katyzzzA Thick and Creamy Weight Loss Aid
October 4th 2008 11:27
f you think it’s too yummy to have any place in a real weight loss diet, think again.
Yogurt -- that rich and creamy stuff that’s full of calcium and "healthy" bacteria -- may actually help you shed pounds.
The Sweet Facts
When obese people followed a reduced-calorie diet that included three 6-ounce servings of calcium-rich yogurt a day, they lost a whopping 61 percent more fat overall -- and 81 percent more fat around their waists -- compared with those who didn’t eat yogurt. Why? Turns out the calcium in yogurt may hinder fat storage and boost fat loss. And calcium-rich dairy products like yogurt may contain additional fat-burning compounds as well.
Bad Breath Be Gone
A surprising snack may help keep breath fresh.
A recent study reveals ordinary yogurt may help reduce hydrogen sulfide, an unpleasant-smelling compound that contributes to mouth odor. Look for plain, sugar-free varieties that contain live active cultures to help keep bad breath away.
Yogurt is a tart-tasting, semi-solid dairy product made from fermented milk. Eating yogurt helps support gastrointestinal health because it contains beneficial bacteria that aid digestion. Diarrhea or antibiotic use can deplete the body of these helpful microorganisms. Eating yogurt that contains live active cultures (LAC) helps replenish beneficial bacteria. A new study suggests eating about 3.5 ounces of plain, sugarless yogurt twice per day can reduce mouth odor by decreasing oral levels of hydrogen sulfide. To make sure your yogurt contains live active cultures, look for the LAC seal on the label and avoid yogurt that is heat-treated after culturing; this process kills the beneficial flora.
Beneficial Bugs
Yogurt fortified with healthy bacteria may help you ward off certain illnesses.
In a recent study, researchers gave workers a daily dose of either Lactobacillus reuteri, a type of beneficial bacteria, or a placebo for 80 days. Only about 10 percent of workers who took L. reuteri came down with a respiratory or gastrointestinal infection that caused them to miss work; more than 26 percent of the workers who took the placebo fell ill.
Beneficial bacteria inhabit your intestines, preventing infection by harmful bacteria and aiding in digestion. Antibiotic use or bouts of diarrhea or vomiting can disrupt the balance of intestinal bacteria, leaving you more vulnerable to illnesses. Lactobacillus reuteri, a type of beneficial bacteria, may help prevent harmful bacteria from colonizing in the gastrointestinal tract and enhance the function of immune cells that combat viral infections. Not all kinds of yogurt contain L. reuteri. Read yogurt labels carefully.
A Constipation Cure
Cure constipation with this perfect pairing: fiber-rich rye bread and bacteria-boosted yogurt.
If you're stopped up, eating this bread-yogurt combo may help clear the pipes. Fiber has long been known to get things moving, but it also can cause uncomfortable gas and bloating. That's where yogurt comes in. The beneficial bacteria in yogurt can help relieve those not-so-nice side effects of high-fiber foods. Eat enough fiber on a daily basis and, eventually, your body will adjust and run more smoothly.
When constipated study participants regularly ate fiber-rich rye bread -- almost 8 slices of special high-fiber loaves daily -- and Lactobacillus GG-fortified yogurt -- about 1-1/3 cups -- over a few weeks, they experienced a significant decrease in bowel problems. Whether or not your bowels need the help, you should aim to get about 25 grams of fiber per day. High-fiber foods help maintain gastrointestinal health as well as ward off constipation. Other high-fiber foods can help, too, such as whole-grain bread, beans, and fiber-rich broccoli, peas, cauliflower, apples, and strawberries. If you don't like yogurt, and you're feeling gassy, Lactobacillus GG is available in capsule form, too.
Yogurt for a Beautiful Smile
You brush, you floss, you rinse, you spit -- all for the sake of your pearly whites. But do you eat yogurt?
Might want to consider it. Research shows that yogurt eaters are less likely to suffer from gum disease and tooth loss.
A Little Healthy Bacteria
It only took a couple of ounces of yogurt daily for people's mouths to benefit. Researchers speculate that there's something about the healthy bacteria in yogurt that helps protect teeth and gums. They may help balance out the bad bacteria in your mouth, just the way they do in your gut. (Here are more ways that the beneficial bugs in yogurt help your health.)
From: Real Age available free on the web.
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