Hope you are having a great week. It is officially December!!!
This topic was at the forefront of my mind today, as I am weaning a special lady I am working with right now off her yogurt habit.
Wait you might say! Isn’t yogurt healthy? Well of course we all think so with signs like the huge banner (above) at Wholefoods I saw this morning.
Let’s start off by talking about probiotics. Probiotics, or good bacteria, are beneficial and very important to include in our diet. They exist in many cultures, such as in kimchi from Korea and unpasteurized kefir in Russia. Some of the many benefits of probiotics include helping to keep our systems in balance, keep toxicity in check, improve our synthesis of B Vitamins, strengthening our immunity, supporting digestion and helping to eliminate yeast issues.
However, just because a food contains probiotics doesn’t mean it is automatically healthy or beauty-boosting. My friends that frequent my blog here know that I in no way support the consumption of dairy products. Any dairy product. So guess what- yogurt is a dairy product! Yes it does contain probiotics, but it is also acid-forming in the body, and an acid imbalance in the body has actually been shown to cause a loss of calcium from our bones, leading to conditions like osteoporosis (ironic isn’t it, because you always hear the opposite about dairy products. But we have to look at absorbability and the net overall effect of a food, not just what is listed on the nutrition label). Dairy is also highly mucus-forming, which means that it is a clogging food. Any yogurt you buy in a store is going to be made with pasteurized milk, so your body will have to use a ton of energy to break it down.
I feel so strongly about it that I have a whole section in my upcoming book (!) about avoiding dairy. In my opinion, it is a highly aging food that destroys beauty. And you can be sure that I pull all my actors off it immediately.
So… um, no, I don’t recommend dairy yogurt!! There are so many other, better probiotic-rich choices that don’t have all those negative qualities! I do recommend probiotic supplements, consuming raw sauerkraut and other raw, cultured vegetables and high quality and non-pasteurized kimchi.
I also like this coconut milk-based yogurt from a brand called So Delicous. It is dairy free and soy-free, and it tastes pretty good. It is sweetened with cane sugar, so there are no scary artificial sweeteners or agave in it, thank heavens, otherwise it would be on the outs too. 🙂 While it isn’t as pure as say, just eating plain durian, I think in this case the goods outweigh the negatives and I’ve been using it with my clients as a great transition and alternative.
But remember you should start a regiment of making Green Smoothies everyday (save yourself some time by storing them!), not any form of yogurt. The yogurt can come later in the day.
Have a great weekend!
Love, Kimberly
Oh this is great to know. I’ve been successful staying away from yogurt lately and frozen yogurt but not cheese. I know, I know! I’ll give this a try and try to opt of of my cheese fetish. Thank you so much for the suggestion! I had no idea that they even made a coconut yogurt, amazing 🙂 Now are there any ‘cheese’ alternatives that you approve of?? I really want to try and get dairy out of my life bt honestly I’m really struggling with this one.
Thanks again! ;D
Try the Daiya cheese brand! 🙂
Kimberly,
What about all the saturated fat in coconut yogurt?
I switched to plain organic soy yogurt, because it has zero saturated fats and the coconut yogurt has 6 grams in one container.
I have been vegetarian for 32 years and vegan for the last 10 years. I love your blog. What an interesting and exiciting life you have!
Hi Marge,
Thanks for leaving a comment! The saturated fat in coconuts is cholesterol-free, unlike the saturated fat in animal products. The fat in coconut oil is made up of medium chain fatty acids, which are good for the thyroid..
I recommend giving up the soy yogurt!! There are issues with that too.
Come visit me again,
xx Kimberly
What are your thoughts on kefir?
Goat kefir is more easily digestible, but if you can get coconut kefir that is awesome.
I’m so glad you did this post. I know there are some folks out there who don’t eat dairy in general but will eat yogurt simply to get the probiotics you are referring to in a more “natural” form than a supplement.
Can kombucha be considered a form of probiotic along with the other alternatives you’ve listed? I love kombucha and am wondering if I may also need to start adding raw sauerkraut or kimchi to my daily food intake…?
As always, thanks so much for the insightful post!! I can’t wait until your book is released – I’d love to pre-order it if I can!
Thank you so much for this recommendation. I have an intolerance to the casein in milk so NO dairy for me now for some time. I did miss my Greek yogurt but now I have an alternative. You are the BEST Kimberly.
Linda, fabulous! I think you will really like it. 🙂
Take care of yourself!
xo
I love So Delicious coconut milk yogurt (the piña colada flavor is my fave!) and durian, too! Oh, and So Delicious cultured coconut milk (kefir) is pretty awesome, too. @Joi, I really like Dr. Cow Tree Nut Cheeses. Have you tried them, Kimberly?
How weird! I was thinking of asking you a related question!! I was thinking of adding in raw sauerkraut to my diet–do you have any brands you like? How much is enough?
So glad you’re home safe and sound after your cross country adventure–cannot wait for the book (already preordered it!)
Yeah…a book, I look forward to what you have to say. I’ve been a fan since I saw you on tv
From where I can buy this? It feels like this will save my US trip 😛
upcoming book!?!?! hooray!!
Thanks for this post…Just got back from supermarket and decided to experiment with sour cream for the first time…and here I am learning yogurt is on your banned list. Thanks will definitely be looking into the alternatives although I moved from NYC so I don’t have much Whole foods but very pricey independent health stores. Have a great weekend also!
Hi Kimberly, I read all your wonderful posts and have a question. I have systemic yeast problems and digestion problems also. I also have a hiatal hernia which complicates the indigestion. I’m trying to stay all raw with one portion of cooked a day. I do lots of green smoothies also but it’s challenging because I’m supposed to stay away from fruit and sugars. ANY SUGGESTIONS? Pam
Hi Kim! I love your blog and can’t wait for your book!! I beg you to do a kindle version as well. Like you, I travel for work quite a bit and rely on having my fave books, which I know yours will be, on my eReader. Many thanks for all that you do and share!!
Much Peace & Love!
Melanie
Hi Kimberly,
Thanks so much for this post. I have been trying to find non-dairy milk/yogurt and noticed that many contain carrageenan. I have read this could be a carcinogen and may have other side effects. Is this a safe ingredient?
Kimberly you are so inspiring. Thank you for sharing all this great knowledge. I wish I could apprentice under you. I love it when you validate the work and the choices I am already making for myself. I just gave this exact information to one of my new clients last night. You ROCK!
is there anything we can have with coconut yogurt?
I’m from Brazil, and is kind of surprise that we don’t have ( or is hard to find) coconut iorgurt here. There is any way to make it at home? With coconut milk or meat or anything?
Thank you a lot, you are great…. I follow your blog and all your tips!!!
Love your blog and I just started reading it! Question, what is your opinion of Greek yogurt, as well as Almond milk?
I make my own yoghurt either from milk or from Coconut milk.
Otherwise I do not use much dairy,never had.Milk is not healthy and we human’s are the only specie you drinks milk from another specie
Great recommendations – thanks Kim 🙂
Hi Kimberly, I currently live in Germany and would really like to try a coconut yoghurt but I can’t find it anywhere. Hopefully you can help.
YESSSS you’re writing a new book how exciting! Will it have more recipes in it I hope? When does it come out?? 🙂 yay!
Hi Kimberly, I’m a strict follower of your cleanse and so I avoid dairy. I’m also opposed to cane sugar so So Delicious is out… but I love yogurt and have been constantly looking for a substitution. However, the other day I saw lactose free yogurt and milk (made from cow milk) being sold at Whole Foods. I know it’s the lactose that makes dairy hard to digest so I was wondering if this is an acceptable sub? Would the hormones in the milk still problematic? Thanks for your time 🙂
Food industry applications, both of pure lactose and lactose-containing dairy by-products, have markedly increased since the 1960s. For example, its bland flavor has lent to its use as a carrier and stabiliser of aromas and pharmaceutical products. Lactose is not added directly to many foods, because it is not sweet and its solubility is less than other sugars commonly used in food. Infant formula is a notable exception, where the addition of lactose is necessary to match the composition of human milk.
Kimberly,
I was excited to try the SO Delicious cultured coconut milk in place of Greek yogurt in my smoothies, but was dismayed to see it contains carrageenan. I attempted a Whole 30 diet a while back and that was one of three things we were told to avoid altogether. I have read on may websites about the harmful effects of carrageenan. Just curious about your take on it.
Thanks,
Hilary