Yogurt ... - Roseville,CA

Don't be completely scared of carbs, you need to eat good carbs to help fill you (aka, fiber) so you can last longer w/o going mind numbing hungry. Try flavoring your yogurt w/agave nectar (Whole Foods has some that's actually naturally flavored w/raspberry, amaretto etc...). Also, try greek yogurt instead of just run of the mill plain yogurt. If you need help w/your meals, here is a website that could help you www.totallyhealthyrecipes.com

Add a tsp or 2 of honey...YUM...especially if you go with the plain Greek yogurt!

if you just want to add something to what you currently do to sweeten it up, you could add a little of something like truvia- it's a no calorie sweetener, but it's natural, not like saccharin or something. It even comes in little packets.

If you're just trying to get used to things less sugary sweet (good for you! I'm trying, too) another thing you might try is to add cherries. I add frozen cherries to smoothies because they are so naturally sweet. I love strawberry flavor, but don't always like to tartness. Cherries are just sweet. The frozen ones are already pitted, if you just let them thaw they get nice and juicy. Good luck to you!

I love greek yogurt with some agave nectar and lots of fresh berries. Greek yogurt is better for you than regular and has way more protein.

I like my OIkos strawberry yogurt and I think it is healthy!

Another vote for vanilla Greek yogurt, tastes great and has higher protein than other types. I like to have oatmeal, steel cut or regular, with yogurt on top, just a little honey or maple syrup, and some nuts and raisins. Sometimes I have this for dinner!

Grape Nuts in yogurt is good plus it has about 7 grams of fiber.

J. F.

I put a lot of different fruit in mine. Strawberries, grapes, apples, peaches, whatever's in season. Canned peaches in a pinch. I love to add nuts (walnuts or almonds) as well.

One thing about having a sweet tooth is that I think you need to challenge yourself a little bit to try to get used to non-sweet stuff. Maybe start off slowly, like mix in some plain yogurt with your vanilla. The more sweet things you eat, the more you crave it. That's why artificial sweeteners are not the ideal solution if you want to retrain your palate to enjoy foods with more complex/less sweet flavors.

I eat yogurt every morning and love it, but I refuse to try plain. I used to buy individual flavored yogurts (my favorite is raspberry) but mostly eat vanilla or blackberry. If I'm eating vanilla yogurt, I add frozen blueberries to it and I have to cut myself off--it tastes like dessert to me. I also love vanilla yogurt plain. I have to eat a lot of carbs throughout my morning or I won't make it through the day. :)

I know you're asking about yogurt and you got some great responses, but I thought I would share with you some other tips that help with blood pressure. (My apologies if this is off-topic to you and you already know this :) )

DASH Diet - from the National Institutes of Health. This isn't a 'diet' that is a fad or wacky but a lifestyle plan that can help lower overall blood pressure. You don't have to buy any special products, just modify what/how you eat. It will help with all aspects of meal planning and can be found here:
http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/hbp/dash/new...

And...my favorite foods to help the heart and lower blood pressure are steel cut oats, oatmeal, sweet potatoes, bananas, spinach, broccoli, kiwi, cantaloupe, and bananas.

I had high blood pressure 140-150s/100-110s and through NOTHING but modifying my diet and adding exercise, I dropped it to 100-110s/60-70s. You totally can do this :)

Hi, one of my favorite yogurt 'dish' is -
1 cup plain yogurt (believe it or not, I make yogurt at home - from whole milk)
1 tsp brown sugar
1 cup sliced fruits (bananas, apples, oranges, strawberries - any combination)
a palm-full of slivered almonds, or raisins
a dash of lemon extract
my hubby and I both enjoy this a lot!

PS: Homemade yogurt can be consistently creamy and smooth, and one can control the level of tartness in it. By removing the layer of cream than accumulates on the top of yogurt that has been allowed to set, we can also do away with the 'fat' part of yogurt.

PS2: I usually try to avoid canned fruits - since they mostly come soaked in sugar syrups. Fresh fruits are best!

Liquid stevia glycerite is a great natural sweetener and doesn't have the weird tast of a lot of stevias. Order it online or in your health food store. NOW has a stevia glycerite that is great. It will only take a few drops. Don't use splenda. You're only inviting other health problems.

So you have a lot of responses already, so please excuse me if I repeat someone. :)
I have a yogurt smoothie almost every morning. I always use plain, non-fat greek yogurt. Check your labels. Some will say 'greek style' or other such thing. The real greek will have 20grams or more of protein per cup. Protein is very important in the morning. The other 'must' is a small banana. Loads of fiber, potassium, etc. and it absolutely makes the texture of your smoothie. They just aren't the same without it. :) From that base you can do a lot. I by large bags of frozen mixed berries at Costco at an excellent price. I also usually add a tablespoon of unsweetened cocoa. The banana is more than sweet enough to cover for the cocoa, and the smoothie tastes like a chocolate covered berry. Or go tropical and add frozen pineapple and some coconut. Mango, peaches, etc. My daughter likes chocolate orange. I use frozen banana chunks (I freeze them over night), a spoonfull of frozen concentrated orange juice (yes, right out of the freezer) and some cocoa. Get creative! Boredom is a diet killer.
You can still add your wheat germ, etc. I use ground flax and quick oats. The blender really takes care of getting it all smooth.
V8 V-fusion is a blend of fruit and veggie juices, 100% juice, no sugar or nonsense, and is great for thinning out a smoothie that is too thick. I buy several bottles when it is on sale. They store in the pantry or garage for a long time.
One thing to remember. You do need some fat in your breakfast. Not a lot, but your body doesn't absorb other nutrients as well without some good fat. If I have an avocado around, I eat a few slices while making the smoothie. Or a spoonfull of peanut butter. I have a freind that has a spoon of olive oil straight up! Not for me, but she likes it. :)
Have fun getting healthy!

Have you tried plain greek yogurt? I hate regular plain yogurt, it's too sour for me, but for some reason plain greek yogurt is just fine. Trader Joe's brand is good, but I've recently discovered FAGE brand, and it's even better. I like to put cut up banana's in it with a little Kashi GoLean Crunch (it's less carbs than granola, but gives you that granola crunch, and it has a lot of protein).

.

Believe it or not, plain yogurt is my favorite snack - I eat it almost every day. First, try different brands of plain yogurt. Some are tangier than others. Some are thick, others runny. Find out which appeals to you best. I actually eat a goat yogurt called Capretta. The company is from your area I think so you might find it at your local store.

I add fruit - in the winter a bosc pear is my favorite and this time of year it's strawberries and blueberries. Then I add some chopped raw walnuts and raw unsalted sunflower seeds. Finally, I add about a 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon. Delish!

well, yogurt flavored lightly is still good healthy yogurt. have you tried greek? even the non-fat is rich, creamy and yummy.
i do indulge in low-fat flavored yogurt, but i also keep lots of plain non-fat greek yogurt around, and dress it up. one of my favorites is to lightly toast walnuts in just a bit (just a bit!) of butter, salt and sugar, then toss them into the yogurt with agave syrup and chopped dates. if i'm being REALLY decadent i'll throw in a few ghirardelli white chocolate chips.
granola carbs are GOOD carbs! throw a little into your yogurt and enjoy the crunch!
khairete
S.

Wow, It sounds very healthy.
I have been off the sugar thing for a few years now and I use sugar free syrups from DaVinci. (Made with splenda)There are lots of flavors you wouldn't believe .I add it to so many different things.ie; Yogurt, ice cream, coffee, slushes, shakes, desserts .0 fat, 0 carbs.,0 sugar . visit www.davincigourmet.com I've bought them at Marshall's, Ross, TJ Maxx, and lots of other stores for about 5.99 for a large bottle. a little bit goes a long way.
You won't be disappointed. Happy eating. KarenP

One of my favorite things to do with vanilla yogurt was to slice strawberries and canned pineapple into it. Oh man I miss that! I have developed an intollerance to pineapple and never get to have it now. Its also really good with cottage cheese.

Get the Greek yogurt as it has 2X the amount of protein and will keep you fuller longer. Also keep eating the plain .... your taste buds will adjust - the flavored stuff (the low fat "fit" kind!!) can have up to 34 grams of sugar... that's how much is in a Snickers... Seriously, check out teh sugar in the 'lite' yogurts you will be horrified. Plain Greek has like 9 grams!

What I do is put a little bit of no sugar added pineapple juice in to sweeten it - it works REALLY well. You can either use the big cans and add some of the pineapple too or just buy the little cans (I think they use them in bars) and just add the juice. Either way make sure it's just juice and no syrup and you only need a little bit.. You will start liking it more as your body adjusts to a healthier lifestyle. Good luck!

Yes, use Xylitol instead of sugar. Our dentist recommended it for our kids b/c it prevents and reverses tooth decay, but it tuns out it's great in other ways too. Tastes just like sugar, but less calories and doesn't spike blood sugar. We sweeten plain yogurt with it and make agua fresca with it (frozen mango, strawberries, xylitol and water in blender)

Vanilla, almond, or any other flavor extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, banana, blueberries, raspberries. You can take your palin yogurt and mix it in the blender with any of the above so you creat your own falvored yogurt. It's also cheaper to buy larger containers at a time. Good luck!

My favorite yogurt breakfast is:

1 cup of plain lowfat yogurt
1/2 banana sliced
1/4 cup of berries (raspberries or blueberries are my favorite)
1/4 cup Wheaties fuel cereal
1/2 - 1 tablespoon or so of Maple syrup

It's really yummy!

Hi V.,

I was just introduced to a juice that lowers blood preasure, sugar level chlorestrol. They have studies on it.

If you are interested in learning more email me and I will send you info.

Have a good weekend.

N.
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