Yoghurt for Losing Weight

Obesity and being overweight are big issues in modern populations. People, who diet to lose their body weight, usually fail to keep up their weight goals for a long period. However, regular exercise and calorie restriction with a balanced healthy diet help achieve your weight goals effectively. They are the key factors of a healthy weight loss.

A group of researchers from the University of Tennessee carried out a research to see an association between body weight loss and the yoghurt consumption. They published their results in International Journal of Obesity in January 2005. The researchers found that those who used to consume three portions of low-fat yoghurt daily shed more body weight, especially belly fat, compared to those who dieted and didn’t consume yoghurt.

Low-fat yoghurt contains more protein compared to the plain yoghurt. High-protein diets usually help lose body weight. Dietary protein results in early satiety, decreasing the amount of your diet hence the calorie intake. One of the amino acids known as leucine in protein molecules triggers the action of the insulin hormone, which is secreted by the pancreas. Then, insulin activates the skeletal muscles to consume more glucose. Leucine also induces the activity of the leptin hormone, which helps inhibit the appetite. Additionally, dietary proteins increase the thermogenesis, which raises the satiety as well as the energy expenditure. This process helps limit the calorie intake and increase the calorie burn respectively. Protein intake induces the formation of protein molecules within the skeletal muscles (protein anabolism), increasing the metabolic rate, hence the energy expenditure.

Yoghurt also consists of more calcium. A part of the dietary calcium is stored in the adipose tissues (fat tissues). Calcium controls the processes of fat burn and fat storage in fat cells. Usually, fat tissues, which contain more calcium, burn more fat than the adipose tissues with low calcium do. Therefore, yoghurt, which is rich in calcium helps burn more body fat and decrease the fat storage. Calcium deficiency usually triggers the production of calcitriol, which can increase the production of fat cells. Dietary calcium inhibits the synthesis of calcitriol hence the adipose (fat) tissue formation. It also increases the thermogenesis, which triggers the fat burn and the activity of calcium further. Early satiety is also among the health benefits of the dietary calcium.

However, most yoghurts on the market are usually with added sugar. Therefore, you should select and consume low-fat yoghurt with no extra sugar for the maximum benefits. You can add a calorie-free sweetener, whole-grain cereal, protein powder, or fresh fruits to yoghurt. Low-fat yoghurt may be used like a base for any smoothie.



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