One thing I never turn down is yogurt. When I order a smoothie, I’ll happily have another one. If I’m feeling hungry, a bowl of granola never fails to satisfy me. Pita bread with tzatziki? Sure. Chocolate-covered pretzels vs. yogurt-dipped pretzels win every time.
Yogurt, whatever its form, seems like a healthy choice. Yogurt has long been hailed as a healthy, nutritious food — a panacea in the dairy aisle. Over the past 25 years, yogurt consumption in the United States has increased. 142 percentYogurt ticks all the boxes: It’s high in protein and has recently become a Particularly popular options Popular among people taking obesity medications and those looking for a filling snack, yogurt, known for its good bacteria, is emblematic of widespread interest in gut health. And in March, the FDA banned yogurt. Allowing brands to promote their ads Specific claims about an association with reduced risk of type 2 diabetes.
Yogurt is trustworthy. But much of the yogurt Americans eat isn’t all that healthy. Many of the low-fat and plain varieties in the dairy aisle are essentially desserts. Danone sells flavored yogurt with toppings, known as “York Ranch Cups.” M&Ms and Snickers piecesOne of the best-selling yogurts on Target’s website is the Chobani cup with cookie dough. They also have versions with other ingredients, like s’mores, mint chocolate chip, and cookies and cream. You might think they all resemble sundaes, and they are. The line between yogurt and ice cream is a lot blurrier than you’d think.
Yogurt is a fermented milk, but it is more than the sum of its ingredients. It contains the nutrients of milk (protein and calcium) as well as beneficial metabolites, vitamins and organic acids produced by certain types of bacteria. There is a reason why yogurt, and not milk, ricotta cheese or sour cream, is called a “health food.” French weight loss secretsPenny Kris-Etherton, professor emeritus of nutrition at Pennsylvania State University, told me that eating yogurt regularly can lead to better blood pressure and diabetes control, a stronger immune system, and better weight management.
It’s no wonder yogurt continues to sell well. But how much sugar, fat, protein, calcium and calories are in supermarket yogurt? WidespreadSugar flavorings and additives make it difficult to find ice cream equivalents, like squeezable cotton candy flavored yogurt ( Several (The brand offers:) One serving of Greek Gods Yogurt with Maple and Honey contains: The sugar of 5 OreosThese yogurts are commonly considered to be better than ice cream simply because they are made from fermented milk, but even that is debatable. Atlantic Last year, a major nutrition study found that the health benefits of yogurt and ice cream are surprisingly similar.
Even non-dessert yogurts can be laced with sugar. Chobani blueberry yogurt seems like a great breakfast option, but… 14 grams sugarNot all additives are harmful. Oikospro varietyYogurt with added protein has as much protein as three eggs or more. But for food marketers, yogurt’s claims are especially useful for giving a nutritional sheen to products that otherwise lack nutritional value. Yogurt’s association with many healthy properties helps “deliver a more balanced, indulgent product that is still a sweet treat.” report This was announced by CoBank.
But even low-fat, sugar-free yogurt isn’t always what it seems, and the usual health claims don’t “apply” to all products that contain those words. Yogurt “The reason yogurt has probiotics in its name is because it’s a yogurt,” Elena Comelli, an associate professor of nutrition at the University of Toronto, told me. Not all yogurt contains probiotics (live bacteria linked to gut health). Depending on how the yogurt is processed, particularly whether it’s been heat-treated, it may contain only small amounts of probiotics or none at all. Yogurt-dipped snacks like pretzels and raisins are also good choices. Yogurt is essentially frosting.
Some yogurts have probiotics added after production, so Chris-Etherton recommends looking for labels that state the product contains “live, active cultures.” Still, the number of live microorganisms in a product decreases the longer it’s stored, according to Komelli. And, as I’ve previously reported, it’s unclear whether the bacteria in probiotic yogurt actually have a meaningful effect on your gut. Not entirely clearThe probiotic effects of yogurt If anymay continue only If you eat it regularly.
Marion Nestle, a professor of nutrition at New York University, wrote“Yogurt seems to have achieved a marketing miracle: a hot-selling dessert with a health food aura.” Categorizing foods with a health aura is a convenient, at least people think it is, rule of thumb that helps time-pressed people make good food choices. Kale, quinoa, chia seeds, and yogurt make us feel satisfied with what we’re eating, especially if it actually tastes good. But if a food or nutrient has a “health glow,” people will eat anything associated with it: sugary protein bars, fatty plant-based burgers, kale chips.
Yogurt embodies the pros and cons of the American diet, which strives to maximize health without giving up junk food. “Healthy indulgence” has become an American necessity, spawning contradictory inventions like probiotic soda, keto gummy bears, and skinny margaritas. Perhaps we’d be more satisfied if it didn’t require so much hassle. M&M-studded yogurt doesn’t make you healthy; just enjoy it as a dessert.
