Can athletes eat yogurt after and before training, the benefits and harm of yogurt for the body

How to choose a healthy yogurt? What benefits does the fermented milk product carry? What to pay attention to when buying?

We understand together with the doctor.

Yogurt filled the shelves of supermarkets, and their variety is amazing. Everywhere brightly colored labels with the inscription “tasty and useful”. It is hard to argue with the first statement, but how many benefits do these beautiful jars with fermented milk products have?

CITILAB clinical laboratory diagnostician

The main rule of healthy nutrition, which especially concerns athletes, is to always read the composition and shelf life.

When choosing yogurt, the doctor advises to pay attention to three aspects.

Composition

Live. This is a yogurt that has lactobacillus in its composition. Shelf life of such a product – from 7 to 30 days.
Non-living. Produced with the use of heat treatment, pasteurization. Shelf life – up to 1 year.

Filler

Natural (without sweeteners, flavor enhancers, concentrates). The basis of such yogurt is milk and starter. Milk is most often used skimmed, which somewhat reduces the useful properties of the product. Many in the pursuit of a thin waist refuse fat, but in dairy products it helps to assimilate calcium.
Fruity (with the addition of pieces of fruit, berries, jam and syrup). The downside of improved flavors is increased sugar content and the use of unnatural ingredients.
Flavored (the composition contains flavorings, preservatives, thickeners). The low cost of producing such yogurt equals its low usefulness. However, if natural flavorings are used, yogurt can be safely bought.

Method of preparation

Thermostatic. The fermentation and ripening of the product takes place directly in the container itself at a temperature of 20-40°C for several hours in a thermostatic chamber. This method of production allows you to preserve more useful qualities of yogurt and eliminates the use of starch and preservatives. Such a product has a denser texture.
Tank. The process of souring takes place in large containers, where the starter is added to the milk, and then poured into containers. It is poured, because with this method the product gets a more liquid consistency. This method is economically more favorable for manufacturers, but in this case it is possible to use thickeners and preservatives.

Is the product useful for athletes?

Since yogurt is a source of milk protein, it is also called a natural anabolic. This applies only to the live product, because the microorganisms in its composition preserve the anabolic state and in the stomach, restoring the microflora. In addition, natural yogurt is a source of calcium, which has a direct effect on cellular metabolism. Another important characteristic is caloric content and the ratio of proteins, fats and carbohydrates.

Boris: The main rule of healthy eating, which is especially relevant to athletes, is to always read the composition and shelf life. The simpler the composition and shorter shelf life, the more natural the product. The label should bear the mark of the National Association of Live Yogurt Cultures. This organization monitors the correct amount of microorganisms in the product.