Gaining in popularity during the last ten years, Greek yogurt is more than a creamy, tasty breakfast or addition to many other meals. Loved for its rich flavor and creamy texture, it is beginning to outdo traditional types of yogurt in popularity. But there’s more than taste fueling Greek yogurt’s rise. Packed with high-quality nutrients, not only is it delicious in everything from high protein shakes with Greek yogurt to being used as a tangy topping for baked potatoes, it offers many health benefits as well.
Ready to learn more about the health benefits of Greek yogurt?
Nutritional Profile of Greek Yogurt
Greek yogurt provides plenty of iodine, which supports healthy thyroid function and a strong immune system.
It’s also an excellent source of:
- Vitamins A & B12
- Potassium
- Calcium
- Iodine
- Phosphorus
1 cup (8 oz) of low-fat Greek yogurt contains:
- 150 calories
- 19 grams of protein
- 5 grams of fat
- 9 grams of carbohydrates
- Less than 1 gram of fiber
- 9 grams of sugar
Adding one to two cups of lowfat Greek yogurt a day to your diet offers tons of nutrition without making it hard to maintain your weight. Choose a brand that is high in protein and low in added sugars or a chocolate protein shake with Greek yogurt for a delicious, nutritious snack or pre-workout meal.
Is Greek Yogurt High in Protein?
When considering adding this tangy treat to their diet, many people ask, “Does Greek yogurt have protein?” The answer is a resounding yes. An average serving of Greek yogurt can contain 12-17 grams of protein, depending on the brand.
The Power of Greek Yogurt Protein
Protein is one of three nutrients that provide energy, and it also carries oxygen and other substances across cell membranes. Ensuring that your diet gives you the right amount of protein is essential for your immune system, fluid balance, and nerves. Protein also helps you build muscle mass and enables you to maintain it as you age. If you avoid meat or don’t eat it at all, Greek yogurt protein can be a good substitute.
7 Benefits of Greek Yogurt
Greek yogurt offers crucial nutrients such as calcium, potassium, and protein. It helps your gut and digestive system work properly. And a mocha protein shake with Greek yogurt before your workout gives your steady energy to finish strong.
Below are 7 benefits of Greek yogurt you may not have heard of.
Probiotics Keep Your Gut Happy
Packed with probiotics, Greek yogurt can help decrease stomach issues and boost your immune system. Probiotics are healthy bacteria that live in your intestines and help keep you healthy. Without the right amount of probiotics in your gut, harmful bacteria can build up and damage your immune system.
And just as strong emotions and stress can trigger stomach issues, if your gut is lacking in probiotics, it can send stress signals to your brain, causing you to be stressed. Healthy probiotics can help reduce your stress levels.
Calcium Keeps Your Muscles Strong and Improves Bone Health
We usually think of protein for calcium for strong bones – and that’s not wrong. Calcium plays a role in keeping your bones stronger, denser, and less likely to break. It also helps prevent osteoporosis. Calcium also plays a role in building strong muscles and ensuring your vital organs function. Without enough calcium, children may not grow as tall as they could have, and adults may be at risk for osteoporosis.
Since our bodies don’t produce calcium on their own, and Greek yogurt supplies 18.7 percent of our daily required calcium per serving, it is an integral part of a healthy diet. Try a calcium-rich (40 percent of the recommended daily value) Vanilla & Maple protein shake with Greek yogurt to level up your calcium intake.
B-12 Helps Your Brain
A serving of Greek yogurt gives you plenty of vitamin B12, which keeps your nerves and blood cells healthy and helps prevent anemia. Our bodies need vitamin B12 for a host of reasons, including forming red blood cells, DNA synthesis, and brain function. Greek yogurt offers a powerful, natural – and delicious – source of B12. One serving can provide as much as 21.3 percent of our daily requirements.
In addition, vegetarians often lack vitamin B12, since it is naturally found in animal products such as meat, fish, and eggs. For vegetarians who eat dairy products, Greek yogurt is an excellent way to add this important vitamin to their diet.
Potassium Helps Lower Your Blood Pressure
Most of us don’t think about how much potassium we need or why we need it, but it plays an important role in our bodies, especially in our heart functions. This unassuming nutrient plays a crucial role in regulating our heartbeat and helping our muscles contract. So, you’ll be happy to know that a high-protein shake with Greek yogurt offers plenty of potassium to help our hearts.
Greek Yogurt Protein for Pre-and Post-Workout
Greek yogurt makes a great pre-workout meal, fueling our muscles with easy and fast-to-digest carbohydrates. In addition, a coconut protein shake with Greek yogurt is a satisfying and healthy treat after a tough gym session or workout. Not only will it keep you satisfied until your next meal, but Greek yogurt protein also helps repair muscle damage done by exercise, a process critical for muscle building. This makes Greek yogurt the perfect pre-or post-workout meal.
Helps with Weight Loss and Maintenance
Iodine is another nutrient we don’t often think about. Our bodies don’t make iodine naturally, so it is critical that we get our required amount through the food we eat. Why is iodine important? It is key to proper thyroid function, and the thyroid is key to a healthy metabolism. Many people these days are iodine deficient, which can cause weight fluctuations, making it hard to lose weight and keep it off.
The creamy texture and protein content of Greek yogurt makes it a filling snack, which can help if you are trying to control your portions.
Helps Keep Your Heart Healthy
Greek yogurt has been linked to lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels, which in turn can lower the risk of heart disease. We’ve all heard for years how bad cholesterol and triglycerides are for our arteries, it is nice to know there is a tasty way to help control cholesterol and possibly avoid or slow the progression of heart disease.
Best Source of Greek Yogurt Protein
If you are looking for a good source of Greek yogurt protein that is delicious and easy to take with you wherever you go, try one of Powerful Nutrition’s high-protein shakes with Greek yogurt. Each shake provides 20 grams of protein and plenty of potassium, and calcium with no added sugars. Available in four enjoyable flavors, they’ll give you the nutrition and energy you need to fuel your day.