Yogurt

A Few Words About Yogurt

Yogurt belongs to dairy products, along with milk and cheese, and has been a staple food in human diets for many years.

It is a fermented food, as it results from the lactic fermentation of milk by lactic acid bacteria, which convert lactose (the main sugar present in milk) into lactic acid. Lactic acid is what gives yogurt its characteristic sour taste. (1)

In general, the yogurt production process follows these stages:

1. Milk reception.
2. Boiling. The milk is heated to high temperatures (80-90°C) for a short time, firstly for pasteurization and secondly for water evaporation and concentration of solid components.
3. Cooling.
4. Addition of microorganism culture. At this stage, the starter culture is added, which are the live microorganisms to ferment the milk. The most common cultures used are: Lactobacillus bulgaricus, Streptococcus thermophilus.
5. Incubation. It is placed in containers and incubated to allow the milk to coagulate and transform into yogurt.

Generally, various types of yogurt are available in the market. It can be distinguished based on:

1. The milk used for its production.

In this case, it can be classified as: sheep’s, cow’s, goat’s, or mixed sheep and goat’s milk.

2. The processing method.

After milk coagulation, yogurt can undergo additional processing, resulting in differentiation mainly in its organoleptic characteristics (texture, taste, fluidity, etc.). In this case, it is distinguished as: regular yogurt and strained yogurt.

Essentially, strained yogurt, as its name suggests, is allowed to drain its liquids until it reaches the appropriate consistency, which is why strained yogurts have a thicker texture and are not as creamy.

3. Its fat content.

In this case, it is classified as: full-fat, reduced-fat (light), and fat-free.

Nutritional Value

Yogurt is a nutrient-dense choice, rich in proteins, vitamins, and micronutrients.

Specifically, yogurt consumption is an excellent source of high biological value proteins as its proteins are characterized as complete, meaning they contain all essential amino acids. Essential amino acids are those that the body cannot synthesize, so they need to be obtained through diet.

Also, full-fat yogurt contains fats, mainly saturated and small amounts of carbohydrates, mainly in the form of simple sugars, such as lactose and galactose.

Additionally, yogurt is known to be an excellent source of calcium and phosphorus, as one serving will cover about 15% and 20% of our daily needs, respectively. These micronutrients are very important for the health of our bones and teeth.

Furthermore, it is one of the best sources of riboflavin, the vitamin required for metabolic processes such as the breakdown of proteins, fats, and carbohydrates. Also, yogurt provides us with significant amounts of vitamin B12, essential for the production of red blood cells.

Yogurt, as we mentioned, can be classified as regular or strained based on its processing method.

Their differences lie mainly in their content of proteins, fatty acids, vitamins, and micronutrients.

Specifically, strained yogurt, being more concentrated, provides larger amounts of proteins and fatty acids compared to regular yogurt. Also, we observe that strained yogurt contains smaller amounts of calcium as some of it is lost during processing. However, in general, strained yogurt will provide us with larger amounts of B-complex vitamins, vitamin B12, phosphorus, and selenium.

Nutrition Label

	Full-Fat Regular Yogurt			Full-Fat Greek Yogurt
Nutritional Value	per 100 g	Serving (1 container = 200 g)	%DV* per serving	per 100 g	Serving (1 container = 200 g)	%DV* per serving
Energy and Basic Components
Calories (kcal)	61,0	122,0	6,1 %	97,0	194,0	9,7 %
Fat (g)	3,3	6,5	8,3 %	5,0	10,0	12,8 %
Saturated fat (g)	2,1	4,2	21,0 %	2,4	4,8	24,0 %
Monounsaturated fat (g)	0,89	1,79	–	2,14	4,28	–
Polyunsaturated fat (g)	0,09	0,18	–	0,49	0,98	–
Carbohydrates (g)	4,7	9,3	3,4 %	3,9	7,8	2,8 %
Dietary fiber (g)	0,0	0,0	0,0 %	0,0	0,0	0,0 %
Sugars (g)	4,7	9,3	10,4 %	3,9	7,8	8,7 %
Protein (g)	3,5	6,9	13,9 %	9,0	18,0	36,0 %
Cholesterol (mg)	13,0	26,0	8,7 %	13,0	26,0	8,7 %
Sodium (mg)	46,0	92,0	4,0 %	35,0	70,0	3,0 %
Vitamins and Trace Elements
Vitamin A (μg RAE)	27,0	54,0	6,0 %	2,0	4,0	0,4 %
Calcium (mg)	121,0	242,0	18,6 %	100,0	200,0	15,4 %
Thiamine (mg)	0,029	0,058	4,8 %	0,023	0,046	3,8 %
Riboflavin (mg)	0,142	0,284	21,8 %	0,278	0,556	42,8 %
Niacin (mg)	0,075	0,15	0,9 %	0,208	0,416	2,6 %
Vitamin B6 (mg)	0,032	0,064	3,8 %	0,063	0,126	7,4 %
Vitamin B12 (μg)	0,37	0,74	30,8 %	0,75	1,5	62,5 %
Pantothenic acid (mg)	0,389	0,778	15,6 %	0,331	0,662	13,2 %
Phosphorus (mg)	95,0	190,0	15,2 %	135,0	270,0	21,6 %
Magnesium (mg)	12,0	24,0	5,7 %	11,0	22,0	5,2 %
Zinc (mg)	0,59	1,18	10,7 %	0,52	1,04	9,5 %
Selenium (μg)	2,2	4,4	8,0 %	9,7	19,4	35,3 %
Potassium (mg)	155,0	310,0	6,6 %	141,0	282,0	6,0 %
Choline (mg)	15,2	30,4	5,5 %	15,1	30,2	5,5 %

¹ Prices are based on the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) nutritional baseline (1).

² The Recommended Daily Intake percentage (% RDI) shows you how much each nutrient in the food contributes to the total daily intake. The calculation is based on the Daily Values of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), based on 2000 kcal per day for an average healthy adult. Depending on each individual’s energy needs, the % RDI may be lower or higher. Generally, if the % RDI for a specific nutrient is less than or equal to 5%, the food is considered low in content for that particular nutrient. Correspondingly, if the % RDI for a specific nutrient is greater than or equal to 20%, the food is considered high in content for that particular nutrient.

³ Components presented in addition to the basic nutrients as of special interest for this particular food.

Health Benefits

The nutritional composition of yogurt makes it one of the healthiest choices.

Also, in recent years, yogurt has been associated with probiotics.

According to the World Health Organization, as probiotics are characterized live microorganisms which, when administered in adequate amounts, can lead to positive health benefits for the host.

Because of this, many studies have linked yogurt consumption with several beneficial health effects such as:

Diet and Body Weight Management

Yogurt can be easily incorporated into a diet for weight loss and slimming, as one serving provides only 150-200 calories. Of course, you can choose low-fat yogurt for fewer calories.

Also, in recent years, there have been several studies that have examined the effect of yogurt consumption on body weight management. Prospective studies have shown a protective role of frequent yogurt consumption against weight gain. Specifically, research analyzing data from three large prospective studies in the U.S. reported that for each increase in yogurt intake by one serving daily, a smaller increase in body weight of 0.37 kg was observed over a period of four years. (4)

Also, one of the largest and longest-running American studies, the Framingham Heart Study, showed that individuals who consumed ≥3 servings of dairy products/day had a smaller annual increase in their body weight by 0.1Kg compared to those who consumed <1 serving of dairy products/day. The researchers reported that this relationship is mainly attributed to yogurt intake. (5)

Furthermore, another prospective study, which looked at the effect of yogurt consumption on the occurrence of overweight or obesity, showed that individuals with high yogurt consumption (>7 servings/week) had a 20% lower risk of becoming overweight or obese over approximately 6.5 years of follow-up, compared to those with low consumption (0-2 servings/week). (6)

In general, most studies identify an inverse relationship between yogurt consumption and weight gain. However, it’s worth mentioning that yogurt consumption can be an important dietary tool for obesity prevention, when consumed as part of a balanced diet.

Good cardiovascular health

Data from epidemiological studies have highlighted a significant effect of yogurt on cardiovascular risk factors, such as hypertension.

Dairy products contain micronutrients such as calcium, magnesium, and potassium, which appear to be involved in blood pressure regulation. Analysis of data from prospective studies has reported that individuals with increased yogurt consumption (≥5 servings/week) had a 16% lower risk of developing hypertension, compared to those who had lower consumption (<1 serving/month). (7)

Also, in hypertensive men and women, it was shown that consuming yogurt at least 2 servings/week, as part of a balanced diet, was associated with a lower risk of developing cardiovascular diseases (myocardial infarction and stroke). (8)

Diabetes Prevention

The data in the literature regarding yogurt consumption and the occurrence of diabetes are encouraging.

A meta-analysis reported in its results that for each increase in yogurt intake by 1 serving/day, the risk of developing diabetes is reduced by 18%. However, it’s interesting that other dairy products, such as milk, are not significantly associated with the occurrence of diabetes. (9)

The potential mechanisms by which yogurt consumption may reduce the risk of diabetes are numerous.

For example, it has been reported that yogurt may potentially improve insulin resistance and reduce inflammation, factors associated with the development of diabetes, either through improving the lipid profile or through the possible inverse relationship between its consumption and body weight gain.

Also, the probiotics contained in yogurt may potentially lead to these positive effects.

Yogurt in Our Diet

You can easily and simply incorporate yogurt into your diet and use it in many different ways.

According to the Mediterranean diet, the daily consumption of 2 small servings of dairy products is recommended, preferably low in fat.

Some indicative ways in which you can include yogurt in your diet are:

• As a snack or breakfast. It’s an ideal choice for a snack or can be the main ingredient of your breakfast. Consuming yogurt for breakfast can help you get the energy you need to start your day right. Also, its high protein content will provide satiety and a more controlled feeling of hunger until your next meal. You can accompany it with oat flakes, nuts, seeds, or fruit to enhance the taste and nutritional value of the meal.
• As tzatziki. It is perhaps the most classic Greek dip. Its basic ingredients are four, all absolutely healthy and nutritious: yogurt, cucumber, garlic, and olive oil.
• As a sauce. To flavor your salads or pita wraps, you can experiment and make a sauce with yogurt as the main ingredient. You could try Tuna Salad with Yogurt Sauce or Pita Wrap with Falafel and Yogurt Sauce

Points of Attention in Yogurt Consumption

Although yogurt is considered a food that is part of a balanced dietary plan, its consumption may require some attention in certain cases.

Specifically, individuals on a weight loss diet may need to choose a low-fat yogurt. This choice is exclusively related to controlling daily calorie intake, as full-fat yogurt will provide more calories compared to its light version.

Also, people with lactose intolerance might need to avoid consuming it as they may experience various unpleasant gastrointestinal symptoms, such as nausea, indigestion, bloating or stomach distension, abdominal pain, gas, diarrhea, etc. This is due to the body’s inability to break down or metabolize the lactose found in foods. Lactose is a disaccharide (carbohydrate) mainly found in dairy products, including yogurt.

You should pay close attention to the type of yogurt you choose. Yogurt naturally contains sugars, i.e., carbohydrates, with lactose being the most well-known. Thus, it’s acceptable for a yogurt’s nutritional label to list about 7 grams of sugar content. Any value above this may be due to added sugars and flavor enhancers. These can include even honey or fructose. Added sugars not only significantly increase calories but also appear to contribute to the development of chronic health problems, such as obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases. You should carefully read the nutritional label and prefer yogurts in their simplest form. You can add fresh or dried fruits for a sweet taste.

Bibliography

1. Nagaoka S. Yogurt Production. Methods Mol Biol. 2019, 1887:45-54. doi: 10.1007/978-1-4939-8907-2_5.
2. USDA. Yogurt, plain, whole milk. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/171284/nutrients. (Assessed at November 2022).
3. USDA. Yogurt, Greek, plain, whole milk. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/171304/nutrients. (Assessed at November 2022).
4. Mozaffarian D, Hao T, Rimm E, Willett W, Hu F. Changes in diet and lifestyle and long-term weight gain in women and men. N Engl J Med. 2011, 364:2392–404.
5. Wang H, Troy LM, Rogers GT, Fox CS, McKeown NM, Meigs JB, Jacques PF. Longitudinal association between dairy consumption and changes of body weight and waist circumference: the Framingham Heart Study. Int J Obes (Lond). 2014, 38:299–305.
6. Martínez-González MA, Sayon-Orea C, Ruiz-Canela M, de la Fuente C, Gea A, Bes-Rastrollo M. Yogurt consumption, weight change and risk of overweight/obesity: The SUN cohort study. Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis. 2014, 24:1189–96.
7. Buendia J, LI Y, Hu F, Cabral H, Bradlee L, Quatromoni P, Martha R, Singer M. Long-Term Yogurt Consumption and Risk of Incident Hypertension in Adults. J Hypertens. 2018 Aug; 36(8): 1671–1679. doi: 10.1097/HJH.0000000000001737.
8. Buendia J, Li Y Hu F, Cabral H, Bradlee L, Quatromoni P, Singer M, Curhan G, Moore L. Regular Yogurt Intake and Risk of Cardiovascular Disease Among Hypertensive Adults. Am J Hypertens. 2018, 31(5):557-565. doi: 10.1093/ajh/hpx220.
9. Chen M, Sun Q, Giovannucci E, Mozaffarian D, Manson J, Willett W, Frank B. Dairy consumption and risk of type 2 diabetes: 3 cohorts of US adults and an updated meta-analysis. BMC Med. 2014, 12: 215. doi: 10.1186/s12916-014-0215-1.