Yogurt can make for a delicious breakfast or lunch, and a healthy one at that. The creamy dairy product is a good source of protein, calcium, vitamins, and probiotics.
So what could adding yogurt as a regular part of your diet do for your body? There’s been no shortage of research surrounding the consumption of yogurt and the health benefits it offers. Here’s a look at five studies published on StudyFinds that show why yogurt really is a fantastic food for you.
Improves bone health, lowers osteoporosis risk
Research out of Ireland shows that eating more yogurt may improve your bone health. Bone health in seniors is a big concern because of the risk of developing osteopenia, a prelude to osteoporosis.
For the study, a group of 1,057 women and 763 men were checked for bone mineral density (BMD), while 2,624 women and 1,290 men were assessed for physical function.
Women who consumed the most yogurt had about 3.1% to 3.9% higher hip and femoral neck BMD levels than those who ate the least amount of yogurt. Some of the physical function measures were 6.7% higher in the yogurt lovers. For men, results show a 9.5% lower indicator of bone breakdown for those with the highest yogurt consumption versus those on the other end of the scale. Thus, this means there is “reduced bone turnover” in those who eat the most yogurt.
With all the differences in risk factors taken into consideration, the study determined that for women, each additional serving of yogurt reduced the risk of osteopenia by 31% and reduced the risk of osteoporosis by 39%. In men, the risk of osteoporosis dropped by 52%.
READ MORE: Eating Yogurt Regularly Improves Bone Health
Could help prevent diabetes, inflammation
Here’s a great reason to enjoy a daily serving of yogurt: it can help tackle arthritis, Type 2 diabetes, and even stress. Fermented foods like yogurt, kefir, cottage cheese, kimchi, and kombucha tea boost good gut bacteria and seems to help prevent inflammation — which can trigger diabetes and arthritis.
Eating these foods led to an increase in overall microbial diversity in the gut, with stronger effects from larger servings. The levels of 19 inflammatory proteins – which are markers of inflammation – also decreased. One of these proteins, called interleukin 6, has a connection to conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, Type 2 diabetes, and chronic stress.
The discovery was seen during a study comparing the effects of high-fiber and high-fermented food diets. While high-fiber diets have a link to lower rates of mortality, none of the 19 inflammatory proteins decreased in participants eating a high-fiber diet. On average, the diversity of their gut microbes did not change for high-fiber eaters.