Eating Greek Yogurt Every Day Has An Unexpected Effect On Your Cholesterol – Health Digest

If you like the taste, texture, and tang of yogurt, you’re probably a fan not just of regular yogurt but of Greek yogurt as well. Featuring a thicker consistency and distinctive tartness, Greek yogurt is a treat for your mouth and stomach. And it may be an asset to your cardiovascular health, too. 

Greek yogurt contains a hefty amount of gut-healthy probiotics. As it turns out, probiotics may provide assistance in lowering cholesterol. That’s good, because when your cholesterol levels are kept in check, you can lower your risk of developing heart disease. In a 2023 review published in Cureus, researchers examined the relationship between probiotics and cholesterol in studies that focused on participants with metabolic syndrome. After regularly ingesting probiotics through food or supplements, the majority of the participants experienced a drop in their low-density lipoprotein (LDL) “bad” cholesterol readings, as well as their triglycerides.

The findings of the 2023 review in Cureus led to the conclusion that probiotics like those in Greek yogurt could be beneficial for people with high cholesterol. A 2020 review in the Journal of Functional Foods came to similar conclusions about probiotics and declining LDL cholesterol levels. In all the trials that were evaluated, probiotic consumption seemed to be connected with a decrease in LDL cholesterol. Moreover, per the review authors, when probiotics were taken for more than six weeks, the probiotics’ cholesterol-lowering effect seemed to be more promounced.

Does this mean that yogurt doesn’t support better levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) or so-called “good” cholesterol? Not necessarily. A 2021 study in Clinical Nutrition ESPEN weighed the cholesterol-reduction effects of dairy-based yogurt versus non-yogurt dairy foods in more than 192,000 U.S. military members. The outcome showed that routinely eating yogurt made from dairy sources seemed to be good for HDL cholesterol, but that eating non-yogurt dairy foods didn’t have the same impact.

At this point, you might be wondering if traditional yogurt (which is also filled with probiotics) could produce the same heart-healthy outcomes. A 2014 trial in the Journal of Research in Medical Sciences looked at the way both types of yogurt affected cholesterol in adults with type 2 diabetes. As it turns out, both kinds of yogurt brought down LDL cholesterol, although triglycerides and total cholesterol remained stable.

However, you may still want to opt for Greek yogurt over conventional yogurt, as it offers more protein. According to Healthline, an eight-ounce serving of plain Greek yogurt packs in 24 grams of protein. In comparison, plain conventional yogurt has 13 grams of protein. Consuming plenty of good-for-you protein (such as from low-fat dairy sources like Greek yogurt) can be yet another way to improve your cardiovascular performance and protect your body against heart attacks, strokes, and related conditions.