Yogurt Shedding Sugar to Keep a Healthy Halo
Labeling for added sugars is coming soon to nutrition facts labels. So yogurt makers are shedding sugar in their products. They want to keep that healthy halo they have enjoyed for so many years. Until now, the “low-fat” claim on their labels was enough. Even as many yogurts loaded up on sugar, consumers kept believing it was a healthy choice.
But now “low-fat” is looking more like a holdover from the last century. Claims about low added sugars are gaining traction. So whole milk yogurt is making a comeback. The creamier flavor allows for less sugar.
The classic Dannon yogurts are a case in point. Whole milk versions of classic yogurt flavors are popping up beside the old low-fat versions. In vanilla yogurt, the sugar in a serving drops by about a third. Fat content more than doubles. And calories go up by only 10 per serving.
Our assessment? The whole milk yogurt tastes better. Maybe it will be more satisfying. It’s a grand experiment across the whole population. We hope it works out for the health of the population.
In any event, the whole milk trend seems to be a good bet for yogurt makers. Marketers are reporting double digit growth in full-fat products while older Greek yogurt varieties are seeing sales stall.
The only fly in the ointment is a continuing debate about saturated dairy fat. Amid conflicting data, recommendations for low-fat dairy are still common.
While the experts debate, we’re going to enjoy our whole milk yogurt.
Click here to read more from the San Francisco Chronicle and here to read more from Food Business News.
Dannon Lowfat and Whole Milk Vanilla Yogurt, images courtesy of Dannon
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January 23, 2017
January 23, 2017 at 1:24 pm, Leah Whigham said:
Finally some whole-fat, lower sugar versions available! But I started making my own when I couldn’t find them – homemade yogurt is so delicious and easy to make, I may not go back to the store-bought versions!