Have you ever had look at the sugar content of some yoghurts in the supermarket?
Yoghurt is usually sold as a “healthy” food, but a recent study published in the British Medical Journal is the latest reminder that not all yoghurt is created the same way.
Researchers involved in the study surveyed the sugar content of over 900 yoghurts in the supermarkets and they found that the average amount of sugar across yoghurt categories (children’s, organic, flavored, etc.) was well above 10 grams per 100-gram serving.
This study was specific to the UK where to receive a low-sugar label., products cannot have more than 5 grams of sugar per 100-gram serving.
Sugar accounted for the majority of total calories in all of the yoghurts, except for natural or Greek yoghurts.
A finding of the study which may come as a surprise to consumers is that organic yoghurts were some of the sweetest of all!
The median sugar content for organic yoghurts was 13.1 grams per 100 gram serving, while some brands had close to 17 grams of sugar per 100 gram serving.
A source of probiotic cultures, protein, calcium, iodine, and vitamin B12, yogurt is usually recommended as a part of a healthy diet. There have also been studies that indicate that yogurt consumers have a lower risk of obesity!
Back in 2017 when the U.K. government announced the top nine food categories after sodas, juices, and smoothies that contribute to children’s sugar intake, and yogurt made the list, it took Dr. J. Bernadette Moore, an associate professor at the University of Leeds’ School of Food Science and Nutrition, aback.
As a Mom she wondered, just how much sugar was she giving her daughter?
“I discovered that for my young daughter’s favorite yogurt, sugar accounted for 60 percent of the calories,” Moore says.
Moore also suspects that the amount of sugar in yogurt in the U.S. is about the same as in the U.K.
Most dairy products contain a naturally occurring sugar — lactose — which is included in the total sugar count. But the added sugar is the one you should worry about!
So remember to check the label of your kids favorite yoghurt before adding it to your cart!