Plain Organic Greek Yogurt

If the benefits of a high-protein diet have not yet been extolled upon you, please allow

us the opportunity to remind you that a diet rich in high-quality protein has well-established scientific support as a successful strategy to promote weight loss and weight management in adults, as high-protein diets have regularly been shown to result in greater losses in fat mass, maintenance or building of fat free mass, improved body composition, and preservation of metabolic rate when dieting.

Along these lines, high-protein meals increase satiety and boost the metabolism. For those reasons, you can add plain Greek yogurt to your list of fat-fighting foods. Greek yogurt contains more than double the protein of regular yogurt and only about one-third the amount of sugar.

What’s more, authentic strained Greek yogurt is rich in multiple sources of probiotics. Research indicates that the gut flora (i.e., the bacterial ecosystem) of obese folks differs significantly from that of thin people. Along these lines, recent research published in the British Journal of Nutrition suggests that certain probiotics from the Lactobacillus family of bacteria, which are prominent in Greek yogurt, may help you lose weight and keep it off.

When choosing a Greek yogurt, we recommend that you opt for plain versions, as fruit-flavored varieties have over three times as much added sugar. Instead, add some fresh fruit (e.g., berries), which will provide a nutrient-dense source of fiber, vitamins, antioxidants, and polyphenols.

In addition, we recommend that you choose organic sources of Greek yogurt and other forms of dairy whenever possible. Similar to the discussion regarding grass-fed beef, organic dairy has a significantly different fatty acid profile when compared to conventional dairy.

Specifically, studies comparing organic to conventional have reported that organic dairy

contains:

• 25% fewer Omega-6 fatty acids, which are pro-inflammatory;
• 62% more Omega-3 fatty acids, which are anti-inflammatory;
• 2.5 times lower Omega-6 to Omega-3 fatty acid ratio, which is much closer to optimal;
• 32% more EPA and 19% more DHA, which are two Omega-3 fatty acids crucial for nervous system function, cardiovascular health, pain management, hormonal regulation, body composition, feelings of well being, and more; and
• 18% more conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), which has been shown to reduce body fat, increase lean body mass, and improve body composition.