Now I definitely do like yogurt.
And the fact that it’s supposed to be good for your gut bacteria is something I often justify to eating another bowl of yogurt.
But the yogurt that’s beneficial for you isn’t sweet:
Yogurt is not supposed to be sweet. When it’s natural, it has a tasty sour tang, because yogurt is the result of bacterial fermentation of milk.
So why are most yogurts you’ll find in a store today sweet? Because it sells better:
in the 1970s, Danone and other major yogurt companies started massive, long-term advertising campaigns to convince parents of the health benefits of yogurt for kids. To convince kids that yogurts were worth eating, they also had to keep adding more and more sweeteners to cover up the tangy, sour taste of fermented milk.
Other interesting tidbits from the article:
- yogurt is an $8.5 billion market in the US
- one seemingly innocent carton of yogurt can contain about as much sugar, at around 10 grams, as that contained in a Pillsbury cinnamon bun.
Good info! I’m eating healthy but often had flavored yogurt. Now I’ll try to switch to unflavored yogurt more often.
Solid advice. I gotta say I don’t like the sour taste of natural yogurt but I’m given that yogurt doesn’t really make me feel full maybe I can just avoid it all together. I’ve always thought that yogurt is beneficial because of the probiotics, but of course I can see that the sugar outweighs the benefits.
There’s actually some research about how yogurt can help you feel “full”. In general, it’s not the most filling food, but it still contributes to a feeling of satiety, and studies show that the proteins in yogurt can improve appetite control and reduce subsequent food intake. (source)
Hidden sugar in yogurt poses a serious health risk. As consumers, we must be aware ofthe presence of added sugar in seemingly healthy products and make informed choices. Read nutrition labels and opt for yogurt with no or low added sugar!
True!
I’ve been telling people this all the time and they just kind of nod and wipe it off their mind.
The power of marketing. Let’s not even talk cereals.