Say Yes to Yogurt
"Oh my God, I ate way too much this Eid."
"You think you ate too much? I can still taste the chicken biryani in my belches!"
Every post-Eid conversation moves along these lines in which food, overeating, nausea and gastric are all discussed. Probably with more unwanted information than expected, the three days of Eid, as much as it is a festive occasion, are described with the guilt of gluttony and the aftermath. But you can actually cut the conversation short. Not by interrupting rudely, or changing a topic- but by giving solutions to the problem. And one very helpful solution, believe it or not, is sour yogurt.
Firstly, let's not forget that yogurt is a dairy product, and hence, comes from milk. So yogurt-eaters get a dose of animal protein (about 9 grams per 6-ounce serving), plus several other nutrients that are available in dairy foods- like calcium, vitamin B-2, vitamin B-12, potassium, and magnesium.
Yogurt can very easily help cure your tummy-troubles. When "live and active cultures" is written on the container, it means that your yogurt has probiotics (good bacteria) that live in your digestive tract and discard harmful micro-organisms that can cause intestinal infections. Many yogurts now also contain special strains of probiotics that are meant to help control your digestion or build up your immune system. The research on this topic is still on-going and yet to be conclusive. If you suffer from a particular health problem, like bloating or diarrhea, both of which are so very prevalent after Eid, it's worth trying one of these products.
Now for everyone's favourite act of the yogurt- weight loss! Try consuming 18 ounces a day, and you can be sure to lose a whole pant-size. Yogurt can actually help one lose weight faster than skipping entire meals! It can also help you maintain your weight loss. Fat around your waist produces the hormone cortisol, which tells your body to gather more belly flab. When you eat yogurt, the calcium signals your fat cells to pump out less cortisol, making it easier for you to lose weight, while the amino acids help burn fat.
Along with all this, we must also remember that the special proteins in dairy, that is all available in yogurt, can help regulate blood pressure, and high levels of calcium, magnesium, and potassium contribute to the blood pressure-lowering effect.
No one is advising you to gulp down cans of yogurt every minute. But one meal in a day with yogurt involved, maybe a salad, with some deshi cereal (cheera), or even on its own straight from the can, can help cool down your stomach almost instantly. And making it a habit is one of the best things you can do for your own well-being.
The inclusion of yogurt in your diet will now actually help you and your loved ones enjoy Eid a little better. At least knowing that you have something to help you from feeling nauseated and overstuffed can put your mind at ease. So instead of having hour-long bloated discussions about it, mix some yogurt into the conversation!
Information source: fitnessmagazine.com