What You Need to Know About Yogurt

Yogurt is often touted as a gut-healthy food—it’s loaded with probiotics, calcium and protein, which have been correlated with better gastrointestinal health and improved bone density. Yet research and health experts have discussed how dairy might be rather inflammatory, contributing to acne, digestive issues, and an increase in cholesterol.

Yogurt contains probiotics, which are essentially for a healthy gut microbiome. The gut microbiome is an important system that affects so many other processes in our bodies (not just our digestion, but our mood and immune systems, too), so it’s imperative that we keep it in tip-top shape. 

Kefir is especially gut-healthy, as it has a higher protein and probiotic content than regular yogurt. While not technically considered a yogurt (it has a thinner consistency and is best consumed as a drink), the two are similarly fermented and have that creamy, tart taste. "Kefir has a larger variety of beneficial probiotics compared to yogurt, so this will help promote healthy digestion and microbiome health," William Cole, D.C., IFMCP, functional nutrition expert, has previously told mbg.

Yogurt also contains calcium, but keep in mind that calcium alone will not improve bone density. Vitamin D and magnesium are both essential for the utilization of calcium by the bone matrix. Yogurt contains scant amounts of both.

In fact, when Walter Willett, M.D., Ph.D, from Harvard’s School of Public Health, gathered data from nearly 80,000 women, he found no evidence of reduced risk of hip fractures1 in women who consumed one to three servings of dairy daily.

A four-ounce serving of Greek yogurt contains 12 grams of protein. This is equivalent to two eggs and roughly half a four-ounce serving of fish. In this case, yogurt trumps on the protein front. Greek and Icelandic yogurt are particularly protein-packed, and they’re strained in a way that yields a naturally thick and rich texture (perfect to add in baking recipes as a substitute for cream or buttermilk).

Yogurt (and dairy, for that matter) can be mucus-forming, particularly in individuals who have a sensitivity to dairy or are lactose intolerant. Approximately 60% of the people on whom I run food sensitivity tests have a dairy sensitivity, which means they are reacting to a protein molecule in milk.

The truth is, eating organic yogurt once per week won't induce adverse health reactions, unless you have a dairy sensitivity or are lactose intolerant. However, if you do suffer from symptoms of intolerance, it might be worth it to skip the daily consumption altogether. While yogurt is a convenient snack, there are plenty of other plant-based options that provide a similar nutritional punch.