Benefits of yogurt for female health and mind

Whether it be frozen yogurt to be savored as a dessert, or plain yogurt to be used as a nutritious staple; yogurt has always been a female’s favorite. Amongst the numerous advantages of curd, women are evidently more prone to be inclined towards the use of yogurt. Women health has been influenced by yogurt in many ways.
Calcium is an important component of bones, and bones are what can be a woman’s strength or weakness. With time, the hormones responsible for healthy bones (estrogen) start to diminish in a female’s body, and their bones become susceptible to breakage and fracture. The bone mass or bone density decreases significantly, leading to weak and frail bones. Calcium and vitamin-D are essential for healthy bone maintenance.

While dairy products are rich in calcium stores, women are reluctant to consume milk as it is. As opposed to milk, a lot of us females would rather gulp down a cup of yogurt, that would give you more or less the same amount of calcium, and meet your requirement of daily calcium. While there’s no such clear cut definition of what is “too much” of a certain food, everything must be consumed in moderation, with balanced amounts of every nutrient in the diet. Similarly, consuming sugary yogurts in excess will lead to weight gain, so try to look for yogurt that is sugar-free to get maximal benefits.
Yogurt can be found in more than one kind. Greek yogurt, for instance, has greater stores of protein and thus, consumption of this yogurt will be able to meet your protein requirements as well, due to its protein-rich nature. Various benefits of yogurt and their incorporation in daily diet on women are as follows;

1. NUTRIENTS:
Yogurt is a wonderful dairy product, rich in many nutrients. While females can shy away from eating healthy diets and consuming milk, yogurt can be their best friend. Due to its favorable taste, many women would rather include yogurt in their diets. Yogurt is rich in calcium, protein, zinc, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, Vitamin-B12 etc. These nutrients keep your body’s health in check, and provide you with the nourishment you deserve.

2. ZINC:
We’ve discussed how yogurt is flooded with precious nutrients. Now let’s see how these nutrients affect the female body. Whether it be menstruation, pregnancy, or old age; zinc seems to play a vital role in women’s health. During premenstrual syndrome (also known as PMS), fluctuations in the levels of hormones estrogen and progesterone leads to the development of painful cramps and discomfort. Zinc can help regulate levels of progesterone. It should also be consumed by pregnant women to avoid zinc deficiency in their newborn.

3. DISEASES RISK REDUCTION:
The present era is indulgent in activities that give rise to chronic medical conditions. Be it cardiovascular or hormonal, the risks just keep elevating with time. Yogurt helps reduce risk for the development of chronic diseases such as heart failure, diabetes, hypertension etc. It keeps your fat level in check as well. The benefits of eating yogurt daily involves saving you from getting caught up in these ailments.

4. WEIGHT LOSS:
As opposed to men, women are more inclined towards wanting to maintain their bodies, and staying in shape. They want to look good, hence optimizing their diets is an essential ingredient in the mix of staying and looking healthy. Yogurt, being rich in pools of nutrients, offers the daily requirements needed by a human body, without the added extra fats and carbs. It is recommended to eat sugar-free, low-fat yogurt to avoid those extra calories and aid in your weight loss regime. You can make fruit smoothies with yogurt, or eat it plain and replace it with lunch to lose calories and stay in shape.

5. HEALTHY BACTERIA:
Yogurt hosts bacteria that can be regarded as “good bacteria”, as they aid in digestion and relieve you from many digestive related complications. These bacteria help you maintain a healthy gastrointestinal tract, and women having complaints of constipation felt better after adopting yogurt in their diets.

6. OSTEOPOROSIS:
Osteoporosis is a condition found in women, whereby after the age of around 35, the bone density and mass starts to degrade, and the bones become weak and more susceptible to breakage and fracture. Calcium-rich yogurt can serve as a good means of fulfilling the deficiencies to counter osteoporosis, or prevent bones from becoming increasingly weak.

7. DEPRESSION:
Studies done on mice have shown promising results that yogurt can reverse symptoms of depression. Mental health issues such as stress and anxiety can be reduced by adding yogurt in your diet. The bacteria in yogurt (Lactobacilli) can reduce depressive symptoms. Depression being more prevalent in women, yogurt can be a girl’s best friend! So gulp down that bucket of frozen yogurt, every time you feel a tear is threatening to fall.

8. SKIN:
Yogurt has been used since ancient times to look beautiful and maintain healthy looking, glowing skin. The various nutrients embedded in yogurt such as zinc, calcium, Vitamin-B12 etc, help resurrect, heal and cleanse the skin. Not only that, but the lactic acid present in yogurt helps reduce fine lines and wrinkles, and works as an age miracle formula for a younger, prettier you. The hydration and moisture your skin so desperately desires can also be attained by yogurt.

9. VAGINAL HEALTH:
Vagina is a sensitive female organ, frequently being invaded by microorganisms due to its pH and complex environment. Yeast infections and vaginal candidiasis are amongst the common diseases encountered by women these days. Yogurt, having Lactobacilli, help in maintaining adequate pH levels for a healthy vagina and to fight off infections. This bacteria is part of the natural flora of the vagina, hence yogurt works wonders in such cases. Yogurt can be applied directly on the vulva, or eaten to obtain the desired benefits.

Yogurt offers infinite benefits to the female kind, and to humans in general. But moderation is mandatory in every aspect, and excess of anything can prove to be more harmful than not. It is essential to adopt a healthy lifestyle where you include all the pre-requisites for a healthy you, so you can live life to its fullest.