7 Reasons for Women (and Their Families) To Enjoy Yogurt

Research continues to show yogurt can help support women’s health as part of a healthy eating plan.

As we celebrate National Women’s Health Week, we wanted to share these seven reasons yogurt is a great option for women and kids alike. Of course, yogurt is good for men, too!

1. Yogurt provides essential nutrients such as calcium, protein, phosphorus and, when fortified, vitamin D that help maintain healthy bones throughout life. Calcium and vitamin D are especially important during childhood and adolescence to help achieve peak bone mass. Reaching peak bone mass is associated with reduced risk of osteoporosis later in life. Since many teens and postmenopausal women do not meet current calcium and dairy food recommendations, eating yogurt can help fill that gap.

2. Yogurt can benefit digestive health. It contains live active cultures that help digest lactose, the natural sugar in milk. (This is why eating yogurt with active cultures helps many people with lactose intolerance enjoy eating dairy foods and benefit from dairy nutrients.)

3. Emerging research links yogurt consumption to a reduced risk of Type 2 diabetes in adults; however, more research is needed. Choosing nutrient-rich yogurt as one of the three servings of low-fat or fat-free dairy recommended by the 2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans for those age 9 and older is a simple lifestyle choice that may benefit metabolic health as part of a healthy eating plan.

4. Experts discussed yogurt’s benefits for children at the 4th International Conference on Nutrition & Growth in Amsterdam in March 2017. Dr. Luis Moreno, professor of public health at the University of Zaragoza, Spain, discussed how yogurt consumption among children is associated with better nutrient consumption, healthier eating habits and a higher level of physical activity compared to occasional consumers of yogurt. Dr. Vicky Drapeau, Laval University, Quebec, presented research showing that compared to non-consumers of yogurt, eating yogurt is associated with a better insulin level and lower rate of weight gain in children, especially those whose families are predisposed to obesity. Dr. Julie Menella, Monell Chemical Senses Center in Philadelphia, explained that exposing children to the taste of healthful foods like yogurt can encourage better eating habits later in life.

5. Yogurt is a fantastic first food for babies, starting at six months. It’s packed with essential nutrients important for growth and development, has a smooth texture and is easy to digest.

6. Yogurt is a fun snack for children and teens. Remind your clients to keep their refrigerator stocked with their children’s favorite varieties and flavors. Research suggests that teen boys in the highest category of yogurt consumption vs. the lowest yogurt consumption had higher overall quality of life and mental well-being in the areas of psychosocial health and school functioning.  

7. Pairing yogurt with fruit could have combined health benefits. Recently published proceedings of a presentation at the First Symposium of Yogurt in Mexico explores the individual health effects of these nutrient-rich wholesome foods and how eating these foods together may increase their health potential.

Yogurt is so versatile, you and your clients can have fun discussing the many ways this cultured food can be used - whether as a grab-n-go breakfast, topping for fruit, dip for veggies or substitute for mayonnaise-based salad dressings for salads. Want to get creative? Explore different variations of the yogurt parfait here.