Excess sugar can be found in many pre-packaged foods. Yogurt is no exception. Although yogurt has many benefits, store-bought yogurt is filled with excess sugar, additives, and chemical preservatives. What if you could cut out all of those ingredients? The good news is that you can with delicious homemade yogurt!
Making your own yogurt is simple and delicious. It will not only help you reduce sugar, but it will also save you money. Homemade yogurt is also a great addition to your diet. It's time to say goodbye to excess sugar and hello to naturally delicious homemade yogurt!
What are the Benefits of Making Homemade Yogurt?
Store-bought yogurt can be deceiving. Not only is its quality lower than homemade yogurt, but it can also be much less healthy. There are many benefits from making your own yogurt.
One big benefit of making your own yogurt is that you control the quality. Many times, store-bought yogurt does not use high-quality ingredients. If you read the label on the back of most store-bought yogurts, you will see many additives. Trying to pronounce all of the ingredients shouldn't be complicated; but with store-bought yogurt, it can be a challenge.
The list of ingredients for high-quality yogurt should be simple. Yogurt only takes a few ingredients to make. Yogurts that you can buy in the supermarket often have pectin added to them. This is added to firm up the yogurt because low-quality and low-fat milk are used to make it. If you're lactose intolerant, this can be an issue for you. When pectin is added to yogurt, it also introduces lactose. Making your own yogurt with high-quality ingredients is usually better for you. You can eliminate all of the artificial preservatives and lactose from the yogurt.
Another benefit of making your own yogurt is the ability to cut excess sugar from your diet. The American Heart Association recommends that women limit their sugar intake to 25 grams per day. For men, the recommended limit is 27.5 grams per day. Most yogurts that you find in the supermarket are packed full of sugar. Consuming one, six-ounce serving of fruit-flavored, supermarket yogurt can put you over your daily limit. In fact, the average yogurt contains around 32 grams of sugar. Talk about sugar rush! Here's more info on how to limit your sugar intake.
How to Make Homemade Yogurt
Does making your own yogurt sound intimidating? You don't need to be afraid of making your own yogurt. In fact, the process is very easy. If you search for recipes, you will find many different recipes and methods on the internet. But don't worry; making yogurt is a relatively fool-proof process. You'll eventually develop your own preferences and method of making yogurt.
Yogurt can be made in a couple of different ways. You can use the stovetop to make your yogurt. There are also yogurt makers available for purchase to help automate the process.
If you're making your yogurt on the stove top, it will occupy your oven for at least 8 hours. If you would rather not do that, you can get a yogurt maker that does all of the incubating for you.
To start, you will need to heat your milk to 180 degrees Fahrenheit. This helps kill any “bad” bacteria that may be lingering in your milk. It essentially creates the perfect, clean home for the “good” bacteria that you will be adding. This initial heating also changes the protein structure of your milk. The change in protein structure thickens your milk, helping to eliminate the need for thickeners, such as pectin.
After the milk temperature has reached 180 degrees Fahrenheit, allow it to cool down between 112 and 115 degrees Fahrenheit. This prepares the milk for the addition of your live cultures. If the milk is too hot, it will kill all of your good yogurt cultures. Without these good cultures, you won't be able to make your homemade yogurt.
Add in your live cultures and give the mixture a good stir. This distributes the new cultures throughout your milk mixture. Pour your mixture into oven-safe containers, like glass jars. Then you'll need to put your containers into the oven. Ideal incubation temperature is between 110 and 115 degrees Fahrenheit. Keep your containers at this temperature for seven to nine hours.
You'll start to notice your yogurt setting up after about eight hours in the oven. Remember: higher fat content in your milk will yield a thicker yogurt. You can use any type of milk. The fat content in your milk will dictate the consistency of your yogurt.
What are Some Things You Can Add to Homemade Yogurt?
Yogurt on its own tastes just fine. But why not spice it up with a few add-ins? Your homemade yogurt is a blank canvas for your snacking enjoyment.
Try adding other superfoods to your homemade yogurt like blueberries or elderberries. Items like flax seed, granola, or dried berries are also great additions. Just make sure to look at the nutrition information before you add pre-packaged goodies. Like other packaged foods at the supermarket, these items can be packed full of additives, preservatives, and excessive amounts of sugar.
You can also add fresh or frozen fruit to your new, homemade yogurt. Berries and citrus fruits (like kiwi and pineapples) will naturally sweeten the yogurt. You can also add things like cacao nibs or unsweetened chocolate to create a healthy dessert alternative.
What Should You Eat with Yogurt?
Yogurt is a great addition to your diet. For breakfast, you can pair yogurt with an egg white omelet or whole grain toast. You can also use it in your breakfast smoothies instead of store-bought yogurt. Blend a cup of yogurt, some ice, a splash of milk, and fresh fruit for the perfect, healthy breakfast smoothie. Super easy to customize and tailor to your faves!
For lunch, you can use your yogurt to make healthy salad dressing alternatives. Many salad dressings contain preservatives and excessive amounts of sodium and sugar. Making your own yogurt-based salad dressings can keep your diet and health on track.
For dinner, you can replace your dessert with a healthy yogurt parfait. Add in a few cacao nibs or unsweetened chocolate and put it into the blender for a post-dinner shake. Your homemade yogurt can also be used to make sauces for fish. When you're making dinner at home, look for ways to substitute yogurt for mayonnaise, sour cream, or cream cheese. These are easy substitutions that can make your dinners much healthier.
Is Yogurt a Good Breakfast for Weight Loss?
Studies have shown that yogurt is part of a healthy breakfast for weight loss. In fact, a study showed that adults who had 3 servings of yogurt per day lost 22% more weight. But that's not all. The study suggested that the extra calcium and protein from yogurt contributed to 81% more fat loss in the stomach area. Slimming down has never been easier – or tastier!
Yogurt can be part of a good breakfast for weight loss. Homemade yogurt is the best choice for weight loss. Free from additives and excess sugars, homemade yogurt can help you burn fat and lose weight. You should also keep your add-ins healthy and simple. Homemade yogurt can quickly become a bad choice. If you add in too much store-bought granola or sugary fruit toppings, it can negate all of your hard work.
Another thing to remember is that you should listen to your body. Yogurt by itself may not be enough to get your metabolism started again in the morning.
You should also incorporate protein-rich foods to help you feel full. Try adding in a bit of nut butter. This added protein can help you feel fuller for longer. This should also reduce your snack cravings between meals.
While yogurt by itself may be filling enough for some people, others might need to eat a more substantial breakfast.
If you feel like you're getting hungry before lunch, try incorporating more into your breakfast. In addition to your homemade yogurt, proteins and complex carbohydrates are best. Try pairing your yogurt with whole grain toast and a smear of organic peanut butter.
You should also make sure to portion out your yogurt. While it may be tempting to eat the whole container you just made, don't do it! Portion control is a key part of weight loss. It doesn't matter how healthy your homemade yogurt is if you eat too much of it! Making your own yogurt is also a lesson in self-control.
Making your own homemade yogurt is a great solution to cut sugar from your diet. Don't worry if you think it tastes a bit odd. At first, your taste buds will need to adjust. Your yogurt may taste odd because you are used to all of the excessive sugars in store-bought yogurt. But soon you will come to love and appreciate your healthy, homemade yogurt. Not only is it easy to make, but it is also much healthier than store-bought yogurt. Not only do you control the quality of the yogurt, but you also aren't putting any artificial ingredients into your body. Homemade yogurt is the perfect addition to your healthy diet. Boost your gut health and fast-track your weight loss with healthy, homemade yogurt.
Did you enjoy our scoop on our homemade yogurt? Let us know your fave DIY yogurt recipe in the comments!
Sources:
https://downshiftology.com/how-to-make-homemade-yogurt/
https://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/news/20050317/yogurt-may-help-burn-fat-promote-weight-loss
https://www.seleneriverpress.com/benefits-homemade-yogurt/
https://www.womenshealthmag.com/weight-loss/a19982018/eating-yogurt/
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