Vega Protein Cashew Milk Yogurt Alternative
$2.59
Vegans need not worry about missing out on probiotic yogurt benefits. This plant-based dairy substitute packs more than 10 billion live and active probiotics into each cup, according to Leigh. Dannon also makes Good Plants, an almond milk-based vegan option containing B. lactis, BB-12 Probiotic, which seems to boost with gut health.
Best No Fat Greek Yogurt Organic Meadow
- Per serving : 120 calories, 0 g fat , 85 mg sodium, 6 g carbs, 1 g fiber, 5 g sugar, 18 g protein
- Probiotic strains: 1 Billion+ Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus, Streptococcus thermophilus
Organic meadows nonfat plain Greek yogurt contains only 2 ingredients- organic skim milk, and active bacterial cultures.
It provides more than 1 billion live probiotic cultures per serving, is an excellent source of calcium, and is high in protein. Since it is plain, it is very low in sugar, making it a very healthy option for breakfast or a snack.
Possible Side Effects Of Taking Prebiotics
During initial use, a probiotic supplement may lead to side effects related to digestion. This includes gas, burping, and even mild abdominal discomfort.
Once your body adjusts to the new environment, your digestive system begins to improve.
In people having a weak immune system with health conditions like HIV, AIDS, probiotics can result in hazardous infections.
Moreover, for people with health conditions, consulting with a medical expert is very crucial.
Is Greek Yogurt Healthy
Greek yogurt is considered superior than whole milk and regular yogurt. The goodness and creamy texture found in this type of yogurt is unmistaken. Most regular yogurts have a runny texture unlike Greek yogurt which does not have the liquid because of the straining process.
Depending on your dietary needs, Greek yogurt is a very healthy type of food. As a snack, it helps you cut on hunger pangs with its loads of protein, less sugar and fewer carbohydrates- Karen Roth, clinical nutritionist and founder of Karen Roth Nutrition in Los Angeles
It contains gut friendly bacteria, loads of vitamins and minerals such as calcium, potassium and phosphorus which are very essential for increased bone density. It also has potassium which helps stabilize your blood pressure.
Healthy heart taking low fat Greek yogurt can help you keep your heart healthy. It is an important source of calcium and potassium which stabilize the hearts rhythm and lower blood pressure.
Strong bones calcium, phosphorus and magnesium are very essential minerals found in Greek yogurt. Together with protein, they work together to promote strong bones. This has been proven effective for children and post menopausal women who have weak or depleted bone structures with low density.
You’ll Get A Rush Of Many Vital Nutrients
In addition to probiotics, yogurt is packed with so many other nutrients that your body can benefit from. For example, Kane says you’ll get a decent dose of calcium , phosphorus , magnesium , and potassium . And that’s not all, either.
“Probiotics actually produce vitamin K as well, which is used for healthy blood coagulation to support healing,” says Kane.
The best way to ensure that you’re reaping the full health benefits of yogurt is to take a close and careful look at the nutrition label before adding it to your shopping cart. Ideally, Kane advises selecting one that contains multiple strains of bacteria.
“Think of this as diversifying your roster for a sports team,” she explains. “You need all sorts of players to build a versatile unit, each contributing different skills and talents to create a strong and resilient squad capable of handling any opponent that comes their way.”
Other than that, as long as you go for a product that doesn’t contain heaps of added sugar, yogurt can definitely be a super healthy component of your daily diet.
Get creative with these 26 Things You Can Make with Yogurt.
Best Yogurt Drink Danone Danactive
- Per serving : 80 calories, 1.5 g fat , 50 mg sodium, 13 g carbs, 0 g fiber, 10 g sugar, 3 g protein
- Probiotic strain: Lactobacillus casei DN-114 001
- Studied benefits: decrease the frequency and length of the common cold
This is actually a yogurt drink, which makes it easy to take with you when youre on the move. It contains 10 billion active probiotic cultures in every bottle, and is a source of calcium, vitamin D, and vitamin A.
The drink comes in 7 flavours, including strawberry, vanilla, and mixed berry.
The only downside is that it does have a fairly high amount of sugar, with 10 grams per bottle, with sugar listed as the third ingredient on the label.
Benefit No 1: Yogurt With Active Cultures May Help The Gut
While more study is needed, there’s some evidence that yogurt with active cultures may help certain gastrointestinal conditions, including:
- Inflammatory bowel disease
- H. pylori infection
That’s what researchers from the Jean Mayer U.S. Department of Agriculture Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University concluded in a review article. The benefits are thought to be due to:
- Changes in the microflora of the gut
- The time food takes to go through the bowel.
- Enhancement of the body’s immune system .
In another recent study, the type of diarrhea that some people get after taking antibiotics was found to be reduced when the study participants drank a drink containing three particular probiotics .
Keep Your Ratios Consistent
It can be tempting to add more starter culture to your batches to hasten ferment time. Don’t do it! Adding too much of your previous culture can lead to bitter and grainy yogurt.
The same applies to not adding enough culture. The yogurt will not ferment correctly or may cease to ferment and you could lose your culture.
If you notice that your culture has weakened, you can try adding more yogurt starter the next batch but then revert back to the correct ratio of one tablespoon per cup of milk.
How Is Greek Yogurt Made
With common knowledge that Greek yogurt is made by straining off the whey, many would still want to know how this delicacy is made. The procedure is easy and basically entails the straining part.
Just about any type of dairy can, make yogurt. Pasteurized milk is preferred over raw milk. However, avoid using UHT milk. All you need is a clean cloth and some hours to allow your delicacy sometime in the fridge.
Bowtrol Probiotic Your First Line Of Defense Against Pathogens
The Bowtrol Probiotic Supplement contains more than 9 billion live probiotic cells.
This helps bring overall improvement in the digestive process.
In fact, it involves 5 times the live active cultures usually present in yogurt, without additional calories due to sugar or flavoring.
The product is designed to survive even in the worst acidic conditions in the digestive tract.
Want Probiotics But Dislike Yogurt Try These Foods
The top item on my grocery list is always yogurt: unsweetened, organic, made with almond milk. Im always afraid Ill run out since I use it all the time. I put two tablespoons in every smoothie, switch it out for mayo, and nothing beats a cool cup on a hot day as an afternoon snack.
Besides healthy doses of calcium and protein, yogurt is a prime source for probiotics, the “good” live bacteria and yeasts. Why are these helpful? Having a proper balance of bacteria in your gut improves digestion, blocks dangerous organisms that can cause infections, and boosts your immune system. It also helps your body absorb vital nutrients from food.
Signs You Need Probiotics
Thinking of loading up on kefir, yogurt, and kombucha?
While this is all well and dandy, chances are that one cup of yogurt a day wont be able to satisfy the concentrations you need.
Youll really have to supplement when your gut flora has been heavily compromised.
And how would you know that?
Well, heres a quick list for you to check out the signs that might indicate the need for a probiotic.
#1. If youve been suffering from a digestive tract issue
These can include diarrhea, IBS, gas, constipation, and indigestion.
#2. If youve skin conditions like eczema, acne, psoriasis, or rashes
These can indicate pre-existing gut issues.
Take note to check for hormonal issues for acne as well before you take probiotics.
#3. Youve daily stress, anxiety, and a depressive mood without any other known cause
Your brain behavior is most likely out of sorts due to unbalanced gut flora.
#4. If youre having a sweet tooth lately
The kind of food you crave might be a good indicator of the kind of bacteria youre hosting.
#5. If you were on antibiotic medication
Antibiotics do not discriminate good from bad bacteria. So, if youve just finished a round of antibiotics, think about rebalancing the gut flora with a probiotic.
#6. Your metabolism is out of whack
Interestingly, obese people are found to have a limited diversity of gut bacteria.
#7. Food poisoning
There can be two scenarios.
If you recently ate something that had gone bad. Or youve had an episode of food poisoning.
What Is Live Yogurt
Live yogurt contains cultures, i.e. beneficial bacteria which aid the digestive system and help to improve the body’s inner workings and balance of natural bacteria. These beneficial bacteria are known as ‘probiotics’. Yogurt is the product of probiotics absorbing milk sugars and fermenting milk, turning it slightly sour and acidic, producing yogurt. There are various ways to add probiotics to a yogurt to produce live yogurt. One way is to use a portion of pre-made live yogurt as a starter, while another is to use dried bacteria or probiotic powder.
How To Take Probiotics
A healthy consistency of good bacteria ensures your wellbeing. You can increase the good bacteria in a lot of different ways.
Heres a bit of help
- Yogurt or food: Yoghurt is the primary way to increase good bacteria. You can also have kefir , buttermilk, and fermented food, such as kimchi or sauerkraut. Comparatively, these foods have greater consistency of good bacteria than other foods. However, other probiotic sources have a better consistency.
- Powder: Probiotics are available in powder form. You can mix them in water and have them directly. Nonetheless, they might require refrigeration.
- Capsule: These are the most common forms of probiotic. Usually, they are Lactobacillus acidophilus or Bifidobacterium bilious. This also requires freezing.
- Pearl Form: These look like very small, round pills, probiotic pearls that pass through your stomach to reach your intestinal tract. Stomach acids are bad for microbes as they kill them before they enter the large intestine. Hence, impairing the benefits of taking probiotics.
Hopefully, this guide to probiotics answers if you should take probiotics or not?
Check out some of these other queries to ensure you know the right way to use a probiotic.
In this segment, we have answered various other questions related to probiotics.
Benefit No 2: Some Probiotic Strains May Boost The Immune System
While much also remains to be learned about probiotics and the immune system, recent studies suggest that certain probiotic strains offer some benefits:
- One review article suggests probiotics may help with inflammatory bowel disease by changing the intestinal microflora and lessening the immune system response that can worsen the disease.
- Another study indicated probiotics may enhance resistance to and recovery from infection. In research on elderly people, researchers found that the duration of all illnesses was significantly lower in a group that consumed a certain probiotic found in fermented milk. They reported a possible 20% reduction in the length of winter infections .
- Yogurt containing two probiotics, lactobacillus and bifidobacterium, was found to improve the success of drug therapy on 138 people with persistent H. pylori infections, according to a recent Taiwanese study. H. pylori is a bacterium that can cause infection in the stomach and upper part of the small intestine. It can lead to ulcers and can increase the risk of developing stomach cancer as well.
Does Greek Yogurt Contain Probiotics
The short answer is yes. The only difference between Greek yogurt and other types of yogurt is that it is strained, giving it a thicker consistency.
As with all other types of yogurt, however, it must contain at least 1 billion live bacterial cultures that have been added during manufacturing in order to be approved by Health Canada.
The straining process does typically increase the protein content of the yogurt, so if youre looking for ways to add more protein into your diet, probiotic Greek yogurt is a great option for you.
Common Probiotic Species And Strains And Their Health Benefits
Check label for probiotic strains in the yogurt
In general, most probiotics will help improve your gut health.
However, different strains do offer different health benefits.
The most common probiotic strains added to yogurt are from the two main species.
- Lactobacillus
BTW, these species are the most studied and researched.
My First Batch Is Not Thick Or Creamy
First, you want to check that you didnt purchase a drinking or thinner yogurt. If you did and you want it thicker, double the amount of starter culture for the next 3 batches, and then it should be strengthened enough to continue with normal amounts.
If its not one of those, its just a thing sometimes when youre activating a culture. Youll know by the smell and taste if its fermented, but make sure it doesnt smell or taste rancid. Trust us – youll know the difference! Over the next few batches, the recently-dormant microbes will wake up properly and get going. They just need their coffee first; you know how it is.
Benefit No 6: Yogurt May Help You Feel Fuller
A study from the University of Washington in Seattle tested hunger, fullness, and calories eaten at the next meal on 16 men and 16 women who had a 200-calorie snack. The snack was either:
- Semisolid yogurt containing pieces of peach and eaten with a spoon
- The same yogurt in drinkable form
- A peach-flavored dairy beverage
- Peach juice
Although those who had the yogurt snacks did not eat fewer calories at the next meal, both types of yogurt resulted in lower hunger ratings and higher fullness ratings than either of the other snacks.
Why Is Homemade Yogurt Healthier Than Store
The yogurt you make at home is healthier for your family because you control what mix-ins you use and because of how long it ferments. In our house, we make 24-hour probiotic yogurtwhich is yogurt that ferments for a full day. Many store-bought yogurts are fermented for only a couple of hours, and some as few as 30 minutes! Why do you want a long ferment time on your yogurt? Well, Im glad you asked:
- Probiotic yogurt is virtually lactose-free! Twenty-four hours is the magical spot where the beneficial bacteria from your yogurt starter culture have gobbled up almost all of the lactose in the milkleaving you with yogurt that is nearly lactose-free and much easier to digest.
- Its packed with more beneficial bacteria than most probiotic pills. A single cup of 24-hour fermented probiotic yogurt has 700 billion CFUs of good bacteria! Go ahead and check your probiotics bottleIm going to guess its nowhere near that 700 billion mark.
- Its thick, tangy, delicious, and versatile! The long fermentation time gives the yogurt a Greek yogurt-style tart and tangy flavor and thick texture, which makes it perfect for both sweet and savory uses.
Looking For More Fermentation And Preservation Projects
- Homemade Sauerkraut. Once youve nailed down making yogurt, the next fermentation project to tackle is learning how to make sauerkraut!
- Instant Pot Coconut Yogurt. Want a dairy-free version of our homemade yogurt? This version uses vegan coconut milk!
- Homemade Hot Sauce. Yes! You can make your own hot sauce at home. Check out our full tutorial.
- Milk Kefir. Another wonderful fermented milk product is kefir! Learn how to make kefir in our simple tutorial.
- Canning 101. Want to get started with canning? We answer all your questions in this starter guide!
- Strawberry Rhubarb Jam. This jam is a perfect starter recipe for canning newbies!
- How to Store Apples. Did you know that apples can store for six months or more when stored under the proper conditions? Let us teach you how!
- Mixed Berry Jam. This naturally-sweetened jam is a great canning recipe without granulated sugar.
- How to Freeze Strawberries. Stash the flavor of summer in your freezer with our easy-to-follow tutorial!
- Bread and Butter Pickles. Ready to start canning pickles? This four-ingredient recipe is a great place to start!
- Canning Recipes. Check out our full list of canning recipes to get started stocking your pantry.
What Happens If You Eat Yogurt Every Day
Yogurt is a healthy and tasty source of protein that many people like. Made from fermented milk, yogurt can be consumed as a spiced salad dressing, dip, drink, or in flavored frozen form as a dessert and snack. The sugar in yogurt is partially broken down by the bacteria it contains, hence many lactose-intolerant individuals can consume it without getting bloating, cramps, and loose stools.
In traditional Indian medicine, yogurt has been used to treat everything, including recovering from a bout of stomach flu to sunburn relief. It has a place of honor in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisine as well.
Your Blood Sugar Could Spike
Some brands add a hefty amount of sugar to their flavored yogurt products. While that may make it taste good, it can also cause your blood sugar to surge. That’s why Glazer highly recommends taking a look at the nutrition facts on your yogurt before digging in.
“Some flavored yogurts have 14 grams of sugar per serving so you’re getting 3.5 sugar packets in your otherwise healthy yogurt,” she says.
Considering that the American Heart Association recommends consuming a maximum of 25 grams of added sugar per day for women and 37g for men, that’s definitely something to keep an eye on.
“While no one food will make or break your health, too much added sugar not only dilutes the nutritional density of yogurt, but it can also cause a spike in your blood sugar, leaving you hungry and hangry rather than satiated, satisfied and energized,” says Kane.
If you’re trying to limit your consumption of the sweet stuff, try plain Greek yogurtand you can even add a serving fruit on top if it’s too tangy for your liking.
“Naturally occurring sugars, such as from the blueberries, are just finethey are not exactly the same thing as added sugars,” says Claybrook. “Added sugars should always be avoided.”
Kane suggests drizzling on a spoonful of honey or maple syrup to balance out the acidity of plain yogurt if you’re not a fan of the flavor.
“A dash of vanilla or a pinch of cinnamon also works wonders in creating a sense of sweetness without actually adding any sugar at all,” she says.
Greek Yogurt Nutrition Information
The vast majority of commercial yogurt products you’ll find sold in supermarkets are very sweet. If you’re looking to reap the health benefits of yogurt, stay away from products with added sugars and opt for more natural products, like Greek yogurt.
Greek yogurt has a variety of nutrients and is generally considered one of the healthiest types of yogurt you can buy. In every 100 grams of Greek yogurt, you can find:
- 8 percent of the daily value for calcium
- 11 percent of the DV for phosphorus
- 18 percent of the DV for selenium
- 5 percent of the DV for zinc
- 21 percent of the DV for vitamin B2
- 7 percent of the DV for vitamin B5
- 31 percent of the DV for vitamin B12
Greek yogurt has 9 grams of protein and 4 grams of carbohydrates, none of which come from fiber. It also has 5 grams of fat, half of which come from saturated fat.
Is There Sugar In Yogurt
All yogurts naturally contain lactose, a milk sugar. Flavoured yogurts have added sugars in addition to lactose. If you are trying to limit your added sugar intake, choose plain yogurts and add your own fruit or a light drizzle of honey for sweetness. Check the ingredients list, and keep an eye out for added sugar.
Lifeway Lite Probiotic Farmer Cheese
If you’re a lactose-intolerant cheese lover, this kefir-based, crumbly salad-topper may be for you. Kefir, a tangy, sour-tasting drink made from fermented cow’s milk, is 99 percent lactose-free and is packed with probiotics for a happy, healthy belly.
The Bottom Line: This cheese is a go! “This product is minimally processed and is a good source of calcium. Overall, it’s not a bad way to get some probiotics in,” says Koszyk.
Active Cultures Or Not
Theoretically, all yogurt SHOULD have probiotics as its made by adding bacterial colonies to milk to ferment the lactose and form lactic acid. The milk is pasteurized BEFORE adding the bacterial colonies, as the heat of pasteurization would destroy them. Once formed, the lactic acid thickens the milk and gives yogurt its thick, creamy consistency. Lactic acid also gives the yogurt its characteristic tangy taste. Yogurt is arguably one of the oldest fermented foods in existence.
So, why wouldnt all yogurt contain active probiotic cultures? If yogurt is heat processed after fermentation, it destroys some the healthy bacteria, along with the health benefits. Some manufacturers add probiotic organisms into yogurt after its heat treated to make up for the loss. Some even add some extra probiotic bacteria to compensate for the loss of viable bacteria due to storage.
Still, if yogurt is heat processed after fermentation, the yogurt may still have few active cultures and how would you know? The National Yogurt Association helps to solve this problem by designing a seal called the Live and Active Cultures seal. Manufacturers can place this seal on yogurt if the yogurt contains at least 100 million cultures at the time it was manufactured. Frozen yogurt must contain at least 10 million cultures to bear the seal.
Can You Eat Expired Yogurt
If you get freaked out by expired food, know this: With the exception of baby formula, federal law doesnt require that food products have dates on them that say how long they’re good for.
Oh, and the date on your yogurt isnt ~technically~ an expiration date. Usually, its actually a best by date.
A lot of this comes down to qualitynot safety issues, says food safety specialist Benjamin Chapman, PhD, a professor at North Carolina State University. Basically, the date stamped on your yogurt just lets you know when the yogurt company thinks the product will be at its peak flavor.
So, yogurt with a “best by” date that’s come and gone isn’t technically expiredand it is 100 percent okay to eat yogurt beyond this date. Its really only going to get more acidic and ferment more over time in your refrigerator, Chapman says. All thats going to happen to the flavor is that it will get tangier.
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