Is Greek Yogurt Good For Bodybuilding?

If you’ve read my Chobani Flips review, you’ll already know I am a HUGE FAN of Greek Yogurt. But, I also am a bodybuilder, and I wouldn’t want to risk my muscles going away. So- Is Greek Yogurt Good For Bodybuilding?

Yes! By far, greek yogurt is one of the best foods for bodybuilding. In fact, I would personally call it the single best food for bodybuilding out there. With high calcium, high protein, and a good amount of carbs and fat. There just aren’t downsides to greek yogurt. And that’s not to mention the incredible health benefits, including gut health, that greek yogurt gives you.

But, let’s cover this a little further.

Tommy, Why Is Greek Yogurt Good For Bodybuilding?

I could honestly lists thousands of reasons that greek yogurt is good for bodybuilding.

So, let’s just start from the beginning, and probably the most important part. What is the nutrition associated with greek yogurt?

I already wrote a Chobani Flips review that discusses really in-depth about the nutrition in one of the best greek yogurts out there. So, I’m going to try and just use a ‘normal’ greek yogurt that doesn’t have candy. Just trying to assume what you (the reader) might buy.

  • Food: Chobani Vanilla Greek Yogurt with Mixed Berry
  • Serving size: 1 cup
  • Calories: 140
  • Protein: 10g
  • Fats: 2.5g
  • Carbohydrates: 19g

As you can see here, that nutrition is pretty incredible, to say the least. At barely 140 calories, you’re getting a ton of protein and a ton of carbohydrates.

So, let’s break this down further, step-by-step.

#1 – It Has Low Calories

I’ve always been someone to preach all about the high-calorie foods. If you’ve read my dirty bulking guide, you’ll know that I just love eating as much as I can to put on as much size as possible.

But, as I mentioned in my Is Chipotle Healthy for Bodybuilding? article, not everybody loves dirty bulking. And in fact, some bodybuilders may be trying to lose weight.

If you’re in a cut right now, you likely want some food that gives great macros, tastes great, and will keep you full. Greek yogurt is notorious for all of that. Greek yogurt will barely break the 200 calorie mark, leave you full for hours, and give you the necessary protein and carbs to recover from your workouts.

I mean like seriously, greek yogurt has always been a staple in my diet whenever I cut. You can eat so much greek yogurt for such little calories while getting filled up at the same time. Plus, it tastes really good.

I really can’t emphasize this enough. This is like a literal superfood at how low the calories are. It is my secret weapon when I am trying to lose weight.

#2 – Super High Protein

Look, we’re bodybuilders. Our bodies NEED protein. This just isn’t really a choice for us. Otherwise, you won’t be building muscle anytime soon.

Greek yogurt is able to provide a ton of protein. Sure, 10-20g isn’t “massive”, but it’s nothing to scoff at.

Most foods these days barely have any protein in them. And when it comes down to it, 10g of protein for 150 calories is actually a really good protein : calorie ratio. And if you’re eating multiple servings of greek yogurt a day, it will add up fast.

The thing is, greek yogurt works really well as a snack between meals or even as breakfast. This gives you a lot of protein to jumpstart your mornings after sleeping 8 hours- where your body needs protein as it just got starved while you slept.

Or, if you are going to class, sitting at work, whatever, it gives enough protein to ensure your muscles are constantly being rebuilt.

Rich Piana and Arnold Schwarzenegger always advocated eating frequent meals with a ton of protein to make sure you’re building muscle.

As Rich Piana said, “it’s like a constant IV-drip of protein into your bloodstream!”.

#2.5 – It’s Casein Protein, Which is Slower Digesting

Greek yogurt is actually what’s called “casein protein”. Casein protein is much slower digesting than whey protein.

This means that your body takes a longer time to process all of it and use the protein. For bodybuilders, this is important for many reasons.

First, if you’re going to bed, it’s crucial you have casein protein before bed. This means your body will slowly digest the protein over a longer period of time, meaning that your body will have a lower time in its catabolic state.

What you want to avoid is your body not having protein in the bloodstream. When your body detects there is little-no protein in the bloodstream, it starts breaking down muscle.

Now, this generally isn’t anything you have to worry about unless you’re on a cut. If you’re losing weight and your body doesn’t see protein in your bloodstream, it will break down the muscle.

Casein protein will be in the bloodstream longer, which helps stave away the muscle loss.

#3 – Crucial Carbohydrates

Everybody and their mother is always saying ‘how bad carbs are’.

In fact, if you google is greek yogurt good for bodybuilding, other people will say the same thing. “It has too many carbs!!!”.

Look, as someone who did the Keto diet and still recommends it to other people, there’s nothing wrong with carbs.

In fact, carbs are important for bodybuilders for two big reasons:

#3.1 – Power You Up Before a Workout

I always eat my greek yogurt as soon as I wake up. The protein gives a nice warm welcome to my bloodstream that has been desperately searching for a way to rebuild my muscles.

But, the carbohydrates are going to get digested and give me enough energy by the time I get to the gym.

When you’ve just slept, and everything in you is all readied up, you’ve taken your C4 Sport Pre Workout, and the carbs hit at once: EVERYTHING IS LIGHTWEIGHT.

I see a ton of people that mess up hitting a PR on their bench or squat because they just didn’t have enough energy in them, or they were tired from work. Seriously guys, take some time to just recover, make sure your diet is right, and try again.

The carbohydrates in the greek yogurt will give you more than enough energy to plow through your compound lifts early on in your workout. Furthermore, it will help you wake up and not be groggy in the gym.

#3.2 – Replenishes Glycogen Stores To Rebuild Muscles After a Workout

After you do a tough workout, your muscle’s glycogen stores are depleted.

In order to repair your muscles, your body will destroy other muscles to get the protein. However, if you eat carbohydrates right after your workout, they will actually restore the glycogen stores themselves.

This means your body will just use all that protein to build the muscles instead.

The greek yogurt is a great balance of everything after a workout. First, you get a ton of carbs to restore your muscle’s glycogen stores, with a great balance of protein to start building the muscles afterward.

#4 – High Calcium

Greek yogurt is dairy, so it has tons of calcium in it.

Something people don’t talk about in bodybuilding is that it’s not all muscle strength, but bone strength.

Bones are apart of our skeleton and support everything we do. Many bodybuilders first read the incredible benefits of Cardio While Bulking, but don’t have enough calcium in their diet.

Then they end up taking the good ol’ Shin Splints or Stress Fracture quiz because they hurt so bad.

This can simply be remedied by having enough calcium in your diet. Many bodybuilders don’t realize that when they are lifting heavier weights, it puts more stress on the bones.

Your bones do have to be stronger to support the weight you’re benching, deadlifting, etc. Otherwise, you’re going to literally snap like a twig.

Having calcium in your diet will ensure that you don’t end up having problems like this, I can’t imagine having your arm snap mid-bench is too ideal.

#5 – Good For Your Gut Health

I know, this is kinda TMI information. But bodybuilders are generally known for not having the best gut health.

Stuffing so much food in your body constantly while putting your body under immense stress to grow muscle doesn’t do it a lot of good. Unfortunately, this means your gut health will suffer as a result.

Greek yogurt actually remedies this. Greek yogurt has a ton of probiotics in it, that help make your gut health better. Furthermore, greek yogurt is fairly easy on your stomach.

If you’re still confused, which I can completely understand (I’ve had IBS for years so it’s common knowledge to me), here’s what happens:

The probiotics in greek yogurt actually create a healthier gut flora. In your gut, you have a ton of bacteria that determine how well you digest food and what you like to eat. When it has primarily good bacteria, you end up feeling better and having normal digestion.

However…if this ever goes out of balance…it’s really bad…

#6 – Tastes Incredible

Bodybuilding is a tough enough sport. There’s no need for us to force food down our throats that doesn’t taste good.

Greek yogurt tastes incredible. And if you want to get the greek yogurts with fruit or candies mixed in, go right ahead. The food itself is incredibly healthy and the great taste is a great incentive.

Conclusion of Is Greek Yogurt Good for Bodybuilding

Well, the results are in:

  • Incredible taste
  • Great benefits for your gut health
  • Awesome macros
  • Great calories
  • Mood benefits, health benefits

So, yes. Greek yogurt is incredibly good for bodybuilding. I would go as far as to say it’s the single best food you can get.

Now, buy some greek yogurt and see your muscles grow.

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