Even if you find yourself always on the go, it’s important that you still find time to eat and nourish your body with the essential nutrients that it needs. Despite your busy schedule, know that it doesn’t hurt to allot about five or 10 minutes to get a snack. Trust us, your body needs the energy for it to function.
As for options that you can just quickly grab and go, you might want to try yogurt. It’s a probiotic that promotes gut health, supports your immune system, and even helps with weight loss. There are so many different kinds of yogurt out there on the market. You’ve got traditional yogurt from cow’s milk, Greek yogurt, soy yogurt, non-fat yogurt, and more. Honestly, the list goes on.
But apparently, there are variations of yogurt that contain less nutritional value than others. And if you want to lose weight, knowing how each type affects your body and overall health is crucial. To learn more, we spoke with Jennifer Hanway, Board Certified Holistic Nutritionist, about the kinds of yogurt that deserve a spot in your refrigerator, and the ones you should avoid at all costs.
Avoid Low-Fat Sugars With Excess Sugar
Before anything else, Hanway mentions that "yogurt is one of those foods that can be really beneficial for your health, or terribly bad for you, depending on the type." She clarifies, "I would never tell my clients not to eat yogurt because of the fat content. It's such outdated science that fat is bad for you. We actually need healthy fats in our diet to balance our hunger hormones, for energy, [and for] an efficient metabolism." When your body has healthy fats, it can also lead to healthy hair, skin, and nails. In fact, healthy facts even improve your mood and mental health.
When it comes to yogurts that you should steer away from, Hanway suggests low fat yogurts that are full of added sugars. "[These] should be avoided as they will raise blood sugar and insulin levels, [which] can lead us to store fat and feel hungry later," she warns. Considering low fat yogurts that are packed with sugar are bad for you, Hanway recommends eating full fat, unsweetened versions instead. "These types of yogurt can be beneficial for gut health and detoxification due to their probiotic content that can help boost the diversity of your microbiome," she explains.
Hanway adds, "For those [who] can tolerate dairy, grass-fed cows dairy can be a great source of CLA's (a specific type of fatty acid), whilst sheep and goat dairy can be easier to digest but still contain CLA's. Plant-based yogurts can be a great choice, but again choose unsweetened versions with minimal fillers and additives. Some plant-based yogurts are highly processed, so always read the label."
