Yogurt is a health food right? Well at least that’s what the advertisements proclaim. Not so fast there Dairy Council! Add enough sugar to that milky goodness and it quickly moves from the lunch menu to the dessert menu.
Milk has around 12 grams of natural sugar (per 8 oz) so anything after that is added sugar. What’s really confusing to the mental noodle is that we are trying so darned hard to make healthy choices for ourselves and our family and if we don’t stay watchful they slip it in there when we’re not looking, or more often, not paying attention. Even organic yogurt can be very high in sugar.
Let’s Do the Math
Many of those little yogurt cups have as many grams of “sugar” (usually high fructose corn syrup) as a can of pop! Around 30-50 grams of sugar. Four grams is equal to one teaspoon, so if you divide 30 by 4 then that little 8 oz. of “health” has 7.5 teaspoons of sugar. I’ve even come across puddings with less sugar than yogurt!
Buying “Light”
If the label claims “light” or states less than 25 grams of sugar on the nutrition label but tastes super sweet, then most likely, some sort of sugar substitute (aspartame and sucralose are the most common) is hidden in that ingredient list. Fake sugar/sugar substitutes/artificial sweeteners, are not a healthy choice. There have been books (that’s how long the list of maladies are) written touting the terrible health effects of artificial sweeteners. If the choice is between high fructose corn syrup, any artificial sweetener, and regular sugar, I’d go with the plain old white sugar every time.
Just say “No” to Nonfat
Yogurt can be a fabulous and filling health food. It doesn’t have to be packed with sweeteners to make it taste really good. The trick is to buy low-fat or whole yogurt. Non-fat yogurt is really sour. It’s the fat that makes it sweet. It’s also the fat that allows the body to absorb all of those wonderful vitamins and minerals that dairy has to offer. If you’re buying nonfat yogurt because you’re watching your weight put back a little of the fat and take out the sugar. You’ll feel fuller longer, and the calories will still be minimal because you’re not eating 15 calories for every teaspoon of sugar that was put in your yogurt.
I highly recommend Trader Joe’s Organic Low fat Yogurt- Plain. It comes in a 27 oz container. One cup has only 10 grams of sugar, 150 calories and 11 grams of protein. Try different brands. Some brands are more sour than others, so don’t despair, keep trying. You’ll find one you like.
Buy Plain Yogurt and Add Your Own Sweeteners…If Demanded
Don’t assume that your little ones need anything added to their plain yogurt. Just buy plain, whole (fat) yogurt and serve it up. It’s tasty all on it’s own and their little taste buds are so highly acute that the yogurt will be sweet to them. Both of my children loved plain yogurt until about age 5, when they started turning up their noses at it if it didn’t have something mixed in.
Some of our favorite mix-ins include: fruit, jam, granola, maple syrup, frozen orange juice concentrate (check for high fructose corn syrup on the label) and honey. Sometimes I’ll buy a container of vanilla and mix it in with the plain at a two to one ratio (the two part being the plain).
This is a good way to wean yourself and your kids off of their current yogurt. Buy your usual, but mix in plain a little at a time until your down to as little sweetened yogurt as you like. Trust me, it takes awhile, but taste buds do change. Soon that little container of yogurt will be so sweet that it will be impossible to gag down.
Individual Serving Size Yogurt
My son loves yogurt in his lunchbox, but it’s really hard to find individual sized yogurt that is low in sugar and affordable. Many of the Greek Yogurts are lower in sugar but at a little more than a dollar per container (or more), aren’t affordable.
I solve this little dilemma by doing one of two things. I either buy the large containers of plain and add the requested mix-in, and put it in a stainless steel thermos container, or I wait until there’s a sale on Cascade Fresh at my local supermarket and stock up. It only has about 1.5 tsps of added sweetener (in the form of fruit juice, no sugar!), is cultured in the cup (meaning, it has nice live active cultures that help create good flora and fauna in our gut), and I can get it on sale for about 50 cents per container.
There are so many different brands out there, and they vary depending on your area, but check those labels and see if you can find one or two brands that are affordable and lower in sugar at your local grocer. Keep in mind that organic doesn’t equal low in sugar.
Remember what you bring home is what your family eats. Teach them now so they’ll be able to make healthy choices on their own later.
Have you found a low in sugar, affordable yogurt in your area? Please share in comments below so others in your area can look for that brand.
Have a healthy, happy day!
Alison





