What are the Health Benefits of Plain Yogurt?

Plain yogurt provides excellent nutrition and health benefits. Its nutrition facts include its high content of calcium and proteins. It aids digestion and boosts immunity.

Yogurt is a very popular food across the world. It can be eaten as a snack or with your meals. It is a highly nutritious food packed with calcium. Plain yogurt is prepared by adding bacterial culture to the warm milk and incubating it for a few hours. It is highly delicious as a snack. It can also be mixed with fruits to increase its taste and nutritional value. The bacterial culture in yogurt helps the body to absorb the nutrients better. 

Photo by Sifu Renka Under Creative Commons Licence

Yogurt for Digestion   

 Some people cannot drink milk because they have lactose intolerance or a protein allergy. The culturing of milk makes yogurt easier to digest. 

Yogurt and Calcium

Yogurt is one of the best available sources of natural calcium. 250 ml of milk contains about 500 mg of calcium. An adult requires about a gram of calcium every day. Yogurt can also increase the absorption of calcium by the body. Culturing milk breaks down sugar lactose into glucose and galactose. They can be digested easily.

Protein and Yogurt

Protein is essential for muscle growth, digestion and creation of antibodies. Cultures present in yogurt help the body to absorb protein. 

Colon 

Yogurt can help to promote colon health according to the pediatrician Dr. Sears. Yogurt contains lactobacteria, the bacterial culture to promote the health of colon. They lower the chances any colon disease. Calcium present in yogurt does not allow excess growth of cells on the colon lining.  It reduces the chances of colon cancer.

Yogurt and Immunity 

Yogurt helps to boost the overall immunity of the body. Gastro intestinal tract contains friendly bacteria.  Probiotic yogurt helps to multiply these bacteria. This helps to boost the immune system and ward off diseases. 

Yogurt and Yeast Infection

Eating yogurt can boost the population of friendly bacteria inside the body. These bacteria can help to destroy yeast and get rid of the vaginal yeast infection. Yeast is a kind of fungus. Friendly bacteria in the body destroy this fungus.

Yogurt for Skin Care

Lactic acid present in yogurt is good for skin care. It helps to prevent dry skin and facial wrinkles. Yogurt can also be used as face mask. It helps to remove dead skin clogging the pores. Just apply plain yogurt to the face and wash it off after 30 minutes.

With its antibacterial and anti-fungal properties yogurt can help to get rid of acne. It can also help to get of acne scars as it contains zinc. 

Plain yogurt is a very good remedy for sunburn. It is also a very good remedy for age spots and skin discoloration.

These are some of the health benefits of plain yogurt

How to Make Your Hair Thicker Using Coconut Oil

Coconut oil proves excellent nourishment for the hair and helps to make your hair thicker, soft, smooth and shiny. 

Hair loses its natural oils with exposure to sun, pollution and shampoo. Hair dryers can also dry up natural oils.  Coconut oil helps to rejuvenate and revitalize hair. It has been extensively used for hair care for thousands of years. It provides excellent nourishment for hair and hair roots. It penetrates the hair shaft and promotes the health of hair follicles. Coconut oil helps to prevent loss of protein content of the hair by shampoo. It makes hair soft and shiny. It promotes hair growth and helps to make your hair thicker.

A Rare Twin Coconut

Hair is made of dead protein filaments. The major component of hair is called keratin. The cells inside the hair follicles under the skin are the only part of hair that is alive.

It is necessary to wash your hair frequently to keep it clean. Coconut oil helps to prevent the loss of hair. It is also a very good remedy for dandruff, split ends and thinning hair. It helps to prevent baldness.

Fatty Acids

Coconut oil is a rich source of fatty acids like linoleic acid, oleic acid and caprylic acid. It is a very good emollient. It provides the necessary moisture for hair and is especially good for dry hair.

How to Use Coconut Oil

Keep the bottle of coconut oil in a glass of warm water, till the oil melts. Rub the oil gently to your scalp with a massage. Cover it with a towel before going to bed. It can be washed off with shampoo next morning.

Coconut Oil as Hair Conditioner

As coconut oil contains proteins that promote hair growth. It can be used as a hair conditioner. Massage warm coconut oil to your scalp just before shampooing. It helps hair to retain its natural oils.

Coconut Oil with Lemon

Add a few drops of lemon to coconut oil and apply it to your scalp. Wash it off after half an hour. It will help to reduce gray hair and give a darker tone to the hair. It will also help to get rid of the dandruff.

Coconut oil for Lice

It can also get rid of lice, as it can kill both adult lice and eggs. Apply warm coconut oil to hair and shampoo it after some time. Comb your hair after it is dry. Repeat the process several times.

It has excellent antimicrobial properties and is a very good remedy for scalp infections.

Coconut oil is cost effective and is the best known hair tonic available. It promotes hair growth and helps to make your hair thicker. 

High Protein Peanuts for Health

Peanuts are very good for health as they have a high protein content. They helps to boost energy levels. They also have a high fiber content 

Peanuts are grown in Brazil, India, Africa and China. Peanuts come in several varieties. The plants grow 30 to 50cm tall. Peanuts mature underground even though they originate on the stem. They are from the legume family and not from the nut family. Some of the common varieties are Virginia, Valencia, Spanish and Runner. They contain high levels of magnesium, fiber, folate, vitamin-E and copper. They are also rich in omega 3 fatty acids. Peanuts and peanut butter help to prevent heart disease. There are a variety of health benefits of peanuts

Peanuts

Source: Wikimedia Commons: H. Zell

Peanuts for Weight Gain

Peanuts are rich in protein. They are also are high in calories and fat content. It is a very good food for body builders and people who are weak. It helps people who are under weight to add weight. It boosts energy levels. It should be eaten in moderation to prevent weight gain 

.Other Health Benefits of Peanuts

• It contains small quantities of calcium and vitamin D. It is good for the bones and teeth
• As it contains good quantities of fiber, it promotes gastrointestinal health. It prevents the formation of gallstones
• It helps to protect the heart from clogged arteries and lack of oxygen
• Peanuts contain an antioxidant called polyphenol. Roasting increases the levels of polyphenol. It contains higher levels of antioxidants than apple, beetroot and carrots
• Peanuts are a rich source of monounsaturated fats which help to reduce blood cholesterol levels
• It contains niacin which protects against Alzheimer’s disease and other age related cognitive problems
• Peanuts also contain vitamin E, an antioxidant which helps to reduce the risk of cancer and cardiovascular disease
• It is rich in bioflavonoid resveratrol which increases the blood flow to the brain and prevents strokes
• It is a rich source of fiber which helps to reduce the risk of colon cancer
• It makes an excellent snack for people with Type 2 diabetes as it helps to avoid a severe insulin response. It levels out sugar spikes. The chance of developing Type 2 diabetes is reduced by eating peanuts regularly

These are some of the important health benefits of peanuts

Peanut Health Risks

• People allergic to peanuts should not eat it
• People with kidney and gall bladder problems should avoid it
• Peanut contains goitrogens which occurs naturally in some foods. This can interfere with thyroid functioning. So people with thyroid problems should avoid it

These are some of the health benefits of high protein peanuts