Whole grain breakfast cereal, Greek yogurt, and 100% whole wheat bread have more in common than being part of a “balanced breakfast”—they can all be classified as “ultra-processed” foods.
Milk and plain yoghurt fall into the unprocessed or minimally processed food group. Cheeses which are processed simply and not packaged are considered processed foods.
Similarly, plain yogurt is a category 1 food, but fruit yogurts (with sweeteners, preservatives, stabilisers or colourings added) would count as ultra-processed.
Greek yogurt is a good source of calcium, magnesium and phosphorus – minerals essential for bone health. Indeed, studies suggest that diets which include foods, like yogurt, may support bone mineral density.
Store bought yogurt is heavily processed and treated with unhealthy preservatives, thickeners like gelatin (glue made from animal bones), pectin (a bio-polymer acid, lab-made ingredient), powdered milk etc., and artificial sweeteners.
Plain, unflavored yogurt has two ingredients: milk and bacterial culture. Fermenting milk to create plain yogurt is considered a minimal way to process food.
Virtually all foods sold in the grocery store can be classified as processed to some degree. Because most foods begin to deteriorate and lose nutrients as soon as they are harvested, a few simple processing steps can improve the product while adding a level of convenience.
Consuming one to two cups of lowfat Greek yogurt daily can be a healthy addition to your diet without making it difficult to maintain your weight.
Its decadent and rich flavor makes it a great addition to any sweet or savory dish, but it's not perfect. Greek yogurt can actually cause some less than ideal side effects. It contains a natural sugar called lactose and a protein known as whey which can cause inflammatory issues.
Because nutritionists urge us to avoid too many sweets, going Greek is a smarter choice. “Greek has a lower amount of sugar (around 5-8 grams, compared to 12 or more grams) than the regular yogurt, while still having the high levels of vitamins and minerals,” Ewoldt says.
Greek yogurt is an excellent source of calcium, which can help improve bone health. It also contains probiotics, which support a healthy bacterial balance in the gut. Eating Greek yogurt may be associated with lower blood pressure and a lower risk of type 2 diabetes.
Used for oatmeal, rolled oats are lightly processed to make them edible. The oat groats (grain kernels) are steamed, flattened, and dried. They still contain all three parts of the grain—the bran, germ, and endosperm—so they retain all of the fiber and other nutrients.
Inspect how it looks and smells.
Germs that cause food poisoning don't always cause off-flavors or smells, but if yogurt has a curdled texture or rancid smell, it's best to be safe and throw it out.
“Yogurt is associated with decreased inflammation, decreased insulin resistance and it may prevent type 2 diabetes,” Dr. Hu says. Nutrition researchers believe yogurt's anti-inflammatory power comes from the probiotics it contains, but that has yet to be confirmed with rigorous trials, he says.
"Greek yogurt should only contain milk and or cream and live cultures. You should not be consuming Greek yogurts that contain gelatin, stabilizers, protein, sweeteners, flavorings, or other additives.
While it's certainly worthwhile to eat yogurt as a healthy snack and a good source of protein, you're much better off getting your daily dose of probiotics from a quality supplement.
So eggs are good, but yoghurt or a whey protein shake is even better. This study supports previous research results which have found that a protein rich, egg based breakfast, which is particularly high in the amino acid leucine, is of particular benefit for weight loss as leucine helps to regulate insulin levels.
Eating two to three servings of yogurt per week decreases sugar and caffeine cravings. This helps with weight management and improved heart health. It also reduces the risk of diabetes and age-related cognitive impairment.
Processed foods are simply defined as something that's been altered from its original state. That means peanut butter, bread, canned tomatoes, frozen fruit, cut vegetables, yogurt, and canned tuna are all considered processed foods.
Ultra-processed foods tend to be lower in nutrients and fiber and higher in sugar, fat and salt compared to unprocessed or minimally processed foods. Some examples of ultra-processed foods include soda, packaged cookies, chips, frozen meals, flavored nuts, flavored yogurt, distilled alcoholic beverages and fast foods.
Unprocessed or minimally processed foods: Think vegetables, grains, legumes, fruits, nuts, meats, seafood, herbs, spices, garlic, eggs and milk. Make these real, whole foods the basis of your diet.