Add some oats, a handful of your favorite fruit, and a sprinkle of honey to your favorite yoghurt, and you've got yourself a great breakfast or snack. We can also obtain many extra benefits from some varieties of yoghurt, such as protein and bacteria, for a healthy gut.
While yoghurt can be a beneficial addition to our diets, some hazards are to be aware of. We spoke with Lauren Manaker, MS, RDN, LD, a registered dietitian for Zhou Nutrition, to discover more about the potential adverse effects of consuming yoghurt.
"While yoghurt is a good-for-you alternative as an ingredient in parfaits, as a sour cream substitute, or as frozen yoghurt," Manaker says, "consuming certain types might cause high blood sugar." So, the next time we grab a box of yoghurt, keep the extra sugar amount in mind because one of the most common adverse effects of consuming yoghurt is raised blood sugar.
Yoghurt with too much-added sugar can boost our blood sugar levels.
When we eat something, our bodies immediately go to work breaking down the food we've consumed. Our bodies transform carbohydrates into blood sugar when we eat them. High blood sugar levels, which are simply the quantity of glucose in our blood, can cause various health problems. "People who have regular high blood sugar run the danger of experiencing specific complications, such as visual issues, kidney disease, and an increased risk of getting heart disease," Manaker explains.
And, you might wonder, what does this have to do with yoghurt. "While plain yoghurt has natural sugars from lactose, which is naturally found in dairy products," Manaker explains, "many types also contain added sugars." "Some include as much as 21 grams of added sugar per serving, which is more than 40% of the daily intake for a 2,000-calorie diet." And it's added sugar, not sugar from natural sources, that we need to be concerned about.
People who consumed 17 percent to 21 percent of their daily calories from added sugar elevated their risk of heart disease by 38 percent over 15 years, according to a 2014 study published in JAMA Internal Medicine. Manaker claims that additional sugar has a broad range of health hazards in addition to raised blood sugar and an increased chance of heart disease. "Sugar makes yoghurt taste nice," Manaker explains, "but overeating sugar regularly has been related to an increased risk of weight gain, dental caries, and can completely deplete your energy following that famed sugar crash."
Choosing different types of yoghurt can help us prevent blood sugar spikes.
Ingredients are crucial when it comes to yoghurt. We can avoid a potential blood sugar spike if we know what to look for when shopping for yoghurt at the grocery store.
"[Our] best chance is to find a yoghurt that contains zero added sugars and add fresh fruit or dark chocolate chips if you need a little sweetness with your dish," Manaker advises. With this in mind, we can maintain a healthy blood sugar level without eliminating yoghurt.
It's also helpful to know which types of yoghurt typically have no added sugar.
Greek yoghurt has a low sugar content, is exceptionally creamy, and is frequently high in protein. They also propose Icelandic yoghurt, which is claimed to be thicker and higher in protein due to the lactose-straining process. For individuals who prefer flavored yoghurt to Greek or Icelandic yoghurt, Manaker recommends Two Good, which "tastes sweet but only contains two grams of sugar, thanks to the use of stevia instead of sugar or artificial sweeteners."