14 Benefits Of Yogurt

Few foods help meet your nutritional needs at every stage of life better than live and active culture yogurt, says the official website of the National Yogurt Association. Here's 14 ways that yogurt can benefit your health and lifestyle!

1) Allergy And Cold Fighter

Healthy bacteria present in yogurt helps increase the immune-promoting cells in the body. Some studies have revealed that eating seven ounces of yogurt a day will lower allergy symptoms by raising certain T cells levels. And women who consume four ounces of yogurt daily will have stronger and more active T cells to fight off sickness and infection.

2) Antibiotics

Two cups of yogurt a day is also considered an effective antibiotic treatment. Yogurt contains antibiotics that can kill harmful bacteria in the intestines before it reaches your kidneys and urogenital system. The live active bacterial nutrients help recover the intestine with useful bacteria before harmful ones have a chance to build.

3) Balanced Health Food

Yogurt is a valuable health food for both infants and elderly persons. For children, it is a balanced source of protein, fats, carbohydrates, and minerals. For senior citizens, who usually have more sensitive colons or whose intestines have run out of lactase, yogurt is also a valuable food. Elderly intestines showed declining levels of bifidus bacteria, which allow the growth of toxin-producing and, perhaps, cancer-causing bacteria. Yogurt may help prevent osteoporosis and reduce the risk of high blood pressure. Yogurt with active cultures helps the gut, may discourage vaginal infections, and may help you feel fuller.

4) Blood Pressure Maintenance

The potassium in yogurt helps stimulate absorption and eliminate a redundant amount of sodium in the body. Consuming at least a cup of yogurt daily will decrease your chances of suffering from high blood pressure.

5) Calcium

Yogurt is an excellent source of calcium and some contain up to 35 percent of the recommended daily intake.

6) Cholesterol Reduced

Studies have shown that two cups of yogurt a day can reduce cholesterol levels because of the live nutrients that assimilate cholesterol formation and fight off infection in the blood stream.

7) Colon Cancer Prevention

Yogurt is considered a healthy colon cancer preventative because it contains lacto bacteria, a type of intestine-friendly bacteria that enhances healthy bacteria development in the colon and decreases colon disease risk.

8) Immunity Boost

Studies have indicated that people who eat two cups of yogurt daily may produce a higher level of immunity-boosting interferon. The bacterial cultures in live-culture yogurt are able to stimulate infection-fighting white cells in the blood stream. The lacto bacillus found in yogurt can strengthen the intestine and boost the absorption of essential nutrients in the body that may maintain the health of the digestive system, which in turn will promote the immune system.

9) Probiotics

Live strains of what is called good bacteria or friendly bacteria are found in many yogurt products. Known as probiotics, they are naturally present in the digestive system and theres some evidence that some strains of probiotics can help boost the immune system and promote a healthy digestive tract, although more research is needed. Probiotics are bacteria that help maintain the natural balance of organisms in the intestines The largest group of probiotic bacteria in the intestine is lactic acid bacteria, of which Lactobacillus acidophilus, found in yogurt with live cultures, is the best known.

10) Protein

An average eight-ounce serving of live and active culture contains approximately 20 percent of the daily value for protein. Be sure to look for the Live & Active Cultures seal to make sure you are getting the most from your yogurt.

11) Vitamins And Minerals

Yogurt is low in fat and high in certain minerals and essential vitamins riboflavin B2, vitamin B12, potassium and phosphorous.

12) Yeast Infection Reduction

Since yogurt is considered the most beneficial form of yeast, and is packed with useful bacteria, it is good for vaginal and intestinal infections by reducing the formation of yeast organisms in the vagina and safely lessening yeast vaginal infections. Studies reveal that six ounces of yogurt daily can alleviate yeast infection symptoms and women who suffer from chronic vaginal infections can decrease their symptoms.

13) Yogurt Substitutions

You can replace many more fattening and less healthy foods with yogurt. A few ideas include replacing syrup on pancakes or waffles with blueberries and a spoonful of yogurt of your favorite flavor. You can replace mayonnaise with yogurt on sandwiches in tuna, chicken and potato salads. You can serve yogurt with cakes, pies or fruits instead of ice cream or whipped cream. You can use it as a base for chip and veggie dips instead of high calorie cheese, dressings and dips. You can replace your fattening sour cream and butter potato toppings with a dollop of plain nonfat or lowfat yogurt.

14) Zinc

Yogurt is high in zinc and can help reduce and prevent acne. It also assists in reducing skin redness, discoloration, age spots, blotches and inflammation by applying it on the affected areas.

Due to yogurts culturing process, it is more digestible than milk, and the health benefits of yogurt are so impressive that many people have made it a daily habit. Organic plain yogurt is best; organic because there are no synthetic hormones or antibiotics, and plain because there are no added refined sugars and you can sweeten it with fruit.

And the National Yogurt Association reports that researchers are exploring how live and active culture yogurt may have a beneficial effect on the immune system, the potential to lower cholesterol, and how it may help combat certain types of cancer-causing compounds, particularly in the digestive tract.

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Reviewed By:

Founder Ray Spotts has a passion for all things natural and has made a life study of nature as it relates to health and well-being. Ray became a forerunner bringing products to market that are extraordinarily effective and free from potentially harmful chemicals and additives. For this reason Ray formed Trusted Health Products, a company you can trust for clean, effective, and healthy products. Ray is an organic gardener, likes fishing, hiking, and teaching and mentoring people to start new businesses. You can get his book for free, “How To Succeed In Business Based On God’s Word,” at www.rayspotts.com.