The Real Scoop on Yogurt

Consumers are becoming much more health conscious, and many companies are marketing and labeling their products to create a “healthy for you” lure. So, how do you really know what yogurt is best for your diet, and what is really inside the cleverly marketed packages.

Fat-free and low-fat doesn’t always mean “healthy for you.” In fact, sugar and other high caloric ingredients are often added to fat-free yogurt to enhance the flavor or texture. You might be eating as many calories, with some yogurts, as if you were eating a starchy snack. So, if you are counting calories, do not depend on the marketing lure. Instead, always compare the actual calories in each product While you are looking at the calories, check out the ingredients. Ingredients are listed in descending order. Usually, the first few listed ingredients are the ones that contribute most of the caloric content.

Try to avoid yogurts with high fructose corn syrup listed as a main ingredient. Some nutritionists may recommend high fructose corn syrup “in moderation.” But, there are problems with that recommendation. High fructose corn syrup is the most widely used sweetener for commercial foods. The typical American will consume over 315 calories (about 10% of their total daily calories) from high fructose corn syrup per day. 10% is not exactly moderation.

Other consumers may be concerned with artificial sweeteners. Light, reduced calorie, and sugar free yogurt will typically have an artificial sweetener in it. The manufacturer basically replaces the sugar calories by adding no calorie sweeteners like Splenda.

On the other hand, organic yogurt does not contain any artificial sweeteners, preservatives, or flavorings. The cows used to make the organic yogurt should also be free from artificial growth hormones.

One of the latest crazes in yogurt is the term “probiotics.” Probiotics are simply beneficial live bacteria. They naturally reside in our digestive tracts to fight off bad bacteria. But, with smoking, alcohol consumption, poor nutrition, antibiotic usage, etc.. the probiotic bacteria are destroyed, and then need to be replenished. Probiotics are nothing new to yogurt. In fact, for a yogurt to even be called “yogurt,” it must have two probiotic starter cultures (streptococcus thermophilus and lactobacillus bulgaricus) added to it. So, despite some great marketing from many new “probiotic” brands, all yogurt has at least two probiotics. Certain brands do add more cultures than others, and some add specific cultures that potentially aid in digestion.

Again, read the ingredients! There are several online medical dictionaries that can help you if you are unsure about what an ingredient is.