Full-fat Yogurt & Weight Gain

A question submitted to the Nutrition Mechanic:

“Should I be buying full-fat greek yogurt even though I’m not an endurance athlete? If so, will this cause weight gain?”

For the first question:

  • It doesn’t matter whether you are an endurance athlete. Full-fat yogurt can fit within your daily nutrition patterns so long as you have no (gut) intolerance to yogurt and you have no other aversions to yogurt.

  • Fuller fat yogurt not only provides a different mouthfeel (i.e., thicker, creamier), it provides more satiety. This is helpful for those who graze constantly because they don’t feel satisfied. Often times, the snacks being consumed in the grazefest are low in protein and/or fat. <— But if we eat more of these, we have more “sticking power” in our snacks!.

 
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For the second question:

  • Generally speaking, full-fat yogurt in and of itself won’t cause weight gain. Unless you are eating “enough” yogurt that it becomes the source of excess calories (and you are certain that yogurt is to blame for your excessive calorie intake!). Or, you hold all things constant in your daily life like a lab rat, you then consume an extra 250 calories per day of full-fat yogurt… it is likely you will experience “some” weight gain which is “likely due” to the yogurt (or actually, eating too many calories overall).

 
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Thanks for the question and hope that helps!

Got a Q for the Mechanic? Send it on over.
-Dina