When You Eat Yogurt Every Day, This Is What Happens To Your Body
Yogurt has long been regarded by many as a health food with tons of benefits for your body. Whether you like it plain out of the carton, pre-packaged with fruit and flavors, or made at home in your Instant Pot, yogurt can be a fulfilling and delicious snack. And if you get really creative, mixing it with toasted granola, fruit, honey, or nut butter, it can be a super nutritious meal that powers you through your morning.
In addition to being tasty and versatile, yogurt is also inexpensive and easy to come by. You can find it at any grocery store and you'll often have a plethora of brands to choose from, like Chobani, Yoplait, Dannon, and more. Plus, there are also plenty of non-dairy yogurt options made from soy or coconut milk instead of cow's milk. There's an option for just about everyone. Are you a confirmed fan of yogurt, making sure to eat at least one serving every day? Wonder what that habit does to your body? Read on to find out!
Your body will get the calcium it needs if you eat yogurt every day
Remember when you were little and your parents always made sure you drank a big glass of milk with dinner? That's because they wanted to make sure you got enough calcium for your growing bones. As an adult, you've probably given up the milk-and-a-meal habit, but if you eat yogurt on the daily, the dairy product is fulfilling that same duty, according to registered dietitian Rachel McBryan.
"I am happy to see people who report eating yogurt every day because they are more likely to meet their need for calcium," she dished to The List. "Many people do not meet their need for calcium because they avoid dairy either because of lactose intolerance, veganism, or a personal belief that dairy is not a healthy food." In addition to being a good source of calcium, McBryan also likes yogurt because it's convenient, which makes getting the nutrition you need fast and easy. You can't beat that!
Your mood may improve if you eat yogurt every day
You've probably heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. It's a phrase often parroted by health experts who extol the virtues of eating a healthy meal after waking for a variety of reasons. And if you happen to use yogurt to break your fast, you'll get yet another benefit thanks to the probiotics it contains.
"Our microbiome helps to send signals to our brain with feelings of calmness when it is in balance," registered dietitian Heidi Moretti told The List. "By telling the immune system it has what it needs, the body and brain may feel less under threat, e.g. less of the flight or fight response." Translation: you will feel more chill.
Likewise, one study also found a link between eating yogurt twice each day and increased brain activity in the regions responsible for emotion and pain. Lead researcher Dr. Kirsten Tillisch told New York Daily News, "Our findings indicate that some of the contents of yogurt may actually change the way our brain responds to the environment." As such, eating yogurt every day may just be able to ease your anxiety.
You're more likely to meet nutrition requirements if you eat yogurt every day
While yogurt is indeed rich in calcium, that's not the only nutritional requirement it can fill. In fact, you'll become more nourished overall if you make yogurt a staple in your daily diet, according to registered dietitian Amy Cohn. "When compared to those who don't eat yogurt, yogurt eaters are more likely to meet nutrition requirements," the expert explained to The List. "They consume 28 percent more vitamin D, 24 percent more calcium, 13 percent more potassium and, as they tend to stray away from salty foods, 9 percent less sodium in their diet."
Additionally, yogurt is rich in other vitamins and minerals, including B vitamins (especially B12 and riboflavin), phosphorous, and magnesium, according to Healthline. It's also high in protein, containing approximately 12 grams per seven ounces, which can help to support your metabolism. And if you like Greek yogurt all the better, as a seven-ounce serving contains 22 grams of protein on average.
Your cholesterol levels may improve if you eat yogurt every day
According to the CDC, approximately 95 million American adults have total cholesterol levels over 200 mg/dL. And of those individuals, 29 million people have total cholesterol levels over 240 mg/dL, putting them at a greater risk of heart disease and stroke. Given that having high cholesterol has no symptoms, it's entirely possible for your levels to be elevated without you realizing.
But, if you do know that you have high cholesterol or suspect that you might because of how you've tested in the past, you should consider eating a serving or two of yogurt every day. "Your cholesterol may improve because yogurt can be a low-fat and low-cholesterol snack," registered dietitian Trista Best told The List. "By eating yogurt over other high fat and cholesterol foods you are cutting down on your dietary intake of these compounds." That in turn can render you less at risk for fatal diseases and other serious health conditions.
If you eat yogurt every day, your blood pressure may improve
According to the Mayo Clinic, hypertension can lead to various health problems, including heart attack, stroke, aneurysm, dementia, and more. That's why it's important to regularly measure your blood pressure and see your doctor if it's elevated. The good news, however, is that regular yogurt eaters are already on the defense against hypertension, according to functional nutrition therapy practitioner Jillian Warwick.
"Your blood pressure will improve because the potassium found in yogurt can play a major role in regulating blood pressure levels," the expert shared with The List. "Yogurt has over 600 milligrams of potassium in a single eight-ounce serving – that's almost a fifth of your RDA for this heart-healthy mineral." Interestingly enough, this benefit is especially noticeable in women, as noted by Medical News Today. Specifically, women who ate yogurt five or more times a week were found to have a 20 percent reduced risk of having high blood pressure.
Eating yogurt every day can help you feel more satisfied
Are you one of those people who is hungry for more the second you finish breakfast? Do you always have to have a snack in your bag to combat between-meal hunger? If so, you might want to try eating yogurt every day, suggests registered dietitian Megan Wong. "You may feel more satisfied when choosing Greek yogurt as a snack," she revealed to The List. "Greek yogurt is high in protein, and protein helps you feel satiated for a longer period of time." As such, it might just help you combat those constant munchies.
Wong has an additional tip for folks trying to maximize satiety with a serving or two of yogurt, too. "For even more satisfaction, choose a high fiber yogurt or add your own fiber," she continued. "Protein and fiber and the perfect duo for a satisfying snack." If you're not sure what kind of fiber to add, try dry cereals with a high fiber content (like Kashi GoLean) or chia seeds. The latter especially packs a wallop of fiber, according to Harvard University.
If you eat yogurt every day you will be more regular
While yogurt is known to have a variety of health benefits, there's one thing for which it is especially well-known: It aids digestion. "You'll be more regular because the probiotics in the yogurt will help promote the growth of healthy bacteria associated with optimal digestion, and decrease the formation of gas and bloating," registered dietitian Joelle Malinowski explained to The List. That can be a real relief as it can spare you from some potentially embarrassing situations.
In addition to aiding with the way in which your body processes and breaks down food, Malinowski says it also has broader impacts on your digestive tract and function. "There are studies showing probiotics increase the time it takes for full digestion," she continued. "That will help increase the numbers of weekly stools, as well as softer stools which are easier to pass," she continued. If you're having bathroom troubles or simply want to avoid such problems, consider eating yogurt every day.
If you eat yogurt every day, your risk of gastrointestinal disease may decrease
Having a daily serving of yogurt can have long-term digestive benefits, according to registered dietitian Laura Gilstrap. "Eating yogurt every day may lower your risk of gastrointestinal diseases such as diverticulitis, SIBO, or leaky gut," she explained to The List. "That's because yogurt contains active cultures called probiotics or 'good bacteria,' which can strengthen the immune system and promote a healthy digestive track."
That's not all, though. Yogurt can also help you fight off other bugs, according to Mickey Rubin, vice president of nutrition research for the National Dairy Council. "The common cold and its symptoms are an inflammatory response to the bug ... such that if yogurt or other foods reduced inflammation, it could in theory be beneficial," he revealed in an interview with CNN Health. He added that more research is needed to know for sure, but certainly eating yogurt can't hurt!
Your bones will thank you if you eat yogurt every day
It might not be something that you think much about when you're younger, but good bone health is incredibly important, according to the Mayo Clinic. That's especially the case for women, who are more susceptible to bone loss and damage than their male counterparts.
Fortunately, if you enjoy a cup of yogurt every day, you're doing your part to protect your skeleton, as noted by registered dietitian Brianna Elliott. "Yogurt contains some key nutrients for maintaining bone health, including calcium, protein, potassium, phosphorus and, sometimes, vitamin D," she penned in an article in Healthline. "All of these vitamins and minerals are especially helpful for preventing osteoporosis, a condition characterized by weakening of the bones."
With osteoporosis, you have a higher risk of bone fractures, something that Elliott says daily yogurt consumption can help protect you against. "Research shows that consuming at least three servings of dairy foods, such as yogurt, on a daily basis may help preserve bone mass and strength," she continued.
Your cancer risk may decrease if you eat yogurt every day
While heart disease is the number one cause of death in the United States, according to the CDC, cancer isn't far behind. If you're interested in doing everything you can to prevent receiving a cancer diagnosis, try eating yogurt every day, suggests functional nutrition therapy practitioner Jillian Warwick. "You will lower your risk of colorectal cancer because the probiotics and healthy bacteria found in yogurt improve the health of the digestive tract," she shared with The List. "A large scale study in the International Journal of Cancer linked yogurt consumption to a lower risk of colorectal cancer."
That's not the only form of cancer that your daily yogurt consumption can help fight. According to Science Daily, a study in the journal Medical Hypotheses showed that eating natural yogurt every day can help to stave off breast cancer, too. That's why the researchers concluded, "There is a simple, inexpensive potential preventive remedy, which is for women to consume natural [yogurt] on a daily basis."
Will you lose weight if you eat yogurt every day?
Are you of the nearly 50 percent of Americans who would like to lose weight? Perhaps you're looking for tips that can help you shed unwanted pounds without feeling hungry and deprived all the time? You might find that eating yogurt every day can help you with that task, according to registered dietitian Brianna Elliott. "For starters, it is high in protein, which works along with calcium to increase levels of appetite-reducing hormones like peptide YY and GLP-1," the expert revealed in an article in Healthline. "Furthermore, several studies have found that yogurt consumption is associated with lower body weight, body fat percentage and waist circumference."
On top of that, Elliott says that eating certain kinds of yogurt daily can prevent weight gain to begin with as well. "One review found that the intake of full-fat dairy products, including yogurt, may reduce the incidence of obesity," she added. And that flies in the face of what experts previously believed to be the case with weight gain and fat consumption.
You may consume too much sugar if you eat certain kinds of yogurt every day
While yogurt has a reputation for being a healthy food with a high nutritional value, not all yogurt is created equally. It all comes down to what some brands add to their products. One of the biggest offenders is refined sugar, something you can find in a host of off-the-shelf yogurt brands. "A little single-serve cup of flavored yogurt often has 10 grams or more of added sugar," registered dietitian Megan Wong revealed to The List. "That's over two teaspoons of sugar in a tiny cup!" And since eating too much sugar every day can cause a myriad of health problems, according to Medical News Today, that won't exactly help you in your quest to become or stay healthy.
That's precisely why Wong suggests you always read the nutrition facts label before you buy your yogurt or, better yet, customize your yogurt in your own kitchen. "You're better off choosing plain yogurt and adding your own healthy toppings like fruit and granola," she continued.
Eating some types of yogurt every day can increase your intake of additives
It's imperative to look out for additives when choosing a yogurt, especially since they are so commonly used in the dairy product, according to certified nutritionist Katie Boyd. "If you want to eat yogurt every day to reap the many benefits, you must make sure that when you choose the yogurt that you will consume daily that is plain or only vanilla," she explained to The List. "Many yogurt companies pump their yogurt full of dyes and chemicals to make it more tasty and appealing to children."
To that end, you should adopt a specific strategy when you're shopping for a healthy yogurt option, registered dietitian Taylor Jones explained. "They should include milk, the bacterial cultures used to turn milk into yogurt and not much else," she penned in an article in Healthline. Jones further revealed that "ingredients are listed by weight," so it's always a good idea to see where certain ingredients fall on the nutrition facts label. According to the dietitian, you should look to "choose a yogurt without large amounts of added ingredients." For extra flavor, you can always add your own fruit at home.
If you're lactose intolerant, you may not want to eat yogurt every day
While many, many people will find that eating yogurt every day can help them improve their health and reach their nutritional goals, not everyone should eat regular yogurt on a daily basis. This is the case for folks who suffer from lactose intolerance, as yogurt can cause a lot of discomfort. "Lactose intolerance is a digestive disorder caused by the inability to digest lactose, the main carbohydrate in dairy products," registered dietitian Helen West wrote in an article in Healthline. "It can cause various symptoms, including bloating, diarrhea and abdominal cramps."
While some people with lactose intolerance are able to handle small amounts of dairy products like yogurt, according to the FDA, it's a good idea to avoid dairy altogether if you experience unpleasant symptoms.
But don't worry: Yogurt made with cow's milk is not your only option, according to West. "If you do need to remove dairy completely, it's perfectly possible to have a healthy and balanced diet without it," she continued. If that's the case for you, look for yogurt free of lactose, such as coconut milk, oat milk, or soy milk-based yogurt alternatives.