The Yogurt Explosion
Have you noticed the huge expansion in the yogurt aisle in recent months? I sure have. It seems that there are so many types, with specific health benefits associated with each.
Gone are the days, so it seems, that yogurt was considered a "health food," which simply provided a good source of calcium and protein.
Well, that's all still true, but I'd like to talk about the new yogurt products that fill the shelves. Check back later for the video from my Today Show segment (watch the video here), for a look at all the products.
Yogurt 101: What Is It?
Yogurt is a dairy product produced when "good" bacteria are put into milk under controlled conditions. These bacteria ingest the milk sugar (AKA lactose) for energy and then release lactic acid as a "waste" product. It's the lactic acid that acts on the milk protein to give yogurt its characteristic "tanginess" and texture.
This process is totally safe, since the whole biological action is acidic, meaning "bad" bacteria don't grow during the process. Most yogurt is from dairy (from cows), but soy yogurt is also available for those with lactose intolerance or milk-protein (casein) allergy. Yogurt can be a good option for people with lactose (milk sugar) intolerance. Since much of the milk sugar is gone in yogurt (that's the lactose), many people can often tolerate at least one serving a day.
Yogurt's been around for more than 4000 years, and yet there's no clear idea of where it was first "discovered." Eaten all over the world, yogurt was always "plain" until the 1930s, when a fruit jam was added to help prevent yogurt from spoiling too soon. As a patented process, it was introduced to the USA in the late 1940s by a company now well known in the world of yogurt, Dannon.
Yogurt (like all dairy products) is a good source of protein, and calcium. As for all dairy products, choosing non-fat, or at least low-fat yogurt, provides all the benefits (AKA the same protein and calcium), without the artery-clogging animal fat. (After all, it does come from a cow).
The yogurt selection in out grocery aisles are huge and filled with a few dozen options. How are we to choose?
I'd like to provide some different options and hear what you look for in yogurt. One of my first tips: Look for "live cultures" or "active cultures" on the container, which indicate a reasonable source of biologic activity.
For weight loss
Try: Fage plain fat free, Oikos plain fat free, Skye plain fat free
These yogurts are high protein, as the extra milk liquid (AKA Whey) has been filtered out, making it very thick. You're getting high protein for few calories—about 100 calories for 6 ounces and 22 grams of protein.
Protein is biologically VERY satisfying, and helps curb appetite on less food (compared to same calories found as carbohydrates). This is unrelated to the "Probiotics"—the good bacteria for further health uses—it's the protein here that is key.
For high cholesterol
Try: Promise ACTIV "shooters"
This product has two grams of "Phytosterols," which have nothing to do with the yogurt. It's only a carrier, so it must be consumed daily for an effect on cholesterol levels. (This is measured by a blood test). It acts to block cholesterol you are eating, with no effect on the other source of body cholesterol. This is what your body makes in the liver, so consume with meals (preferably, if you're eating higher cholesterol at that meal).
Remember: This does not replace medical care, so do not compare with a Statin drug! This can have a modest effect when used regularly. Again, it only blocks cholesterol absorption in the digestive track. It doesn't get in the body!
For irritable bowel and constipation
Try: Activia, Activia-Light (no sugar), Yo-Plus
The extra Probiotics (good bacteria) added to these yogurts enhance the action of the good bacteria already in the yogurt. It's another strain of the bacteria, so you have more benefit with more good bacteria per serving. This is still somewhat controversial, compared with what yogurt does "normally," but Activia comes with a money-back guarantee. It can affect transit time in the gut, which is good for regularity.
For immune function
Try: DanActive Immunity
Another source of Probiotics, healthy bacteria that have been shown to boost immune function, like increase white blood cell count—those are one of the cells that help fight infection. Plus, other studies show some effect on antibodies in the gut, but are not definitive. Certainly can't hurt—still, the great benefits of yogurt.
For dessert
Try: "Fun" Yogurts
To tame a sweet tooth, yogurt can help, but read the label to check for calories and fat. Cool packaging is eye-catching, but "fun" yogurts are definitely not all the same.
Look for lower fat, low sugar. Some of the Dannon "pie" yogurts are low fat and low sugar—a big help for many. Also, frozen yogurt, with or without sugar, is a preferred choice from ice cream. Great taste, with much lower fat content.
One more thing: I'm a fan of plain yogurt and adding fresh or frozen (no-sugar added) fruits. This saves on calories, and provides great flavor.
What are your ideas and what new yogurts have you sampled in the dairy aisle lately? I'd love to know, so share your thoughts here!
Comments
I love yogurt! Thank you for the tips, Madelyn!
Can you please tell me what store carries the Yogurt from Iceland
I have searched and serched
I love this yogurt and saw you had it on the Today show
Thank you Joan
My one year old is very picky, but LOVES yogurt. I always feed her Dannon All Natural flavored yogurts....is this a dessert yogurt, should she be eating something else?
Can you clarify about Activia for IBS--Is it r ecommended for when it is accompanied only by constipation or by loose bowels as well?
I am very picky about yogurt as the consistency has a tendency to make me gag but the doctor recommends it since I cannot drink milk. I like the Yoplait standard yougurt with fruit. I don't see it as one in your article. Am I still getting the benefits?
Thought this may benefit you somehow.
Love, Anita
Are there any yogurts on the market that is similar to the European kind (less sweet and "runnier" consistency.
I loved it so much when I went over to Scandinavia last summer!
Whole Foods Markets carry the Icelandic yogurt Skyr
I love yogurt but I am allergic to milk protien, so dairy products are out. I have tried some soy brands of yogurt and they are TERRIBLE. Is there a brand out there that that is pleasing to the taste buds?
i love the thick greek yogurt in the "health food section of the supermarket...
I have heard that the lo-fat Publix brand is very good for you. The container is twice as big as the small ones.
I tried the Activia yogurt (I have IBS + have heard the probiotics would help) but can't stand the texture -too thick more like sour cream than like yogurt! and i don't like the taste - have tried adding fruit and honey - anyone else experience that? I literally have 3/4s of a big pot full that I can't eat :(
Does frozen yogurt have the same health benefits as regular yogurt?
Good site! Good resources here, All the best!
Skye is at Whole Foods and is very delicious!
I've never tasted yogurt quite like the yogurt in Greece; so I was delighted to find it here. It is not the same thing! Something is put into the yogurt to try to keep it fresh & it just ruins the taste!
I've never tasted yogurt quite like the yogurt in Greece; so I was delighted to find it here. It is not the same thing! Something is put into the yogurt to try to keep it fresh & it just ruins the taste!
I've never tasted yogurt quite like the yogurt in Greece; so I was delighted to find it here. It is not the same thing! Something is put into the yogurt to try to keep it fresh & it just ruins the taste!
I add granola or cheerios to the Icelandic yogurt,skyr to add a little cruch for my kids. It's delicious!!!
Every morning, I have Dannon Light and Fit which is only 60 calories for 6 oz. I have the vanilla (but others are good as well) and add Kashi Heart to Heart cereal. I used to always skip breakfast but love this combination.
I eat Icelandic skyr every day because I want to be fit and healty.
I purchased a Pearlessence EuroSpa Herbal Soap Set from GNC store at Couponalbum.com and I saved $5..!!
I just recently tried the Oikos and could not believe how smooth, thick, and terrific it was. Very filling too. Awesome product.
Silk soy yogurt is AWESOME if you're lactose intolerant or otherwise just don't consume dairy products. It is 100% vegan. It's expensive, at about a buck a container, but it tops all the other soy yogurts out there.
I bought Greek Yogurt at New Frontiers Health Food store. I LOVE IT, but it has a ton of fat in it. It is very dense like thick sour cream, plain and loaded with fat, sadly. I didn't see any low fat versions of it there.
Are the Probiotics found in Activia or Yo-Plus differant from the Probiotics found in DanActivie Immunity?
