How Healthy is Your Yogurt?

Yogurt is a favorite go to food among dieters and is said to be a healthy snack. Yogurt comes in a variety of brands and flavors, but did you know eating yogurt could be putting a halt to your weight loss goals and much more?

When it comes to yogurt, there is a wide variety of choices which leaves it all too confusing to the consumer. We as consumers tend to fall victim to glossy ads and claims that this so called healthy food is good for you. In reality this so called healthy food can packed with sugar.

The skinny on yogurt

Simply put, yogurt is usually made from cow’s milk, bacteria is then added to the milk; it ferments and thickens. Yogurt can then be flavored. To make the yogurt sweet, fruit, a flavoring agent and or sugar is then added. The extra sugar adds to the yogurt’s sweetness and assists in preserving its storage life.

Sugar content

Yogurt is said to be good for your digestive system and weight loss efforts. The choices of yogurt are limitless; you can select from light, plain or regular yogurt, fruit on the bottom or premixed with toppings. No matter what yogurt you choose, the one thing most of these yogurts have in common is a high sugar content.

Flavored and sweetened yogurts can contain 25-40 grams of sugar per serving. Even an unassuming plain yogurt contains approximately 11 grams of sugar per serving. Greek yogurt comes in at the lower end of the spectrum having approximately 7 grams per serving. And if you pack your child’s lunch or give them a healthy yogurt drink, an average kid’s yogurt snack can contain over 30 grams of sugar per serving.

What else should I know about my yogurt?

When you go to the grocery store keep this in mind:

  • Just because the yogurt says fat free doesn’t mean it contains zero calories. When something is fat free, it usually contains extra fillers and additives.
  • Even if the label says it’s all natural, it can still be highly processed and can contain chemicals.
  • Low fat yogurts are usually pumped with sugars and additives to make them taste good.
  • Yogurts that are low in sugar tend to be processed with additives and fillers to make them taste better.
  • Sugar free yogurt is sweeter because of its higher fat content.
  • If the yogurt states it is low calorie, it most likely contains some form of sweetening agents such as aspartame or high fructose corn syrup.

The laundry list of ingredients

Let’s step back from the sugar content and head to the yogurt aisle of our local grocery store. Here’s what else you can expect to find in any number of the yogurts on your grocery store shelf:

Artificial flavors and colors, carrageenan, gelatin, modified corn starch, and modified milk ingredients, pectin, sugar fructose sweeteners and sulphites to name a few.

Cause for concern

  • Studies have indicated individuals who consume the low fat varieties of their favorite food end up eating twice as much because they feel justified in doing so because of less guilt, which inevitably leads to weight gain.
  • The low calorie version usually has a substantial amount of sodium and is not good for individuals suffering from hypertension.

What about gut health?

Although, many claim yogurt is healthy for your digestion due to its good bacteria cultures and milk found in the yogurt, far too often companies add extra unnecessary microorganisms. Over consumption of good bacteria in the intestines can also have a negative effect which can lead to digestive issues that include abdominal cramping, bloating, diarrhea, and gas.

Chronic diseases

Yogurt is high in calcium which can be a good thing, but too much calcium if not properly absorbed can lead to kidney stones, calcium build-up in blood vessels, prostate cancer, and an impaired absorption of iron and zinc.

Inflammation

Lactose is known to cause inflammation throughout the body. If you are prone to inflammation consider reducing your yogurt consumption to two times a week. Individuals who suffer from chronic or severe inflammation of the joints, stomach lining and other symptoms including headaches might want to consider giving it up all together. To learn what other foods you should avoid, if you suffer from chronic inflammation click here.

Who can benefit from yogurt?

Eating yogurt has been found to be beneficial for the elderly population. Elderly individuals who ate or drank probiotic yogurt drinks while on antibiotics were less likely to have diarrhea. Yogurt also assisted in their absorption of nutrients from their food while on antibiotic.

What is the solution?

The bottom line as consumers we should be more aware of what we are eating. We should rethink sugars, stabilizers and ingredients that have been altered or modified.

Your best choice is a plain yogurt with fresh fruit on top. Consider opting for Greek yogurt which is lower in sugar and has twice as much protein.

If you are lactose intolerant, prone to inflammation, wanting to lose weight or concerned for your gut health eating an overall healthy wholesome diet, taking daily probiotics and consuming less calories than you expend will lead to weight loss; you don’t need yogurt to make that happen.

What’s in your favorite yogurt? We’d love to hear from you. Please leave a comment in the section below.

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