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Yogurt
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By Liz Pearson
Yogurt is one of my favourite snacks but it’s hard to tell which is the healthiest because there are so many different kinds. What should I look for?
There are a lot of ways to enjoy yogurt: mix it with fruit salads, blend it into smoothies and dips, eat it on top of spicy dishes such as curry, or just grab it for a great portable snack or dessert. New yogurt products, such as yogurt mousse, tubes and drinks, give you even more options. The following tips should help you make the best choices, no matter how you choose to eat your yogurt.
The dynamic duo: vitamin D and calcium
All types of yogurt contain bone-building calcium, but did you know only certain brands, such as Yoplait Source, also contain vitamin D? Vitamin D helps your body absorb calcium and may even reduce your risk of some cancers, multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis. But generally, even enriched yogurts contain less vitamin D and calcium than milk. You may need to eat two or more single-serving-size yogurts (1/2 cup or 100g) to get the same nutrition you would from a 240 ml (8oz) glass of milk. Tip: Look for brands containing a minimum of 10 per cent of the recommended
intake for both calcium and vitamin D. Some brands, such as Danone Silhouette, contain as much as 20 per cent of the recommended intake for both calcium and vitamin D.
What’s the probiotic content?
Although all yogurt comes from milk fermented with bacterial cultures, some yogurts, such as Astro Biobest, Danone Activia and Yoplait Basket, contain added bacterial cultures that are especially good for your digestive system. These live, friendly bacteria (also called probiotics) help keep harmful bacteria in check, stimulate your immune system and may aid in digestion. Tip: Look for terms like “Lactobacillus acidophilus,” “bifidum” or “lactobacillus casei” on the label.
How much fat?
The type of fat naturally found in yogurt is the unhealthy-for-your-heart, saturated kind, so look for fat-free or low-fat yogurt (no more than 3 grams of fat per serving). Don't be alarmed if you see some trans fat listed on the label (usually less than .2 grams for low fat yogurt). Milk products naturally contain small amounts. It’s the trans fat added to processed foods that you really want to avoid.
How many calories?
The calories in a typical serving of yogurt (which is 100-175g or about 1/2-3/4 cup) can vary from 50 to almost 200, depending on the amount of sugar and fat. Don’t assume lower-fat brands are low-calorie. Some low-fat, fruit-flavoured yogurts contain as much as seven teaspoons of sugar per serving! (Ideally, you should be eating no more than about 10 to 12 teaspoons of sugar a day.) To determine the sugar content of your favourite brand, divide the grams of carbohydrate on the label by four. For example, a yogurt with 26 grams of carbohydrate per serving contains about 6.5 teaspoons of sugar. Tip: Mix plain yogurt with fresh fruit. It’s a triple-whammy: you limit sugar and fat, slash calories, and get all kinds of great nutrition from the fruit.
Lastly, don’t forget taste! A yogurt that tastes great is one you’ll reach for more often.
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