June 29, 2006
A Pantry Makeover: Yogurt
Foods are not always what they seem. You may think that what you’re buying at the grocery store is a “health food," but you could be deceived by smart marketing and hidden fillers or junk. This is the start of a series of blogs that will examine the common problems with foods that have historically been considered nutritious.
How can you determine the real deal from the imitators? If you read the labels and know what to look for, you can optimize the nourishment you receive from some of your favorite foods.
Yogurt
People have been making and consuming yogurt for centuries. In 1916 the first packaged yogurt was introduced in Europe, and in 1940 it made its way to the United States. Yogurt is known for its live and active cultures, which keep your digestion system healthy and support the immune system, but it also provides calcium, protein, magnesium, Vitamins B-6 and B-12, and more.
The popularity of yogurt has created a plethora of added options, such as blended flavors, bright colors and granola, candy or sprinkle mix-ins. To please calorie counters, many yogurts use aspartame instead of sugar, while others add too much sugar in order to appeal to the American palate. In addition, some yogurts don’t even contain live and active cultures because they’ve been heat-treated to extend shelf-life.
Here is what you should look for when choosing yogurt (most of which is sold in either 6 oz or 8 oz sizes):
− Live and active cultures
− Low fat or skim milk
− 3% calcium per ounce (equals at least 18-24% of your RDA for calcium)
− No more than 5 grams of sugar per ounce (that’s 30g for a 6 oz and 40g for an 8 oz)
− 30 calories or less per ounce (160-240 calories)
And avoid:
− Aspartame
− Colorings
− Mix-in toppings
− Heat-treated
The ideal way to enjoy yogurt is by using low-fat or fat-free plain mixed with your own toppings—like fresh fruit or cereal—but, there are healthy flavored-varieties in the dairy aisle.
Visit the Revival Soy Web site
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