We often like to go all out in the gym and get some serious reps in, putting in efforts to be better and to reach our fitness girls. While fuelling up with some serious protein and carbs before hitting your workout is crucial to the routine, it is just as important to consume certain nutrients after your session.
When you are working out, the glycogen reserves stored in your muscles are exhausted pretty fast. Most of the protein you had consumed before the workout is also damaged or broken down, which is why to make sure to replenish your protein and glycogen levels with foods like Greek Yoghurt.
Greek Yogurt is essentially the same as normal yogurt, with the exception of a single additional process – straining. Additional watery whey is extracted from the yogurt via straining in order to create a more dense product full of yogurt protein.
Let us understand how consuming Greek Yogurt can be beneficial to your post-workout diet.
Health Benefits Of Greek Yoghurt
There are many uses of Greek Yogurt if you add it to your daily diet. It offers several health benefits such as:-
#1 Post Workout Recovery
Greek Yoghurt is a rich source of amino acids, which are broken down to stimulate the production of protein. The protein in yogurt acts as a building block for rejuvenating your muscles by reducing damage and lactic acid build-up. By consuming greek yogurt, you are also replenishing your body’s carbohydrate, fat, and calcium reserves.
Combine greek yoghurt to your post-workout shake along with a few berries and bananas to keep the snack cravings at bay.
#2 Maintaining Bone Health
Greek Yogurt is a rich source of many nutrients. Some of the most important yogurt nutrients are calcium, potassium, protein, and phosphorus which are essential for maintaining bone health and development. Studies have linked the regular consumption of greek yogurt to an improved bone density and a reduced risk of developing osteoporosis, a condition characterized by brittle bones which are prone to deformation.
Consume your greek yogurt with a healthy serving of oats to maintain a healthy Vitamin D and calcium reserves.
#3 Regulates Heart Health
HIgher Triglyceride levels and elevated bad cholesterol are detrimental to your heart’s health and can often lead to complications such as blocked arteries. Greek yoghurt is a great way to reduce the oxidative stress exerted on your body, which in turn reduces triglyceride levels and eliminates bad cholesterol.
#4 Aids Weight Loss
Several clinical trials have established that consuming greek yoghurt resulted in significantly lower body weight, mass, and circumference. The high levels of greek yogurt protein and its nutrient content help reduce hunger generating hormones and keep your hunger pangs at bay.
#5 Good For Immunity
Greek yoghurt is packed with healthy probiotics which are essential for boosting your immunity system and regulating gut health. Regular consumption has also been proven beneficial for reducing the symptoms experienced during flu, like diarrhea and stomach cramps.
Probiotics also play a key role in maintaining mental health as they help in inhibiting the distress signals sent out to the brain which may trigger negative emotions such as anger and sadness.
#6 Regulating Blood Pressure
A single serving of plain Greek yogurt can help with around 7% of your potassium requirements. Regular supplementation of yogurt helps in increasing potassium levels, which in turn helps in balancing out any excess sodium intake. This is beneficial for regulating blood pressure and preventing the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases.
#7 Helps Keep Your Brain Sharp
Greek Yoghurt is an excellent source of B vitamins, also known as brain vitamins. The high B12 vitamin content helps in reducing the oxidative stress exerted on the brain and increasing oxygen circulation. Frequent yogurt consumption may also be beneficial in reducing the risk of developing neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s, Hungtington’s, or Parkinson’s.
#8 Maintains Muscle Health
With every serving, you get 10 grams of protein and just 59 greek yogurt calories. This makes it the perfect food source for maintaining and promoting muscle mass as compared to plain yogurt. Regular consumption of yogurts helps in aiding the contraction and expansion of muscles, which in turn helps in improving tissue connectivity. Greek yoghurt also helps in boosting your metabolic activity by increasing the amount of energy burned by your body in a day.
