Yogurt has become the snack of choice for
many people because it contains beneficial probiotics, is a great source of
protein and vitamins, and is low in sugar to keep us feeling full. However, can
it also help lower your "bad" cholesterol levels?
Does yogurt lower cholesterol?
Several studies
have examined the effects of eating yogurt on cholesterol levels.
A 2013 study linked yogurt consumption to
healthy blood pressure and cholesterol levels. In this study, people who ate
yogurt appeared to have better metabolic profiles than people who did not. This
means that their body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, and triglycerides,
fasting blood sugar and insulin, and blood pressure levels are all low. They
also showed higher levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) or "good"
cholesterol.
Other studies have linked yogurt's ability to lower
cholesterol to probiotic levels, such as a UK study that found that taking two
doses of probiotics a day can lower key cholesterol molecules in the blood, as
well as levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) or "bad" cholesterol.
The study was unable to determine whether these positive effects were due to
the probiotics themselves, the yogurt itself, or both.
Know your yogurt
While these
findings related to yogurt's ability to lower cholesterol are by no means
certain, there are undoubtedly some other health benefits to eating yogurt. It
is a great source of healthy probiotics, important nutrients and vitamins, and
muscle-building protein.
First, though,
it's important to understand the differences in yogurt types. Some people are
full of sugar, which is definitely not good for us. While some people insist
that full-fat yogurt is the best, some varieties contain no fat or have a fat
content of 2% (fat can also affect cholesterol levels).
A cup of plain
yogurt made with whole milk contains:
- 104 calories
- 7.9 g sugar
- 5.5 g fat
Add some fruit
flavors and then you're looking:
- 194 calories
- 19.4 g sugar
- 5.7 g fat
In contrast, the
same serving of pure, nonfat Greek yogurt contains:
- 100 calories
- 5.5 g sugar
- 0.7 g fat
Note that the
sugar in pure yogurt comes from lactose, which is a naturally occurring sugar
in milk. Compare this to fruit yogurt, which contains about 12 grams of added
sugar, excluding natural milk sugar. That yogurt has 3 teaspoons of sugar added
to it! Which yogurt is right for you? Anything that looks too sweet and unreal
may be more of a dessert than a nutritious meal or snack.
According to the Cleveland
clinic, pure nonfat yogurt is the healthiest option, whether it is plain or Greek.
Greek yogurt does contain more protein, which can keep you feeling full for a
long time, but both yogurts contain a lot of protein, probiotics, and calcium.
Bottom fruit
yogurt, on the other hand, tends to contain extra calories and typically adds
more than three times as much sugar as regular yogurt.
Healthier yogurt?
Instead of buying
flavored yogurt that may have added too much sugar, many people find
interesting ways to flavor regular yogurt. Add fresh fruit, dried fruit, or a
small amount of other sweeteners. Even if you add sugar sweeteners, such as
honey or agave nectar, you are probably not going to add as much as you did
when you make yogurt. There are also yogurt drinks, like smoothies, that offer
a different way to drink yogurt. Again, pay attention to the sugar content.
Whether yogurt
actually lowers cholesterol may not be clear, but yogurt undoubtedly has many health
benefits.