At breakfast or as a snack there are those who consume fruit yogurt, a fresh and light food considered healthier than sweets and snacks, for example. But is it really so? How to recognize good quality yogurt?
Don't store avocado like this: it's dangerousThere are those who consume at breakfast or as a snack fruit yogurt, a fresh and light food considered healthier than sweets and snacks, for example. But is it really so? How to choose one yogurt good quality?
As always, the means we have available to make the best choice is reading the label. In the case of fruit yoghurt, it goes without a doubt assessed the presence of sugar (which is usually quite consistent) but also the real amount of fruit used (in most cases very low). Attention also to those products that have a long list of ingredients and are enriched, for example, with aromas, thickeners or other substances that are not milk and live lactic ferments. Even where we find a generic "low-fat yogurt" written; this wording takes a little too much for granted that the consumer knows how this product is made according to the regulations in force.
But you better see for yourself.
Let's put it now comparing the best known and most used fruit yogurts, those that you probably also have at home or have ever bought.
To know better the properties and uses of yogurt also read:
- YOGURT: 5 CRITERIA FOR CHOOSING A REALLY HEALTHY
- HOME MADE YOGURT: GOOD, ECOLOGICAL AND DIET
- YOGURT: 10 EXTRAORDINARY ALTERNATIVE USES
- GREEK YOGURT: PROPERTIES, PECULIARITIES AND USES
- GREEK YOGURT: 10 EASY AND FAST RECIPES TO USE IN THE KITCHEN
- YOGURT CAKE: 20 RECIPES FOR ALL TASTES
Index
COMPARING LABELS
Fruit passion and raspberry - Müller
ingredients: Fermented milk (whole milk and live lactic ferments), Fruit preparation (water, raspberry juice from concentrate, sugar, raspberries, modified starch, lemon juice from concentrate, food gelatin, coloring vegetable concentrates (elderberry, carrot, black currant, grapes), aroma, acidity regulators sodium citrates, acidifying citric acid, emulsifiers E 472 b, foaming agents nitrogen), Concentrated skimmed milk, Sugar, Milk proteins, Grape sugar, Aroma
Wild fruit yogurt - Parmalat
ingredients: yogurt, fruit preparation (forest fruits 71%: blackberries – blueberries – raspberries – strawberries-elderberries in variable proportions; sugar, modified starch, acidifiers: citric acid, sodium citrate; flavorings). Berries equal to 10% of the finished product. Without Preservatives, Gluten Free
Activia Strawberry Smooth Yogurt - Danone
ingredients: Fermented milk with Lactobacillus bulgaricus, Streptococcus thermophilus and Bifidobacterium, 11% fruit preparation (sugar, glucose-fructose syrup, 10% strawberry puree, thickeners: E1442, E412; carrot and black currant concentrate, flavors, acidity regulator: E330), sugar 4,75%.
Yogurt all'ananas – Vitasnella
ingredients: low-fat yogurt, fruit preparation 13% (pineapple 65%, fructose syrup, oligofructose syrup, thickeners: E1422, E412, pectin; flavorings, sweeteners: acesulfame k, sucralose). It may contain traces of nuts and cereals containing gluten.
Low-fat peach yogurt - Mila
ingredients: Low-fat peach yogurt: yogurt (low-fat milk, live lactic ferments), preparation for peaches 17% (sugar, peach 43%, modified starch, acidity regulator: citric acid; flavorings). Gluten free
Yogurt all'albicocca – Yomo
ingredients: Whole yogurt (whole milk, specific live lactic ferments: Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactobacillus bulgaricus), apricots 10%, sugar.
Lemon yogurt - Granarolo
ingredients: Yogurt (high quality pasteurized fresh whole milk in compliance with DM185 / 91, specific live lactic ferments: Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactobacillus bulgaricus), Fruit preparation (sugar, lemon juice 4, 6%; thickeners: modified tapioca starch, pectin ; flavorings), May contain traces of cereals containing gluten and nuts
Coconut yogurt - Sterzing
ingredients: WHOLE YOGURT with lactic ferments, coconut preparation (sugar, dried coconut rapé 1,5% of the total, modified tapioca starch, flavorings, thickener: carob seed flour). GLUTEN FREE
Zymil strawberry and raspberry yogurt - Parmalat
ingredients: Yogurt (partially skimmed milk without lactose - less than 0% -, lactic ferments: L.bulgaricus, Str. Thermophilus), Fruit preparation (strawberry 1%, sugar, raspberry 45%, modified starch, concentrated black carrot juice , flavorings), Sugar, Strawberry equal to 15% in the finished product, Raspberry equal to 4% in the finished product, WITHOUT PRESERVATIVES, WITHOUT GLUTEN
Low-fat blueberry yogurt - Vivi Verde Coop
ingredients: Low-fat yogurt *, Blueberry preparation * 20% (sugar *, blueberry * 8% of the total, thickener: pectin), * organic, GLUTEN FREE
Banana yogurt - Vivi Verde Coop
ingredients: Whole yogurt * (whole milk *, live lactic ferments: Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactobacillus bulgaricus), Fruit preparation * 20% (banana * 11% in the finished product, cane sugar *, water, thickener: pectin, acidity regulator: acid citric, calcium citrate), Cane sugar *, organic *, GLUTEN FREE
Low-fat pistachio yogurt - Fattoria Scaldasole
ingredients: Low-fat yogurt ** 80, 3% (milk ** (fat <1%), lactic ferments: Streptococcus thermophilus, Lactobacillus bulgaricus), Cane sugar **, Corn glucose and fructose syrup **, Pistachios ** 1, 5%, Gelling agent: pectin, Acidity regulator: lactic acid and citric acid (from the pistachio preparation), Thickener: locust bean gum **, Natural flavors, ** Organic ingredients, * Total fat content 1%
COMPARATIVE TABLE
Now let's compare specifically the different yoghurts percentage of fruit, quantity of sugars, di saturated fats and proteins as well as the presence of other ingredients. This comparison table will make it easier for you.
To download the table click here
THE EXPERT'S OPINION
We asked Paola Assunta Buccarella, doctor and nutritionist, to give us some useful advice to choose a good quality yogurt. Here's what he told us:
"The basic elements of a quality yogurt (regardless of whether it is white or fruit) are: milk and two microorganisms, Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus, which allow the creation of yogurt through the fermentation process. Bacteria help strengthen the immune system by stimulating the intestinal bacterial flora and counteracting the activity of any pathogenic bacteria. The milk used to prepare yogurt is transformed by bacteria in order to increase its assimilation and therefore its digestibility. The best choice from a nutritional point of view falls on the natural white yogurt from whole milk, which can also be easily prepared at home, to which fresh fruit cut into pieces can be added on the spot ".
If instead we decide to buy it, here's what to pay attention to according to the indications of Dr. Buccarella:
- Read the labels carefully before purchasing: check expiry date and list of ingredients.
- Check the sugar content: better to avoid products with added sugars. Natural yogurt already has a fair amount of milk sugar, lactose (about 9 grams in a 170-gram jar, 7 grams in Greek yogurt). Avoid any product that lists sugar as a first or second ingredient but also products in which sugar is replaced with sweeteners such as fructose syrup, glucose syrup, dextrose, etc.
- The term "fat free" does not always mean low in calories. Often these yogurts contain a high amount of sugar or artificial sweeteners
- Finally, be careful not to confuse desserts, puddings or yoghurt ice creams with real yoghurt. In fact, these products undergo the pasteurization process which inactivates the beneficial effects of the active bacteria of real yogurt.
Read also the other comparisons already made on a series of commonly used food products:
- BREADSTICKS: WHICH AND HOW TO CHOOSE?
- HAZELNUT SPREADABLE CREAMS: WHICH AND HOW TO CHOOSE?
- HOMOGENIZED FRUIT: WHICH AND HOW TO CHOOSE?
- READY PASTA PASTA: WHICH AND HOW TO CHOOSE?
- JAMS AND JAMS: WHICH AND HOW TO CHOOSE?
- DARK CHOCOLATE: WHICH AND HOW TO CHOOSE?
- VEGETABLE NUT: WHICH AND HOW TO CHOOSE?
- READY PESTO ALLA GENOVESE: WHICH AND HOW TO CHOOSE?
- COMPARING COOKIES: WHICH COOKIES AND HOW TO CHOOSE?
- COMPARING RED ORANGE FRUIT JUICES: WHICH AND HOW TO CHOOSE?
You buy yogurt or maybe you prefer prepare it at home? In the latter case, try the recipe you find here
We receive and publish the following:
"In rectification of what was previously stated in this publication, it is specified that the Muller Yogurt Cream product is in effect a Yogurt, containing live lactic ferments in high quantities and that the Muller Passion Fruit product is not presented by the manufacturer as yogurt, rather as fermented milk, as can also be read on the label transcribed in this article. "
