Article by: Fiona Bannister, Accredited Practising Dietitian
When clients ask me for ideas for quick healthy snacks, the food that first springs to my mind is yoghurt.
Like milk, yoghurt is high in protein which keeps us feeling full and rich in calcium to strengthen our bones. However yoghurt has the added benefit of containing probiotics.
So, what exactly are probiotics and what do they do?
Well, during the fermentation process, acidophilus (a good bacteria) is added to milk which converts the sugar (lactose) to lactic acid. This process is what gives yoghurt its thicker consistency and distinct flavor.
Consuming foods which high in probiotics has many health benefits. Probiotics can help to restore normal gut flora, promote digestive functioning and support immune system function. Probiotics have also been shown to assist with diarrhea, irritable bowel syndrome and lactose intolerance.
Research suggests that to benefit from live probiotics in yoghurt they have to be in high enough numbers to survive the journey through the gut. Check the label and aim for more than 1 million colony forming units (c.f.u) of good bacteria per gram. Common types of good bacteria found in yoghurt are Lactobaccilus acidophilus, Bifidobacterium bifidum.
There are so many different types of yoghurts out there and it can be a bit tricky to choose one. Ideally, you should aim for one that contains:
- Less than 2g fat per 100g
- Less than 1g saturated fat per 100g
- Less than 10g added sugar per 100g or less than 20g total sugars per 100g
- More than 120mg calcium per 100g (good source). A product high in calcium has 170mg per 100g (excellent source)
- If your trying to loose weight and are eating yoghurt as a snack, aim for less than 450kj per serve. If you are trying to maintain your current weight, aim for around 600 KJ per serve
My top picks are:
- Elivae - contains acidophilus, is low in fat (1.9%) and is a good source of calcium (147mg). One 150g tub is a good snack for those trying to maintaining there weight (570kj). If your trying to lose weight, have half a tub drizzled on some low calorie fruit such as strawberries or passionfruit at morning tea and the other half at afternoon tea.
- Yoplait Forme – Is a great snack for someone trying to loose weight, containing only 287kj per 175g tub. This yoghurt is low in energy while still being deliciously sweet, as it contains artificial sweeteners. Yoplait Forme is also an excellent source of calcium (180mg/100g). Unfortunately does not contain probiotics.
- Low fat Vaalia Probiotic Yoghurt – Is a good snack for someone trying to maintain there weight, containing 635kk per 1550g tub. Is also a good source of calcium (158mg/100g) and contains 3 different types of probiotics.
Yoghurt can also be used as a healthy substitute in recipes:
- Use low fat natural yoghurt instead of sour cream for things like nachos and wedges.
- Add yoghurt to smoothies instead of ice cream
- Use yogurt instead butter when baking cakes for a flavor and health boost
- Make a quick and healthy dip by combining 1 cup of low fat natural yogurt, 1 small finely chopped cucumber, juice of ½ a lemon, 1 clove of chopped garlic and black pepper.
Tags: acidophilus, Calcium, immune system, probiotics, yogurt
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