Yogurt is one of the best ways to improve gut health, since it often contains health live cultures that add beneficial bacteria to your digestive system. However, in a study published by the American Heart Association, yogurt has also been found to provide heart health benefits.
High Blood Pressure Benefits
The study followed 2,000 people who did not have high blood pressure at the beginning of the study. Researchers found that over the course of the 15-year study, individuals who consumed one cup of low fat yogurt at least every three days had lower blood pressure than those who did not. In fact, they found that eating yogurt on a regular basis lowered the risk of developing high blood pressure by more than 30 percent.
Not All Yogurt Created Equally
Eating yogurt regularly is an excellent health choice. It can help you maintain healthy blood pressure levels, improve immune system function and keep gut bacteria balanced. However, what kind of yogurt you eat makes a difference in effectiveness.
Choose yogurt that is naturally sweetened with real fruit or honey. Yogurt that is sweetened with sweeteners such as aspartame or Splenda often also contains numerous preservatives and artificial ingredients. Food coloring, high fructose corn syrup and wheat products are frequently used in many commercially produced yogurts. As a result, these yogurt products will provide you with few health benefits.
Choose yogurt that contains live active cultures for maximum health benefits. A healthy alternative is kefir, which is similar to liquid yogurt and contains extremely high amounts of active cultures.
Greek yogurt is one of the best forms of yogurt you can consume. It is high in protein and if it is manufactured with traditional techniques, it is smooth and thick and made with natural sweeteners and live active cultures.
It is always important to read labels when you are buying food. Greek yogurt has become extremely popular lately because it is naturally healthy and tastes great. However, several large commercial yogurt producers have jumped on the bandwagon and are using artificial thickening agents and ingredients to obtain the consistency of Greek yogurt.
What are your favorite flavors and brands of yogurt?
– The Alternative Daily
