Many people claim that Greek yogurt is bad for cholesterol, so they should not eat them.
Greek yogurt, in particular, has gained popularity for its rich taste and creamy texture. I’ve come across many questions about the health benefits and drawbacks of various yogurt types.
Do you Know – It’s not about the Yogurt itself? It’s all about moderation and a healthy diet. Imagine how bad it will affect your cholesterol if you eat Greek Yogurt with bananas, brown sugar, and whipped cream.
According to WebMD, Greek Yogurt lowers down the triglyceride and cholestrol to prevent your chances of heart attack. Any low fat greek yogurt and no added sugars is ideal for maintaining the cholestrol levels.
Yogurt is definitely a go-to-snack and comes with many health benefits. If you are avoiding yogurt because you have high cholesterol, then you need to read this article.
What is Cholesterol?
We all know that cholesterol is a lipoprotein made of fat and protein. It is required to produce hormones, vitamin D, and even makes up our cell membranes.
However, there are two types:
- HDL (good cholesterol)
- LDL (bad cholesterol)
LDL accumulates on the walls of the blood vessels causing them to be narrow, leading to high blood pressure. It is the one that thickens your blood and increases your risk of heart disease, depression, obesity, diabetes, etc.
On the other hand, HDL is beneficial because it takes cholesterol out of your bloodstream, preventing heart attacks.
Balancing your cholesterol levels is crucial for maintaining good cardiovascular health. According to the American Heart Association, total cholesterol should be less than 200 mg/dL, with LDL below 100 mg/dL and HDL above 60 mg/dL.
What is Recommended Daily Cholesterol Intake?
The American Heart Association recommends a maximum daily cholesterol intake of 300 milligrams.
What are healthy Cholesterol levels?
A healthy cholesterol level should have LDL below 100 milligrams per deciliter and HDL above 40 milligrams per deciliter.
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What to eat if you have high Cholesterol?
Foods rich in soluble fiber are good for your cholesterol. Soluble fibers are the ones that get absorbed into our bodies and lower LDL cholesterol. Also, foods containing many Omega 3 fatty acids help decrease cholesterol levels, while saturated and trans fats increase them.
Are Yogurt and Cholestrol Inter-related?
Studies show that a diet including Yogurt in moderation leads to better metabolic health. People consuming Yogurt regularly have low insulin resistance, a high HDL level, lower systolic blood pressure, and high potassium intake.
Studies further show that low-fat yogurt has 50% more magnesium, potassium, and calcium. Hence, it is associated with better diet quality. There is an analysis that suggests there is a possible link between regular consumption of yogurt and lowered type-2 diabetes.
However, there is no clear evidence of Yogurt as a cholesterol-friendly food. low-fat Greek yogurt is an appropriate choice for people with high cholesterol levels.
Can Yogurt lower your cholesterol?
A British study finding correlated the Yogurt with reduced cholesterol levels. It is observed that the two doses of probiotic intake daily lowers cholesterol-bearing molecules.
Does Greek Yogurt contain saturated fat?
There are 0.1 grams of saturated fat in 1 cup of Greek yogurt, 10% of the recommended daily amount. Other excellent choices are non-fat Greek yogurt flavored with real fruit or vanilla but without added sugar.
A safe sweetener is sucralose (Splenda) Splenda. It is low in calories and sodium but high in calcium and potassium, and other nutrients. Non-fat Greek yogurt is low in calories and very low in sodium. It’s also low in fat and saturated fat, and it does not contain sugars either.
How do I eat Greek Yogurt?
Greek Yogurt has a different flavor profile than other yogurts. The liquid removal causes more fermenting aromas and flavors. Combined with its strong flavor, plain Greek yogurt is an excellent addition to savory foods. The rich taste and texture can help thicken sauces, replace sour cream, or highlight other bold flavors.
Greek Yogurt is easily used for breakfast or sweet or healthy eats by adding sweeteners like honey or fruit. But it also induces sugar levels.
What are the benefits of eating Greek Yogurts?
Here are some incredible health benefits of eating Greek Yogurt:
- Vitamins, minerals, and probiotics in Greek Yogurt are very effective in treating health issues.
- Potassium helps maintain your blood pressure and works against sodium.
- It also maintains your heart rate regularly and helping your muscles contract.
- Greek Yogurt also offers excellent levels of vitamin B12 that help prevent anemia and keeps your blood cells & tissues healthy.
- Apart from keeping your heart healthy, it can improve your mobility and your muscles to stay healthy.
- Greek Yogurt contains a good amount of iodine which supports thyroid function and strengthens the immune system.
Does Greek Yogurt clog your arteries?
It is a common question. The answer is no. It will not clog your arteries unless you add too many carbs or sugar to it.
Is Greek Yogurt good or bad for cholesterol?
It can be good or bad depending on how much you eat and what you add to it. It is low in carbs, so it’s good for people with diabetes. But it could affect your cholesterol since there are still small amounts of carbs.
However, if you choose plain Yogurt and add no more than 8g of carbs and sugar per serving, it will be a healthy choice.
Does full-fat Greek Yogurt raise cholesterol?
According to health experts, eating foods high in saturated fat can raise blood cholesterol levels. But, new studies suggest that full-fat Yogurt might not be as bad for your heart as you once thought.
A 2014 study indicated that consuming dairy products like Yogurt had no negative effect on cardiovascular health. Also, what’s more, important is the source of your saturated fat. If you get your fats from red meat or processed foods, that will increase your risk of heart disease. But if it comes from quality sources like Yogurt, cheese, whole milk, etc., it’ll be healthier for your heart.
What should you not eat when you have high cholesterol?
Most fast foods and processed foods are full of carbs, trans-fats, sodium, and sugar. Eating too many carbs is the primary cause of high cholesterol because it causes the body to produce more LDL, thus increasing your chances of heart attacks.
Try as much as possible to avoid those things that you know will harm your blood vessels, therefore, preventing plaque from accumulating.
Is It Bad to Eat Greek Yogurt Every Day?
High amounts of saturated fats can cause heart disease, obesity, and hypertension, etc. One daily serving is okay if you eat it with fruits like strawberries, blueberries, or raspberries.
If you’re eating with added sweeteners, it will be loaded with high amounts of saturated fats.
Foods to avoid for High Cholesterol
If you have high cholesterol levels, try to eliminate the following foods from your diet:
– Red meat, such as steak and ground beef. Although lean cuts of beef can lower LDL levels by 5 percent to 8 percent, fatty ground beef increases the risk of heart disease and diabetes because it is high in saturated fat and trans fat.
– Whole milk and other dairy products
– Butter, palm oil, non-hydrogenated solid vegetable fats, and coconut oil
What is the Best Yogurt for high cholesterol?
It’s always better to eat low-fat or non-fat dairy products. It is because non-fat has less saturated fat than its full-fat counterparts. If you are not sure of your options, you can always go to the food label and look for products that are lower in cholesterol.
Plain Non-Fat Greek Yogurt is also a Non-Fatoice worth considering.
Is it bad to eat Greek Yogurt every day?
Eating Greek Yogurt in Moderation does not have any adverse effect on your health. Check the labels to ensure that it is free from added sugars and preservatives.
Conclusion
What starts healthy ends up with additives and processing fattening and unhealthy. For the full goodness of Greek yogurt, the one you choose should be easy and clean. No Industrially Made Dips, Desserts, Corn Flavors, Energy Bars or Energy Bars, etc., should replace Greek Yogurt.
Always check the products, turn them over, and check the ingredients that contain saturated fats and refined flours.
