Little Step No. 65
What to do:
Choose full fat (natural) yoghurt
Why this step works:
For many years, fat was wrongly labelled as a dietary villain. And it is taking a long time, but the right message - that fat is not a villain, but actually a hero of a healthy, balanced diet - is starting to filter through.
We are not there yet though, and sadly you will still see ‘low fat’ or ‘0% fat’ labels prominently displayed on many foods lined up on the supermarket shelves. This is particularly true of dairy products such as yoghurt, and leaves people feeling confused about what to buy.
This little step is here to settle your supermarket aisle confusion next time you're buying yoghurt. Avoid 0% fat or low fat options and instead choose full fat (natural) yoghurt.
Here’s why:
We all need fat - It's essential for lots of reasons including energy production, insulation, vitamin absorption, hormone production, skin, gut health, nervous system, brain health and much more.
It's real food – You won’t go far wrong with your diet if you stick to eating real foods that are as close as possible to how they are found in nature. Compare full fat natural yoghurt with one that has been processed to remove the fat (and much of the taste) then loaded with either sugar or artificial sweeteners (to attempt to add some taste back in). That’s not real food.
Keeps you feeling full for longer (and tastes better too) – When you include fat in a meal, not only does it taste better, it helps you feel full for longer and reduces cravings for sugary drinks and snacks. Contrary to what many people think, including fat in your diet can actually help you to achieve and maintain your optimal weight.
You get more nutrients – And last but definitely not least, if you compare the nutrition composition of full fat (whole milk) yoghurt with low fat or 0% fat yoghurt, it’s a sobering read. When fat is removed, major fat-soluble nutrients are lost too, including retinol - the active form of vitamin A. Among many other vital functions, vitamin A is needed for the immune system to work properly, not just for fighting infections, but for helping to support 'immune tolerance' too. In simple terms 'immune tolerance' helps to protect against autoimmune health problems.
This is a very simple little step that has the potential to have far-reaching positive health effects. Choose full fat (natural) yoghurt and your health (and your taste buds!) will be eternally grateful x