Hi all, today let’s talk about how to use yogurt for healthy weight gain.

Creamy yogurt!! I always have this at home because it is tasty, has health benefits and importantly it’s a great food for gaining weight.

Perhaps you’re confused to hear that you can use yogurt for weight gain because there is information out there that says it is a good food for weight loss.

So generally speaking, yogurt that is suggested for weight loss is low fat yogurt not full fat, and then there is also the condition to eat small portions of it. 

Why? Well, that’s because it helps with weight gain!

As hard gainers and those looking to add weight and muscle, we’re after that full fat but healthy yogurt, and we’ll not be limiting ourselves to small portions.

I’ve found yogurt has been really helpful in my healthy weight gain journey and I continue to have it, not least because of the health benefits.

No matter if you like your yogurt pretty plain, salty or sweet, there are options for everyone! I kid you not. 

In fact you can be having yogurt for breakfast, marinating your chicken in it, as salad dressing, as dessert, in soups, as a snack, in your drinks etc.

It goes with so many things and it will help you gain healthy weight.

So want to know what this low-cost item can do for your weight gain goals and health? Let’s find out.

Yogurt-What is it?

Yogurt is a fermented food made by adding specific bacteria (yogurt cultures) to milk.

It has been around for thousands of years in different parts of the world including the Middle East and Asia?

Also yogurt can be made from different types of milk though most of it is made from cow’s milk.

Even people who are lactose intolerant may be able to eat yogurt without having side effects, as a lot of the lactose is used up in the fermentation process.

On the other hand for those who can’t have dairy at all, there are now many different dairy free yogurt options made from soy, coconut and even nuts like cashews.

But be warned, they don’t come cheap! In which case you may want to try and make your own.

 What Type of Yogurt?

Does the type of yogurt you eat matter? Isn’t it all more or less the same thing?

Well actually it does matter. Hugely!

Because natural or plain yogurt is naturally sour, a lot of the options at the supermarket or wherever you get your yogurt from are full of processed sugar to make it taste sweeter.

Another thing is the kind of yogurt cultures used in making it.

Importantly, to receive the benefits of yogurt, always look for one that hasn’t been heat treated and has these live active cultures:  L bulgaricusandS thermophilus.

Yes I know it’s a mouthful but these cultures contain bacteria also known as probiotics. These can assist with boosting immunity and improving digestion.

Check to make sure the yogurt you’re buying has a pretty short list of ingredients that doesn’t include sugars, food colouring and preservatives.

You’ll find a few different types of healthy yogurts out there including natural, kefir (a liquid kind of yogurt), and Greek yogurt.

You’ve probably seen frozen yogurt out there as well. Frozen yogurt is a bit dicey because really sometimes from the way it is made, it’s not actually even yogurt!

Greek yogurt is thicker and heavier because it is strained to remove excess whey. This makes it thicker and heavier.

Greek yogurt therefore has more calories and protein than plain yogurt.

In fact, according to USDA, a cup of plain whole milk yogurt has 149 calories while a cup of Greek yogurt has 220 calories.

Some Benefits of Yogurt

• Yogurt is packed with nutrients that we need including B vitamins, calcium and magnesium among others.
• Yogurt is rich in protein which is needed for energy and to build muscle, skin and bone tissue.
• It contains probiotics which can help to improve the body’s immunity and fight infection

How To Easily Add Yogurt To Your Daily Diet

So, how do we use yogurt for healthy weight gain?

You can enjoy yogurt in lots of ways. It is so adaptable that you can eat it at any time of the day.

Here are some suggestions to include this incredible food.

• Make a breakfast parfait by adding granola and fruit to your yogurt.
• Use yogurt to make delicious chicken marinades like tandoori chicken.
• Whisk together yogurt, olive oil, minced garlic and lemon juice to make a tasty salad dressing.
• You can top plain or Greek yogurt with fruit, honey/ maple syrup and nuts for a healthy snack.
• Make a yogurt sauce by mixing yogurt with chilli sauce to go together with vegetarian, meat, fish or rice dishes, including grilled meals.
• Use yogurt in smoothies, or to make delicious lassis for healthy weight gain.
• Make a dip for a snack using yogurt. It’s perfect with bread, wholegrain chips and cut up raw vegetables .
• Substitute cream, mayonnaise or sour cream with yogurt instead in salads and even pastas.
• Add a dollop of yogurt to soups.
• Make yogurt based popsicles by blending with fruit and maple syrup/ honey.
• Slice up bananas into pieces, dab on yogurt and freeze.
• Cut up fruit into pieces and dip into yogurt mixed with honey/maple syrup.

These are just a few of the super easy, super tasty ways to introduce and enjoy yogurt as part of your regular diet. What are your favourite ways?

Yogurt is such a great budget staple food item for healthy weight that it deserves a place in your kitchen.

If you haven’t previously been eating yogurt, I hope you’re now inspired to use yogurt for healthy weight gain.