Benefits of yoghurt 1. Yogurt may help flatten the stomach. Eating 18 ounces of yogurt a day and you can reduce your waist size. Those who ate yogurt in large quantities when dieting, lost 22 percent of body weight and abdominal fat 81 percent, more than dieters who avoid snacks, according to research from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. They can also maintain a third more muscle mass, which can help your body burn calories and keep your weight, says nutrition professor and lead study author Michael Zemel, PhD.