Wellness Wednesday: The Benefits of Yogurt (and a giveaway)

Yogurt is one of those snacks that just about anyone can eat. There is whole milk yogurt for babies and those who need extra fat in their diets, and there is light and low-fat yogurt for the rest of us. Flavors include dessert-like flavors such as cheesecake, Boston cream pie and vanilla and there are plenty of fruity flavors from the basic strawberry or peach to the more exotic key lime pie and mango. Yogurt can be eaten as is or frozen for a special treat. On top of all this, yogurt is pretty good for your health, too. Check out these yogurt facts:

- Yogurt is a good source of protein, calcium, vitamins B-2 and B-12, potassium, and magnesium.
- Many yogurts contain pro-biotics which can help improve your immune system and maintain good digestive health.
- Eating yogurt regularly can help keep and/or restore the vaginal pH levels which helps keep yeast infections away.
- Various studies have shown that increased dairy consumption, including yogurt, can reduce the risk of osteoporosis and can lower blood pressure. This is best when combined with vitamin D. Some yogurts have no vitamin D and some have a fair amount. Be sure to read the label.
- Those who are lactose intolerant, can often eat yogurt without a problem. Live yogurt cultures produce lactase which helps digest the lactose in the yogurt and thereby, alleviating the need for the body to try to break it down.
- You can substitute fat-free yogurt when baking and cooking. In baking, use a complementary flavor or plain yogurt for some or all of the oil or butter in a recipe. Plain yogurt can be used in place of sour cream in many cooking recipes. Please note that cooking yogurt often kills the live enzymes.

If you are watching your weight, or trying to avoid sugar for other reasons, be sure to check sugar content before buying yogurt. You also want to check the type of sweetener used, especially in light varieties, if you are avoiding certain sweeteners. The best way to control the amount of sugar is to buy plain, fat-free yogurt and blend in your own flavors by using fresh, canned, or frozen fruit, granola, jams, etc. My favorite is to blend sugar-free strawberry jam with plain yogurt and sprinkle on fat-free yogurt. You can also make your own yogurt at home in either a yogurt maker or crock pot. One of my favorite blogs, A Year of Slow Cooking, shares the directions for making yogurt in your slow cooker here.

On top of all the health benefits yogurt offers, Fiber One has gone a step above and added fiber to their yogurt, 5g per serving for 20% of your recommended daily intake. Plus, it is fat-free and only 50 calories, and most importantly, it tastes delicious. It is available in vanilla, strawberry, peach and key lime pie.

Now for the giveaway...



My Blog Spark and Fiber One are giving all of you a $1.00 off coupon, but that is not all. They kindly sent me the gift set shown above. It included a coupon for a free pack of Fiber One yogurt; an insulated lunch bag; a covered, divided dish; a 24-oz, covered cup with measurements on the side; and 2 nifty little all-in-one utensils (knife,fork and spoon all in one). The best part is they are giving me 3(!) identical sets to give to my readers. So here are the details:

Mandatory Entry:
- 1 entry for leaving a comment with your favorite yogurt "stir-in", yogurt recipe or at least your favorite yogurt flavor

Optional Entries:
- 1 entry for visiting Verizon My Fios contest page and voting for my video. It is listed as Danielle, New York. Include what number vote you were when you comment. Voting will also enter you in the Verizon contest to win a webcam. This can be done three times, once each day until 8/28.

- 1 entry if you become a public follower of this blog

- 1 entry if you subcribe to this blog

- 5 entries if you blog about this giveaway and post the link here. If you are not a blogger, feel free to post this on your Facebook page (if I am not already your friend, you will also have to ask me to be, so I can see it posted. I am on there as Danielle Parent Garcia)

The contest will remain open until Wednesday, September 1st at 11:59PM. I will use random.org to draw the winning comments. Winners will be contacted via e-mail and will have 48 hours to respond. If they do not respond, a new winner(s) will be chosen. Good luck!!