsequently passed on to the baby along with the milk.
Drinking yogurt
Drinking yogurt carries the risk of consuming excess calories, just like any drink.
Even if drinking yogurt is low-fat, you will drink about 300 grams of this yogurt at a time, which is about 3 times more than in a small jar. It turns out that you unnoticed the consumption of much more calories than planned, and at the same time the body did not understand that it was food and will require solid food.
In general, during a diet it is better to avoid “liquid” calories; on a diet, little food is consumed anyway, and then there is the replacement of solid food intake with a drink. It will be psychologically difficult to last long on such a diet.
Yogurt with fruit additives
Low-calorie yogurt with fruit additives from the store window is a mockery of the unfortunate losers. All such yogurts contain a lot of simple carbohydrates in the form of sugar, as well as starch. The final calorie content is not inferior, for example, to natural fat yogurt without fruit additives.
But the psychological effect lies in a small jar: just think, it’s only 80 calories, that’s a whole serving, one glass of yogurt, you can easily eat it and not harm your figure. But 100 grams of yogurt is too little for one meal, but its calorie content is quite enough to limit your meal, or rather snack, to only yogurt.
What to eat when losing weight
Different manufacturers have different technology for making yogurt.
Some add milk powder and sugar to the product, others add preservatives and thickeners.
However, when losing weight, preference should be given to a product that contains whole milk and sourdough.
Important! The most useful product for weight loss is the one made at home. It is also indicated for people suffering from dysbiosis and other gastrointestinal pathologies. The recipe for such yogurt does not imply anything other than milk, sourdough and, if desired, chopped fruits or berries.
If you choose from store-bought products, you should opt for natural yogurt that does not contain various additives and sweeteners. You can improve the taste of the product yourself by adding some fresh fruit or frozen berries. You can also add honey to the drink; it does not contain sucrose (traditional sugar), but fructose, which is much healthier and is recommended for consumption by those who suffer from diabetes.
How to choose a dietary low-calorie product
Not every yogurt sold in stores can be used for weight loss. When choosing a drink during a diet, pay attention to the following nuances:
- The drink should not contain guar copper (E1412) and xanthan gum (E415), since these components slow down the absorption of the product in the intestines.
- Inadmissible components in the product are dyes, preservatives, sugar, antibiotics.
- It is advisable that the word “Thermostatic” is written on the packaging of the product. This product is prepared as closely as possible to the classic recipe and contains the maximum amount of beneficial bacteria.
- The shelf life of the product should not exceed 14 days. A longer shelf life indicates that preservatives have been added to the yogurt.
- The title should not contain the prefix “bio”.
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When choosing a dietary product, you need to pay attention to the conditions under which it was stored. A drink that is beneficial to the body cannot be kept at temperatures above 8 degrees for a long time. At storage temperatures above the specified level, microorganisms begin to actively multiply in yogurt, which inhibit beneficial bacteria and can cause food poisoning or even an infectious disease of the digestive tract. If the product is not in the refrigerator, but in the general area of the store, then this indicates the presence of various additives in its composition.
Important! The best option for losing weight is yogurt with an amount of fat of no more than 4 g per 100 g. A product with a large amount of organic compound will not benefit your figure, even if the packaging says that it is low-calorie.
Is it potable?
There is practically no difference between regular and drinking yogurt. The main difference is that more water is added to the latter type of product. It is more often used for making smoothies or simple snacks.
During the diet, it is recommended to give preference to yoghurts in a jar (not drinking). The fact is that in liquid form a person can consume much more of the drink, thereby increasing the caloric content of the diet. Also, a product with a liquid consistency satisfies hunger worse.
Important! When losing weight, it is better not to use products from the brands “Prostokvashino”, “Activia”, “Galicia”.
Does it help you lose weight?
Yogurt with a short shelf life and natural composition helps you lose weight quickly and effectively. In addition, it quickly and permanently satisfies hunger and saturates the body with energy. Thick, high-fat drinks will not help you lose weight. The result when losing weight is given not only by the correct choice of yogurt, but also by the combination of consumed products.
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How yogurt was formed
Yogurt means “thick” in Greek. But this does not mean that yogurt first appeared in Greece. Currently, there are many different versions of the origin of this fermented milk product. And the most plausible version is that yogurt was formed thanks to nomads. Once upon a time, nomads transported milk in large vessels made from goat skins. During their long journey, various bacteria got into the fermented milk drink; as a result, the drink was constantly shaken and fermented under the sun's rays. As a result, a healthy and very tasty drink was formed.
Modern yoghurts were first produced on the Balkan Peninsula. It was there that the beneficial properties of this drink were discovered.
Yogurt fasting and diet menu
There are several types of yogurt unloading.
Option 1
- morning: green apple, unsweetened tea;
- lunch: 150 ml yogurt with dried fruits, tea;
- lunch: 150 ml yogurt with muesli, ½ grapefruit, 100 ml tea;
- afternoon snack: 200 ml yogurt, ½ grapefruit;
- evening: ½ mug of tea, 150 ml of yogurt, a handful of dried fruits.
Option 2
- morning: yogurt with berries or fruits (100 ml), ½ cup of tea;
- day: yogurt with fruit (200 ml), ½ cup of tea;
- afternoon snack: the same as lunch, but fruits are replaced with berries;
- dinner: the same as for lunch.
The last option for losing weight involves eating every 3 hours. Each type of diet prohibits the consumption of sugar. But it can be replaced with a small amount of honey - 0.5 teaspoon per glass of drink is enough to add sweetness to the product. In between meals, you are allowed to drink plain water, unsweetened tea, herbal decoctions or rosehip infusion.
For unloading, choose yogurt with a fat content of 1-1.5%. It can be prepared at home using sourdough and milk.
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Yogurt diet
The answer to the question: is it possible to eat yoghurt while losing weight has already been clarified, but another question arises - how to lose weight on yoghurt? To do this, choose low-calorie products with a small amount of fat and a minimum of sugar. So, avoid purchasing the sweetened and added fruit option that many people like to eat for dessert. Avoid products labeled as natural identical or with flavorings.
Yogurt and fruit
A pleasant weight loss diet that allows you to stay full and lose weight. Very good for yogurt lovers and lovers. On this diet you can easily lose 4-5 kg in a week.
Sample menu:
The first day
- Breakfast: a package of yogurt and one of the fruits.
- Lunch: Salad of slices of kiwi, oranges and strawberries mixed with the contents of one package of yogurt.
- Dinner: Half a grapefruit, 170 gr. lean chicken meat, vegetable salad dressed with lemon juice.
- Dessert: 2 plums.
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Second day
- Breakfast: A cup of berries mixed with a package of yogurt
- Lunch: A few slices of pineapple.
- Dinner: 1 orange, 170 grams of sliced turkey or chicken breast with lettuce.
- Dessert: 2 nectarines.
Day three
- Breakfast: A few slices of watermelon, melon, a package of yogurt.
- Lunch: Puree the pulp of one banana and one cup of strawberries, seasoned with apple juice.
- Dinner: 170 gr. fish (flounder or halibut) soaked in lemon juice, a cup of Brussels sprouts.
- Dessert: A cup of cold yogurt with any berries.
You can combine the combination of yogurt with various fruits depending on your taste preferences. Between meals, you can drink fruit teas and freshly squeezed juices.
Yogurt and buckwheat
Yogurt with buckwheat is also a very balanced meal; here yogurt most often serves as a dressing.
Buckwheat and yogurt diets do not limit you to just these two ingredients; buckwheat is here as a source of complex carbohydrates, as well as plant proteins. In addition, buckwheat is rich in vitamins and microelements, which is important when following a diet.
Be sure to include one or two meals with buckwheat in your daily diet. This diet will help you lose weight well to the desired result and with minimal consequences for the body.
Oatmeal with yogurt
A diet based on oatmeal and yogurt is similar to a diet based on buckwheat; it also has a sufficient amount of fiber and is rich in microelements.
Please note that now on the shelves you see mainly oat flakes, and they are 5 times more calorie than oatmeal. Therefore, we strongly recommend that you find oatmeal.
It contains much more useful substances, and you can eat more of it on a plate, remaining within the same 50-100 calories, and for a person on a diet, the serving size and its calorie content are very important.
Yogurt and cottage cheese
The cottage cheese and yogurt diet is designed for rapid weight loss. Low-fat dairy products are high in calcium and protein, both of which are important for healthy weight loss. In addition, cottage cheese and natural yogurt are perfectly filling, so on a diet you will only feel moderate hunger. And you don’t have to look for exotic products and stand for long hours at the stove. Everything you need is sold at any grocery store near your home.
Yogurt and kefir
In recent years, the kefir-yogurt diet, which is very satisfying, has become increasingly popular. In addition to the dairy product, it contains a large amount of vegetables, fruits, berries, herbs, boiled fish, etc. Anyone losing weight should definitely drink about 2 liters of liquid every day, including juices and tea without sugar. An approximate menu for a fasting kefir-yogurt diet, which can allow you to lose 500-700 g of weight per day:
- first and second breakfast – 200 g low-fat and 200 g regular kefir,
- lunch, lunch,
- dinner - 200 g of yogurt (natural), late dinner - 200 g of biokefir.
Home Recipes
To prepare classic yogurt you will need 1 liter of milk and 1 tbsp. l. sourdough The latter can be purchased at the pharmacy. Any starter is suitable - for yogurt, kefir, sour cream.
Milk is selected in such a way that its shelf life does not exceed 14 days. A longer shelf life indicates the presence of preservatives or antibiotics in it, which, although they allow the product to prolong its “life,” also destroy many beneficial bacteria in it. It is heated to a temperature of 36-40 degrees. If the milk is heated more, the yogurt will turn out too sour. You also need to ensure that the drink is fresh and has at least 2-3 days left before its expiration date. Otherwise, it accumulates too many unnecessary bacteria for the body, which will multiply at an increased speed in yogurt.
Milk is poured into a jar and 1 tbsp is added to it. l. sourdough Mix everything thoroughly. The mixture is placed in the oven with the doors closed for 12 hours. The jar does not have a lid. After a set period of time, the jar is removed and placed in the refrigerator for another 12 hours to stop the growth and division of yeast in it.
Greek yogurt is prepared according to the same recipe, but to increase its thickness you will need a linen towel. Yogurt is poured into it, and a container for whey is placed below. Greek yogurt will be ready in 1-2 hours, after all the liquid has drained out of it. The product can be used for the next sourdough (instead of purchased one).
How to properly prepare fermented milk product
In order to prepare a dietary product, you need to follow some rules. The dish cannot be heated too much, since at temperatures above 45 degrees all milk bacteria die. The prepared product must be stored in the refrigerator for at least 12 hours to improve the appearance of the yogurt and preserve all its beneficial characteristics.
Typically, the proportions of starter added to milk are indicated on the packaging. You should follow the manufacturer's recommendations to obtain yogurt of the desired quality and consistency.
If store-bought yogurt is used as a starter, it is usually added at the rate of 100 g per 1 liter of milk. The actual prepared dish is added to milk in an amount of 2-3 tbsp. l. per liter
Shelf life of yogurt
Yogurt is an exclusively natural product that contains lactobacilli and live bifidobacteria. The minimum shelf life of this fermented milk product is about 5 days. The maximum period is 2 weeks. But it is best to store this product for no more than 7 days.
Manufacturers indicate on some jars that yogurt can be stored for up to 30 days. This can only be possible if the products in the yoghurt are either very sweet (they have jam or marmalade added), or they contain vinegar, or they are salted (they contain fish or lard). All fermented milk products do not belong to such categories. Therefore, if you see information on a jar of a product that yogurt can be stored for up to 30 days, this should immediately alert you. Bifidobacteria, which are used to ferment milk, cannot live long.
Based on this, we can conclude: yogurt cannot be stored for a long time. It is stored for a long time only if it contains a large number of various preservatives or it has been subjected to heat treatment. As a result of heat treatment, beneficial bacteria die, and yogurt loses all its beneficial properties. Therefore, there is no need to talk about losing weight in this case.
Delicious and healthy dishes
A wide variety of dishes are prepared using yogurt, which are also allowed during weight loss. Let's look at the most interesting recipes.
Banana ice cream
To prepare the treat, take 100 g of natural yogurt, a pinch of ground cinnamon, several fruits and a sugar substitute. The fruits are cut into small pieces and placed in the freezer for several hours.
Then they are ground in a blender along with the fermented milk product. To improve the taste, you can add vanilla, nuts or peanut butter to the ice cream.
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Salad
For the dish you will need the following ingredients: celery (3 stalks), green apple (3 pieces), cottage cheese (150 g), yogurt (200 g). Vegetables are cut into small pieces and seasoned with yogurt. Cottage cheese cut into cubes is placed on top of them.
Fruit smoothie
Ingredients: orange juice (100 ml), homemade yogurt (150 ml), milk powder (2 tbsp), honey (1 tbsp), vanilla extract (to taste). All ingredients are mixed in a blender until smooth and consumed immediately after preparation.
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Expert advice
When losing weight, experts advise using only homemade yogurt, and not store-bought products. You can also eat farm products, which indicate the composition and expiration date.
Experts believe that the yogurt diet is one of the most gentle.
However, there is a list of contraindications for it:
- diabetes;
- oncology;
- allergy to fermented milk products;
- inflammatory diseases of the digestive tract, provoked by increased secretion of hydrochloric acid in the stomach, microorganisms and/or viruses affecting the intestines.
Filatova Anna, nutritionist
The yogurt diet is low-calorie, despite the fact that the product is quite filling. It is not recommended to adhere to such a diet for more than 10 days due to possible health problems. There are known cases when, after a long-term yogurt diet, people experienced deterioration in the condition of their hair and skin, and digestive processes were disrupted. You also need to know that this type of weight loss requires mandatory consolidation of the result, otherwise the weight will quickly return to its previous level.
Expert opinion
Evgeniy Kislitsa
Practicing surgeon. Certified massage master. Two-time vice-champion and heavyweight champion of regional kettlebell lifting competitions.
Returning to previous weight or gaining even more weight is associated with the physiological characteristics of the human body. This is expressed in the fact that during fasting it is in a state of stress and burns all tissues to meet energy needs. Fat tissue is burned only with a long-term calorie deficit. Diets that lead to this are unbalanced. Therefore, after stopping their adherence and returning to the previous diet, the body begins to store fat reserves with increased activity as a reserve of energy and nutrients in case of repeated starvation, which is stress for it. This mechanism of stock accumulation is justified evolutionarily. Indeed, at the dawn of humanity, a real threat of death from hunger hung over it. Today, when food has become more high-calorie and accessible, the mechanism of storing fat in reserve does more harm than good for modern man.
Practicing nutritionist Elena Zueva
You can eat yogurt while losing weight. Many low-calorie dishes are prepared on its basis. It is suitable both for independent consumption and for complementing other dishes. Recommends including the product in the menu of even the most strict diet. The main rule of the yogurt diet is an integrated approach. The product only helps you lose weight, but is not a fat-burning pill.
Alin Bozhko, nutritionist
To effectively lose weight, you need to regulate your diet in general. Yogurts can be considered as a snack between meals. It is better to give preference to products with a shelf life of no more than 10 days that do not contain dyes, thickeners and flavors. This yogurt contains bifidobacteria, which improve digestive processes and speed up metabolism. When unloading on yoghurt, you need to drink about 1.5-2 liters of low-calorie product per day (up to 1.5% fat content).
What's in the plate?
As a main dish for dinner, white skinless poultry, rabbit, fish, and possibly lean beef are suitable. Moreover, if you are losing weight, choose low-fat fish: cod, pike perch, perch, pike, dorado, sea bass. Those who are not concerned about the problem of excess weight can afford a piece of red fish - salmon or trout. Do not forget to monitor the portion size - a piece of meat or fish should not be larger than your palm (without fingers).
Vegetables are an ideal complement to a protein dish. As for carbohydrate side dishes, such as cereals, they are contraindicated only for those who are actively losing weight. Others can eat them for dinner without harming their figure. But little by little - the portion should not be more than four tablespoons of ready-made cereal.
Main conclusions
Yogurt is possible with a diet and proper nutrition. It promotes weight loss by accelerating metabolism and normalizing digestive processes. However, only a product that does not contain thickeners and preservatives added to extend shelf life will be useful.
The optimal composition of a fermented milk product is sourdough and milk.
When correcting the figure, preference is given to natural yogurt prepared at home. To do this, you will need milk and starter culture, which can be purchased at the pharmacy. Recently, it can also be purchased in stores; such products are in no way inferior to pharmacy ones. During cooking, the ingredients are heated to a temperature of no more than 40 degrees, otherwise all the beneficial properties of yogurt will be lost.
Nutritionists consider fasting on yogurt one of the most gentle. However, they do not recommend resorting to a fermented milk diet for people suffering from diabetes, oncology and diseases associated with high stomach acidity. It is also not recommended to resort to such a diet for those who have inflammatory bowel diseases, especially in the acute phase.
