Yogurt and Pregnant Women

Yogurt and Pregnant Women
How Yogurt Benefits Pregnant Women
Eating the right foods can help you have a healthy pregnancy!
Although many nutrients are important during your pregnancy, protein and calcium are
some that top the list. Both are found in yogurt!
Protein and calcium help develop your baby’s bones and tissues. They also help build
up your blood supply, uterus, placenta, and other tissues.
Your growing baby’s needs take priority. If you don’t eat enough calcium, your body will
take it from your bones, which can lead to a loss of bone mass.
Pregnant females 18 and younger are still developing their own bone structure in addition
to their baby’s bone structure, so it is especially important to get enough calcium if you are
under 18.
Benefits of Yogurt
Most yogurts have calcium, potassium,
and vitamin D, which are important
nutrients for your bone health and are
not eaten enough by most Americans.
The protein found in yogurt is important
for your bone health.
Yogurt is a richer source of nutrients
than most types of milk.
Lowfat and nonfat yogurts contain less
saturated fat and are lower in sodium
than most cheeses.
Eating yogurt is associated with a
more balanced diet.
Eating one cup (8oz) of yogurt per day
can supply about 15%-45% of your
daily calcium needs and contributes to
your daily potassium intake.
Yogurt usually contains less lactose
than milk as well as live cultures that
help lactose digestion, so it can be a
source of necessary nutrients for
people who are lactose intolerant.
Live and
active cultures
Protein
Daily Source
of Calcium
The Facts: Yogurt, Fat & Sugar
Lowfat and nonfat yogurts are included in WIC packages because they are lower in cholesterol and saturated fat than
full fat yogurt.
Lowfat and nonfat yogurts provide less calories with the same amounts of calcium and other essential nutrients
comapred to full fat yogurt.
Plain yogurt has more nutrients than flavored yogurt and should be favored, but if you or your children are not eating
plain yogurt because of the tart taste, diced/pureed fruits can be added to improve taste, or flavored options can be
chosen.
Questions & Answers
How much dairy should I consume each day? - Among adult women, 3 servings of dairy are recommended. A serving of dairy
is: 1 cup of yogurt or milk, 1.5 oz cheese, or 1 cup pudding or frozen yogurt.
How long does yogurt last once opened, and why does liquid sometimes appear on top after it’s opened? - It is
recommended that yogurt be used within seven days of opening it. If the whey separates from the rest of the yogurt, liquid may
form on top of the yogurt. The liquid whey is safe to stir back into the yogurt to eat. Additionally, the fermentation process used to
create yogurt extends its shelf life in comparison to milk, so yogurt will last longer than milk after it’s made.
How can I make yogurt more fun for my child and myself? - Yogurt can be served with breakfast cereals, with fruit, in whole
grain pancakes, in smoothies, in marinades for meat and fish, in veggie dips, and many more recipes.
Visit http://www.dannon.com.category/recipes for more creative ideas!
What is the difference between Greek yogurt and regular yogurt? - Making Greek yogurt uses more milk than regular yogurt
because some of the whey (liquid) is removed to give it a thicker and creamier texture. On average, Greek yogurt has twice the
amount of protein of regular yogurt and has less lactose, which can be helpful for people who are lactose intolerant.
Takeaway
Yogurt is important for you to eat because it provides important nutrients needed for your
baby and your bone health!
References
1. Webb, et al. Nutr Rev. 2014;72:180-189. 2. NIH’s “Pregnancy, Breastfeeding, and Bone Health,” 2012. 3. FDA’s “Dietary Supplement Labeling Guide: Appendix C,” 2015. 4. Picciano. J Nutr. 2003;133(6):1997s-2002s. 5. Foster and
Shertzer’s “Nutritional Needs of Pregnancy and Breastfeeding,” 2009. 6. Lanham-New, et al. Nutrition Bulletin, 32(4), 364-377. 7. Baker, et al. Pediatrics.1999;104(5 Pt 1):1152-1157. 8. Sahni, et al. Arch Osteoporos. 2013;8:119. 9. USDA’s
“Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010.” 10. Heaney and Layman, Am J Clin Nutr. 2008;87(5):1567s-1570s. 11. Lomer, et al. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2008;27(2):93-103. 12. Wang, et al. Nutr Res. 2013;33(1):18-26. 13. USDA’s
Brought to you by
“ChooseMyPlate.gov,” 2015. 14. Rajapaksha, et al. International Journal of Scientific and Research Publications. 2013;3(6).