I eat yogurt almost every single day. It's such a great snack and an ideal option to bring to work or on the go as a quick pick-me-up during the day. Recent research is showing that yogurt can be beneficial to your diet and may even help with weight loss.

A study conducted by the University of Tennessee in 2005 wanted to determine the effects dietary calcium could have on obesity. The research group consisted of 35 obese subjects who followed a calorie-reduced diet. Half of the participants consumed minimal amounts of calcium while the other half consumed three servings of yogurt a day. At the completion of the study both study groups lost weight, but the group how consumed yogurt lost 61% more body fat and 81% more abdominal fat.The yogurt group also maintained lean muscle mass.

When people are trying to lose weight dairy prodcuts are usually the first thing they cut from their diet. This study shows that low- fat versions of dairy products such as yogurt can fit into your diet and may help to enhance your weight loss. If you’re trying to lose weight make sure to choose the low fat or light versions of cheese, milk, or yogurt. If you’re looking at a block of cheese always try to find cheese which contains a low percentage of milk fat (it’s usually listed as % MF).