A new study shows that most yogurt brands sold in supermarkets across the UK typically contain 10 grams or more of sugar. Researchers suggest making your own instead.
LONDON, UK / October 21, 2018/
According to a new study published last month by the British Medical Journal, the average portion of yogurt sold in supermarkets across the UK contains a whopping 10 grams of sugar - 25% or more of the recommended daily sugar intake for adults.
This has come as a shock to many consumers as yogurt has traditionally been thought of as a healthy food product. In fact, this association between yogurt and health has been around for over 100 years, ever since respected biologist Elie Metchnikoff claimed that it could help postpone aging.
He believed that aging was caused by harmful bacteria in the intestines and thought that this could be combatted by cultivating good bacteria by eating products and other dairy products.
This theory is no longer widely believed, but the reputation of yogurt as a healthy food has lived on, mostly due to it being a great source of probiotics, protein, and other vitamins and minerals that the body needs. Some studies have even shown that those who eat yogurts regularly are at less risk of obesity.
In light of the new study, some consider this reputation a cause for concern and many researchers now feel it’s important that the government challenges these perceptions. As Dr. J. Bernadette Moore, an associate professor of Food Science and Nutrition puts it,
"What is worrisome is that yogurt, as a perceived 'healthy food', may be an unrecognized source of free/added sugars in the diet,"
Interestingly, the study also shows that organic yogurts contain the most amount of sugar of all - around 13 grams on average. Many nutritionists agree that the best alternative is to buy unsweetened, natural yogurts, or make and sweeten your yogurt yourself.
Fortunately, leading yogurt-making website
Yogurt Nerd already provides consumers with all the tools to do just that. Through their website, they provide a free repository of information on yogurt making, which includes a ‘yogurt making 101’ guide and a guide to buying the right equipment. They also review different yogurt making products to help their users make an informed decision about their purchases.
This is allowing more and more consumers to turn away from the supermarket and make their own yogurt at home instead.