All-Natural Yogurt Nutrition

Yogurt can be a nutritious snack and is eaten in many parts of the world. It is a dairy product, made from fermented milk. Bacteria are added to the milk, which transform the sugar in the milk, named lactose, into lactic acid. Yogurt is rich in nutrients and essential minerals required by the body.

Calcium

• Not only do the live cultures in yogurt help to increase the absorption of calcium, but an 8-oz. serving of yogurt contains 450mg of calcium. This amount is about half of a child's recommended daily allowance, or RDA, and 30 to 40 percent of an adult's RDA of calcium.

Protein

• According to Bill Sears, M.D., 8 oz. of plain yogurt can contain 10g to 14g of protein, which is about 20 percent of the daily requirement for most people. Also, the active culture in yogurt helps in easier digestion of protein.

Phosphorus

• Yogurt is a good source of phosphorus. A plain, natural and low-fat yogurt contains 40 percent of the daily phosphorus requirement of an adult. Phosphorus helps in energy production and tissue growth, and helps regulate pH levels in the body.

Iodine

• Yogurt is rich in iodine, which is required for regulating hormones like thyroxine. These hormones are produced by thyroid glands, and they regulate the rate of metabolism. Sixty-eight percent of the daily adult requirement of iodine can be met by eating 150g of plain, natural, low-fat yogurt.

Vitamins

• Yogurt contains both water-soluble and fat-soluble vitamins. It contains several B vitamins, like riboflavin, which is vitamin B2, and thiamine, also known as vitamin B1. Fat-soluble vitamins are mostly vitamins A and E .