We all know that it’s a wonderful idea for you to include yogurt in your diet on a regular basis. That’s because this healthy treat is known to offer all kinds of amazing perks such as:
- Improved digestion courtesy of the friendly bacteria it’s loaded with
- Lifted mood because of its vitamin D content and the fact that a healthy gut is vital for happy hormone production
- Lowered risk of osteoporosis as it’s a phenomenal source of bone-strengthening calcium
- Reduced weight as protein in it helps build lean muscles, thus causing the metabolism to speed up
- Optimized overall health due to the fact that it supplies the body with an assortment of nutrients, ranging from phosphorus to B vitamins
Unless you are suffering from lactose intolerance, then you should definitely snack on yogurt regularly.
However, it’s important for you to opt for yogurt that’s plain. That’s because flavored yogurt can do more harm than good, health authorities confirm.
Artificial Flavoring is Bad
What makes flavored yogurt bad for you is, first and foremost, the fact that it contains flavoring.
Some manufacturers of flavored yogurt make their goods taste awesome by adding artificial flavoring to it — the presence of the word “artificial” is enough to make any health-conscious individual to have cold sweats and sleepless nights.
Other manufacturers are nice enough to rely on fruits to flavor their yogurt. Sadly, they use pureed fruits that contain more calories than actual fruits. Needless to say, yogurt flavored with pureed fruits is not ideal for individuals who are trying to shed off excess pounds as well as those who are diagnosed with diabetes or at risk of suffering from it.
Artificial Sweetener is a No-No, Too
If you think that opting for flavored yogurt that’s sweetened artificially can help keep you from gaining weight, better think again — numerous scientific investigations say that the consumption of artificially-sweetened food products can make you gain and not lose weight.
Going for artificially-sweetened yogurt (or something else) all the time only makes your desire for sweets grow bigger, and thus it can make giving up refined sugar a herculean task.
No to the Absence of Fat
Splurging on low- or non-fat yogurt is just as bad as for your figure as loading up on yogurt with artificial sweeteners — yogurt containing little or no fat isn’t satisfying, and consuming it can leave you wanting to devour other foods just to feel satisfied.
More often than not, the foods you may end up craving are those that can wreak havoc on your figure.
Beneficial Bacteria Matter a Lot
One of the various reasons why health authorities highly encourage the regular addition of yogurt to the diet is that it keeps the gut in a healthy state by supplying it with beneficial bacteria.
Unfortunately, the yogurt you may be consuming may not contain any of those beneficial microbes, especially if it’s the flavored kind. It may seem healthy because it’s still called yogurt, but the truth is it’s not — flavored yogurt are evidently made to please the taste buds and not keep the gut in tip-top shape.
Don’t forget to read the label before putting plain yogurt in your shopping cart — it should say that the yogurt you are about to pay for actually contains live and active cultures.
How to Put the Problem to an End
So what should you do if you are not fond of the way plain yogurt tastes?
Keep on going for plain yogurt. To make it more palatable, consider flavoring it naturally and healthily. For instance, you may top it with berries, fruit slices, seeds or crushed nuts. A little vanilla extract or cinnamon powder can also help considerably improve the taste of yogurt.
