Photo by Collin Orcutt
Calling yogurt a dangerfood spurred some serious debate here at Greatist HQ. Don’t get us wrong, we love the stuff— just one cup has half your daily value of calcium which is essential for bone health and normal nerve function. Plus, it’s also got electrolytes and probiotics, which help protect the digestive tract from unhealthy bacteria. Those probiotics have also been linked to everything from preventing cancer and asthma to improving immunity (though scientists say more research is necessary).
But yogurt has a dark side, too. Much of what we pick up in delicious fruit-packed and fat-reduced flavors is packed with sugar. Yogurt starts off with a lot of natural sugars, but flavored varieties often add significantly more. And to differentiate between the two requires some serious label investigating. If ingredients like corn syrup, dextrose, fructose, fruit juice concentrate, and glucose are included, stay away— these are a sure sign there is added sugar! Instead, choose plain, low-fat yogurt (or Greek for extra protein) and add fresh fruit or a drizzle of honey.
The Takeaway: While yogurt has obvious benefits, it has its downsides, too. To avoid added sugars, opt for plain yogurt with fresh fruit.
Get Garlicky
Like yogurt, garlic is extremely good for you. It’s got antioxidants, and possibly even cancer fighting abilities. Try our Mexican-Garlic rub to give plain old meat a spicy kick.
Fun Fact:
The best way to prevent garlic from burning when sautéing (less of a concern in large vats of sauces and soups) is by adding it to the pan toward the end of the cooking.
