Yogurt and Weight: A Creamy Habit Worth a Look

A spoonful of yogurt is one of the friendliest foods around: creamy, quick, and easy to dress up. It also turns up in some of the biggest studies of everyday eating and weight. Here is what those studies noticed, how to read them honestly, and how to pick a yogurt you will enjoy.

What the big study noticed

In 2011, a Harvard team led by Dariush Mozaffarian published a paper in the New England Journal of Medicine that followed about 120,000 healthy men and women in three long-running U.S. studies. People in those studies gained roughly 3 to 4 pounds on average every four years. The researchers then asked which foods and habits tracked with more or less gain.

Yogurt came out on the helpful side. Eating one more serving of yogurt a day was linked with about 0.8 pounds less weight gain over each four-year period. Other foods on that list included nuts, fruits, vegetables and whole grains, while potato chips, sugary drinks and processed meats went the other way.

What that does and does not mean

• It shows a link, not proof. This was an observational study, and people reported their own eating. People who eat more yogurt may also do other healthy things.
• The difference is small. Less than a pound over four years is a gentle nudge, not a dramatic change.
• It is not a reason to add yogurt on top of everything else. The healthy pattern seems to come from swapping, such as yogurt in place of a pastry or chips.
• The reasons are unknown. Researchers have suggested possibilities like protein and fullness or effects on gut bacteria, but these are ideas, not settled facts.

Choosing a yogurt you will enjoy

1. Check the sugar. Flavored yogurts can contain as much sugar as a dessert. Plain yogurt with fruit, cinnamon or a drizzle of honey lets you decide how sweet it gets. Our guide to reading a nutrition label shows where to look.
2. Think about protein. Strained styles such as Greek yogurt tend to have more protein per serving. Cottage cheese is another option; see our cottage cheese guide.
3. Pick the fat level that suits you. Both lower-fat and full-fat yogurts can fit; the best choice depends on your overall eating and any advice from your clinician.
4. Look at the ingredient list. Short and simple is a good sign, such as milk and live cultures. If you avoid dairy, plant-based yogurts exist but vary a lot in protein and sugar, so compare labels.

Easy ways to enjoy it

• Top with berries and a sprinkle of nuts for fiber and crunch; our guides to nuts and weight and beans and lentils have more ideas for filling meals.
• Stir plain yogurt into soups, or use it in place of sour cream or mayonnaise.
• Blend it into a smoothie with fruit.
• Pair it with whole grains such as oats; see why whole grains matter.

Want the numbers?

Yogurts vary a lot from brand to brand. Weight Wire’s free Food Lookup can show calories, protein and sugar for plain and flavored yogurts, and you can add your favorite to your free journal. These tools are an estimate and meant to inform, not to dictate.

Yogurt, in perspective

Yogurt is a simple, tasty food that fits comfortably into many ways of eating, and the research gives it a quiet thumbs up. It is not a magic ingredient, and it works best as part of a pattern full of foods you enjoy. If you have a dairy allergy, lactose intolerance or a medical condition that shapes your diet, check with your doctor or a registered dietitian about what is right for you.

Sources

• Mozaffarian D, Hao T, Rimm EB, Willett WC, Hu FB. Changes in diet and lifestyle and long-term weight gain in women and men. New England Journal of Medicine, 2011;364:2392-2404 (yogurt figure and study design confirmed from NIH Research Matters and coverage by the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health).
• U.S. Department of Agriculture. FoodData Central, for nutrition values of yogurt products.