When is the Best Time to Eat Yogurt for Weight Loss?

Benefits of Yogurt for Health

• Provides Nutrients and Helps Control Weight

Yogurt contains many beneficial nutrients for the body, helping to maintain the function and growth of various body parts. One cup of yogurt can provide about 49% of your daily calcium needs. Additionally, it contains many B vitamins, especially B12 and riboflavin. These nutrients help protect heart health and prevent birth defects in the cardiovascular system of the fetus.

Yogurt also provides a significant amount of protein, with 200 grams of yogurt containing about 12 grams of protein. Protein supports metabolism by increasing energy expenditure and burning calories in the body.

Getting enough protein helps regulate appetite. Adequate protein intake increases the production of hormones that signal satiety to the brain, helping to reduce food intake and prevent overeating, thus helping to control weight more effectively.

• Good for Digestion

Yogurt contains live bacteria (probiotics), which are part of the fermentation process of yogurt or are added after pasteurizing the yogurt before it is sold.

These probiotics are beneficial for digestion. Note that high temperatures will kill these probiotics, losing the nutritional value of yogurt.

• Boosts Immunity, Good for Bones and Joints

Yogurt contains many nutrients that strengthen the immune system and improve bone and joint health.

Eating yogurt regularly helps provide probiotics that support immune system health. Additionally, yogurt contains a lot of calcium and vitamin D, which are beneficial for bone health.

When is the Best Time to Eat Yogurt for Weight Loss?

• In the Morning

You can eat yogurt in the morning, but it’s best not to eat it on an empty stomach. Combine it with whole grains, bread, or fruits. For those looking to lose weight, having yogurt for breakfast helps provide energy while limiting the consumption of unhealthy foods.

• In the Afternoon

You can use yogurt as an afternoon snack. Yogurt contains tyrosine, which helps reduce fatigue caused by stress and anxiety. Eating yogurt in the afternoon helps replenish energy, reduces fatigue, decreases cravings, limits snacking, and supports weight loss.

• At Night

Consuming yogurt at night helps the body absorb calcium better. From midnight to early morning, calcium levels in the body are at their lowest. Adding yogurt to your evening meal helps supply calcium, enhancing nutrient absorption into the bones.

• After a Meal

You can choose to eat yogurt 30 minutes to 2 hours after a meal. When you're hungry, the pH level of stomach acid is below 2, which is not the optimal pH for the probiotics in yogurt to function. After eating, the pH rises to a level between 3 and 5. At this point, the probiotics in yogurt work better, helping the body absorb more nutrients.

Additionally, if you consume yogurt on an empty stomach, the nutrients in the yogurt will be excreted, not fully absorbed, leading to waste.

If you want to lose weight, consider eating yogurt at the times mentioned above.