'I Ate Yogurt Every Day for a Week—These Are the 3 Biggest Changes I Noticed'
I recently took a personality test that told me I thrive with routines, habits and consistency. It was far from breaking news. My writing career can often involve anything but those things, requiring me to turn on a dime and react to actual breaking news. However, these habits help ground me during stressful moments.
One of those habits involves following the same general menu during the week. Some call it boring (my husband included—his personality test showed he thrived with a level of spontaneity that makes me twitch). I call it an effective way to stay nourished while I power through whatever life throws my way.
Yogurt has gone in and out of my rotation, mainly Greek yogurt. It's high in protein, and easy to put in a bowl. So, after several months of eating string and cottage cheese with fruit as a snack, I welcomed the opportunity to have Greek yogurt return to my fridge when my editor pinged me with an idea to consume yogurt every day and write about it. In the name of experimentation, I also stepped outside my comfort zone and tried a few other forms of yogurt (you're welcome).
In just one week, I noticed a few significant changes. I also found that the type of yogurt I ate mattered for how full and energized I felt.
Related: The Dietary Habit Change a Registered Dietitian Is Begging People Over 50 to Make ASAP
The Types of Yogurt I Tried During My Week-Long Experiment
Plain non-fat Greek Yogurt or Oikos Triple Zero with 15 grams of protein have long been my go-to options. I like the low fat and sugar counts and high amounts of protein. However, I wanted to see how my body reacted to other types. Plus, I wanted to make this story more interesting, so I made some changes.
Stonyfield Organic Non-Fat Greek Yogurt
I continued to go with my favorite plain Stonyfield Organic Yogurt. Some nutrition facts:
90 calories
0 g of total fat
16 g of protein
5 g of sugar (0 grams added)
0.9 mcg of vitamin D (4% of daily value)
190 mg of calcium (15% of daily value)
Oikos Pro Strawberry Yogurt
My first tweak was a minor one: I noticed that Oikos recently released a high-protein Triple Zero option with 20 grams of it, so I picked it up instead.
140 calories
3 g of fat
20 g of protein
0 g of sugar
10% of vitamin D daily value
15% of calcium daily value
Stonyfield Organic Non-fat Plain Yogurt
I was curious to see how regular yogurt compared to its Greek cousins.
70 calories
0 g of fat
7 g of protein
3 g of sugar
0.9 mcg of vitamin D (4% of daily value)
190 mg of calcium (15% of daily value)
Yoplait Original Strawberry Yogurt - 6oz
Typically, I steer clear of flavored yogurt with added sugar—blame years of health writing for that one. However, consuming it a few times in the name of experimentation wouldn't hurt. Yoplait was a staple at my grandma's growing up, so this one added a serving of nostalgia.
140 calories
1.5 g of fat (1 g of saturated fat)
5 g of protein
19 g of sugar (13 g of added sugar)
3 mcg of vitamin D (15% of daily value)
260 mcg of calcium (20% of daily value)
Here's What Happened When I Ate Yogurt Every Day
Plain Greek yogurt vs. regular yogurt
With more options than usual in my fridge and a story to make insightful, I got creative, mapping out my plan in advance to satisfy my craving for order and routine. I immediately began to appreciate yogurt for its versatility. While it can make for an easy standalone snack, you can also add it to smoothies, use it as a base for parfaits and even use it as a condiment. I already felt a little energized.
I started by adding Greek Yogurt to a morning smoothie consisting of oat milk, strawberries, mango, peaches and spinach. The consistency was nice and thick—an indulgent addition. While liquid meals are often written off as "unfilling," the fiber from the fruit and the 16 grams of protein from a three-quarter cup of Greek yogurt kept me satisfied until lunch three hours later. I often require a mid-morning snack, which isn't bad (many dietitians will advise eating one to two daily snacks).
I was similarly satisfied when I had Greek Yogurt in its more traditional solid form the next day. I sprinkled some granola, berries and honey on it. Not only did I remain full until lunch, but the added sweetness kept cravings for candy or high-sugar granola bars at bay.
I also noticed my digestive health felt great. Yogurt contains good-for-the-gut probiotics that research also suggests can help prevent diabetes, osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease, and offer benefits to the immune system. I can't tell you that my bones felt healthier or that I single-handedly reduced my risks for diabetes and osteoporosis after a week of yogurt consumption—nutrition is a long game rooted in consistency. However, I can tell you that my stomach felt good when I ate plain Greek yogurt and all other indicators (TMI?) trended in the right direction.
The other way I tried Greek yogurt is as a condiment. Instead of using full-fat sour cream on a potato, I used a dollop of non-fat Greek yogurt. I didn't notice much of a difference, but the taste was also similar, and I felt good knowing I got an extra dose of probiotics and protein without added fat or cholesterol, two things I keep an eye on because heart disease runs in my family.
To see if there was a difference between plain and Greek yogurt, I tried a smoothie and "parfait" with plain yogurt. I didn't notice a difference in my digestive health— score!—but I was hungrier sooner and reached for a mid-morning snack. Luckily, that was easy because I had some single-serve flavored options on hand. This leads me to...
Greek vs. plain flavored yogurts
When craving a mid-morning snack, I first reached for the Oikos, curious to see what five extra grams of protein would do. However, the first thing I noticed was the texture. It was thicker (and felt more indulgent) than the more watery triple zero with 15 grams of protein. It also tasted creamier and there wasn't an aftertaste. What does that have to do with health? I didn't need to add anything to the yogurt to cover up the aftertaste, and the creamy texture felt more satisfying.
Eventually, I did notice that the five extra grams of protein seemed to make a difference—I had a later-than-usual lunch because I wasn't hungry for two hours. Feeling satisfied from a snack can help you avoid excess calorie consumption, a hallmark of weight management.
My digestive system remained on point with Oikos too.
As delicious and nostalgic as the Yoplait was, I felt sluggish the day I tried it. It went right through me, and I was still hungry. My stomach also didn't feel great. I had the same feelings when I used it as an afternoon snack two days later and had an earlier dinner (and bedtime snack, something I never do).
Related: Gold Medalist Tara Lipinski on the #1 Energizing Breakfast She Still Swears By Post-Olympics
Beth Ann Mayer
My Major Takeaways
Are you here for the TL;DR version? If so, here's what I learned when I intentionally consumed yogurt at least once daily for a week.
My gut health improved (except when it didn't). Plain yogurt and no-sugar Greek yogurts (flavored and plain) kept me regular and did not make me feel bloated. The flavored regular yogurt with added sugar gave me a minor stomach ache—nothing that had me using my non-existent PTO as a freelancer, but it isn't something I'm craving moving forward.
Greek yogurt FTW. Greek yogurt beats regular yogurt when I want to last a few hours between meals. The extra protein helps with satiety, which also kept me feeling energized. I felt most sluggish after consuming flavored yogurt with added sugar.
Yogurt can be fun. It is a great base for other nutritious foods, like antioxidant-rich berries. It also works well in a produce-packed smoothie and as a swap for sour cream on a baked potato.
While I didn't notice long-term health benefits, it is worth noting that research, including one 2015 study, found consuming yogurt could help:
Improve immunity
Boost bone strength
Improve heart health
Lower diabetes risk
Reduce your odds of getting a UTI
I'm not a registered dietitian, but here's some peer-to-peer advice: I recommend Greek yogurt because it's more filling. Regardless, I'd opt for sugar-free or low-sugar varieties, especially if you plan to consume yogurt regularly. You'll be better off with sugar-induced energy (and appetite) spikes and crashes. Experiment with different ways to consume yogurt, especially if it has been a while since you last had it. Enjoy the convenience of it as a snack, but go ham with it in smoothies, parfaits and even dinners. If you need me, I'll be in the dairy aisle.
Next up: 'I'm a GI Doc—These Are the 3 Types of Nuts I Swear By for Helping You Poop'
Sources
The Impact of Free Sugar on Human Health—A Narrative Review. Nutrients.
Beneficial Effects of Yoghurts and Probiotic Fermented Milks and Their Functional Food Potential. Foods.
Role of Probiotics in health improvement, infection control and disease treatment and management. Saudi Pharmaceutical Journal.
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