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Yogurt vs Yogurt

I've heard plenty of comments about yogurt, including:

1. "I get probiotics (good bacteria for digestion and immune factors in the gut) from yogurt."

Oh? What kind do you buy? "Whatever's on sale, usually. Or the kind with fruit in it--it tastes much better."

Hmmmm. I picked up the least expensive grocery store brand and compared it with one that meets Natl. Yogurt Assoc. criteria for live and active culture yogurt..

Grocery Store 8 oz. .08/oz Active culture type: low fat, 2% milkfat Vanilla 32 oz. 1% milk fat, low fat Raspberry 2/$4. (.06/oz) has no live bacteria meets Natl. Yogurt Assoc. criteria for live and active culture yogurt. contains sugar contains real fruit and crystalline fructose with a glycemic index of 23 vs. sugar's 65. 1C= 1C= 250 calories (fat calories: 20) 190 calories (fat calories 10) Sat. Fat: 1.5g Sat. fat: 1g Trans fat 0 Trans fat : 0 Cholesterol: 10 mg. Cholesterol: 15mg. Sodium: 140mg Sodium: 150 mg. Potassium: 500 mg. Tot. Carbs: 50g. Total Carbs: 31 g. Dietary Fiber: 0 Dietary Fiber: 0 Sugars: 40 g. Sugars: 28 g Protein: 8g. Protein: 11g

Grocery store brand's Ingredients contain cultured pasteurized Grade A nonfat milk and milk; The one with active cultures is cultured pasteurized lowfat milk. The balance of ingredients in the cultured is crystalline fructose, natural vanilla, pectin, natural flavors, and active cultures. The balance of ingredients for Grocery Brand is a raspberry base made up of high fructose corn syrup, raspberries, water, modified food starch, natural flavors, elderberry juice concentrate for color and cellulose gum, sodium benzoate and potassium sorbate preservatives, sugar, more food starch and kosher gelatin.

Summary:

It would appear that the attraction in the "fruit flavored" yogurt is just that: the flavor of a fruit juice and sugar. You might be better off to buy organic frozen or fresh berries in season and add them to the vanilla flavored yogurt with live cultures and without preservatives, starches, etc. It all adds up to less sugar, fat and carbohydrates.