Yogurt without additives. Fat-free, low-calorie yogurts: which brand is better? Natural yogurt without additives - how to choose which one to buy: the best brands

Bright labels, screaming inscriptions about the benefits, a beautiful image of a variety of fruits and cereals. These are the packages of yogurts in stores and supermarkets. How to choose yogurts correctly and not fall for the tricks of advertisers? So that the product brings only benefits, and not a food allergy to many dyes and additives? Let's throw back the curtain that covers all the incomprehensible slogans and screaming inscriptions, and see what is hidden under the names "bio yogurt", "ecological yogurt" or "live yogurt".

What should be the composition of yogurt

In order to determine the benefits of yogurt no need to go far, just one look at the composition is enough. Read carefully and do not grab the first product that comes across, no matter how beautiful the packaging is. So, what do we see on the label of the first brightly packaged yogurt that came into our hands?

• skimmed milk;
• cream;
• fruit filler (pineapple, sugar, water, melon, pineapple and melon flavors identical to natural, acidity regulator - citric acid, dyes: beta-carotene, paprika resin oil);
• water;
• sugar;
• glucose-fruit syrup;
• dry whey;
• thickener-E1422;
• dry whey;
• thickener - food gelatin, using sourdough.

What is the benefit of this yogurt? Yes, perhaps a little. Of all the above, fruit filler (pineapple, melon), sugar, cream, water, beta-carotene dye, and wig resin oil can be considered natural.

flavors in yogurt

Now a little explanation about natural ingredients. The composition includes fruits in the form of pieces of pineapple and melon, so why add flavors? They are added for a brighter taste and smell, so that when you open a package of yogurt, the smell will intoxicate you. supposedly fresh fruit. Beta-carotene and paprika resin play the role of a dye. These harmless components of yogurt give a delicate yellowish color. As you know, beta-carotene is nothing more than carrot juice, well, there is nothing to say about paprika resin, so it’s clear about its origin.

Sugar in yogurt

About sugar need to be discussed separately. The presence of sugar in yogurt at first glance is natural, but what if it contains not only sugar, but also glucose, fructose, sugar syrup, and others, or, even worse, all together. Such a product becomes a time bomb for the human body. Using such a product in the blood, the level of sugar rises sharply, which provokes such diseases as: obesity, problems with the cardiovascular system, diabetes mellitus.

It is contraindicated to use such yogurt for patients with diabetes mellitus, people with heart problems, and those with obesity. In such cases, it is better to pay attention to natural yogurts, without additives, and again, carefully study the composition to make sure there are no unsafe ingredients. Now enough natural yogurt offer our attention to small and large grocery stores. It is worth giving preference to a Finnish, Latvian and Polish manufacturer, since in these countries there are more products prohibited in the production than in our country.

What kind of milk is in yogurt

So, let's move on to the main component - milk. Here you can argue for a long time about what kind of milk will be better and healthier in the composition of good yogurt. We can say with confidence that you need to refuse a product that contains reconstituted milk and milk powder. Manufacturers, thus, reduce the cost of production as much as possible, and for us, not only is there no benefit from such yogurt, but it’s not a fact that when you buy you will not encounter damage to the contents of the package or simply get poisoned, since bacteria multiply faster in such a product. Well, milk of unknown origin and quality, mainly from China and other Asian countries, which leads us to doubt the safety and quality of the product. In theory, such a product cannot be called yogurt, the correct name of the product "yoghurt product with fruits".

Skimmed milk, of course, is also not the best option, as, in fact, ultra-pasteurized, but still it is much better than powdered or reconstituted milk. Skimmed milk is an option for dieters. If you are a healthy person with a strong body, then choose yogurt which includes whole milk, such a fermented milk product will bring you much more benefit.

Thickeners

Pay attention to what thickeners are used in the yogurt of your choice. Is it written agar-agar or gelatin? This product can be taken with confidence because agar-agar it is a product (a mixture of agarose and agaropectin polysaccharides) obtained from red and brown algae growing in the Black, White Seas, and also the Pacific Ocean and forming a dense jelly in aqueous solutions.

Gelatin- a colorless, transparent viscous mass, which is obtained by processing the connective tissue of animal origin. It is worth considering if the composition contains thickener E1422 under the name of which modified starch is hidden. Although many countries around the world scream about its safety, yet the frequent use of products with this additive can adversely affect the pancreas and liver. You should not buy such yogurts too often for children.

Yogurts for children

Choose yogurt for children stand with extreme caution. Turn a blind eye to the advertised brands and just look at the list of products in yogurt. Just know that the shorter it is, and the clearer the ingredients, the safer the yogurt. As you know, children very quickly get used to and become addicted to sugar and flavorings. Don't turn your child into a food addict. Now he requires sweets with harmful content from you, and in the near future you will work on drugs that are not at all cheap, supporting pharmaceutical companies.

Choosing yogurt

When choosing yogurt, look package integrity. No dents, no leaks. Dairy and sour-milk products very easily absorb harmful microorganisms from the environment and such a product will become not only not useful, but also dangerous to health.

When choosing yogurt look at the production date. Yogurt should be stored at a temperature of +4, +6 degrees for no more than 10 days from the date of production. This applies to yoghurts with a natural composition. But on the shelves of the store you can find yogurts that can be stored for up to 6 months, of course, the composition of such a product is very long and often incomprehensible. It is preservatives and various additives that prolong the shelf life. Is it possible to get the maximum benefit from such a product? Of course not.

The packaging of yogurt should say on the content of beneficial bifidobacteria. At the end of the term, they do not die, as is commonly believed, they can become dangerous. There is an interesting joke on this occasion: "If the yogurt has expired, know that the bifidobacteria present in it have not died at all - they have simply gone over to the side of evil."

Yogurt is a healthy product

Of course, yogurts will always be bought, because they are advertised as good for the intestines, and in general for the whole body products. Some use them instead of a light snack, others as a dessert, and even eat yogurt for breakfast. There are a lot of ways to use yogurt and interesting recipes with the addition of a delicious, dairy product. If you are planning to cook a healthy and tasty breakfast, then you should pay attention to. They will be an excellent hearty and tasty start to the working day. Even children will like it. You can change the recipe and add those fruits that you like best, or you can make yogurt even tastier and healthier by adding a handful of nuts and cereals.

So you learned how to choose yogurts. There is nothing difficult in their correct choice. The main thing is the composition and shelf life. How to choose yogurt with health benefits, protect children from harmful additives and flavor enhancers? The simplest advice: don't see ads, be suspicious of flashy product labels, and study the product carefully. Following these rules, you will always have only healthy yogurt on the table, which will improve digestion, cheer you up and delight you with its taste.

Try making a crab stick salad according to the recipe, but replace the light mayonnaise with yogurt without any additives. Such a replacement will make the salad even more tender and dietary, but keep in mind that the taste of the resulting dish is “for an amateur”, so make a small portion when you cook it for the first time, in case you don’t like it.

In this article, we will look at yogurts and advise on which brand to choose. In this case, you will be completely sure of the naturalness of the product.

Dairy products, including yogurt, play an important role in human health. By the way, yogurts are most popular and in demand for the children's age category and for the elderly. But often the composition calls into question the "usefulness" of such a product. Therefore, this article will provide information about brands that will deservedly receive the title of "useful".

Which yogurts are the most useful: names, list, brands, rating

The main merit of any yogurt is the destruction of pathogenic intestinal microorganisms and the activation of beneficial microflora. And yoghurts stop the processes of aging and decay. And, in general, they improve the functioning of the intestines and its entire system. Especially if it is weak or has some exacerbations. That is, the susceptible flora of an infant or diseases of the gastrointestinal tract of an adult.

Let's miss the moment with a detailed analysis of the composition of each known yogurt. But arm yourself with some recommendations to consider when buying yogurt.

What to pay attention to when reading the composition:

What yogurts are at the top:

Important! None of the manufacturers of yogurt has ideal indicators in terms of composition. That is, it is impossible to name the ideal or the best yogurt. But it is possible to single out the most close to natural indicators of certain brands.

Got the lowest score "Danone" falls into the restricted group. Among the advantages, only good taste and rich aroma can be distinguished.

• But this is the merit of a large number of preservatives and stabilizers that are of chemical origin. A high percentage of dyes can cause allergies, and an acidity regulator is also observed. Therefore, the safety and naturalness of yogurt is beyond the scale of acceptable values.
• But the most important drawback is the low content of lactic acid organisms (almost 100 times lower than the permissible one).
  • Of the positive qualities, a high content of milk protein can be noted, but above these data. But sugar, on the contrary, is lower. On the one hand, this is good, but it looks like a fraud of the buyer.

What drinking yogurt, bio yogurt is the most useful: names, brands, list

It is worth dispelling the myth that lactobacilli are somehow dependent on the thickness of yogurt. Regardless of the consistency, whether it is a thick or liquid product, the bacteria in its composition will be in the same amount.

Natural yogurt without additives - how to choose which one to buy: the best brands

Natural yoghurts are the most beneficial for the body. They have a number of requirements, which will be provided below.

Things to know when buying natural yogurt:

• Best before date is the first indicator. Healthy yogurt retains its properties for no more than 1-2 weeks. Some manufacturers extend the time to a month. When compared with other common yogurts, then, most often, this period captures as much as 3 months, or even a year.
• Compound pleasantly small in natural yoghurt. Ideally, there should be only milk and bacteria, but this is extremely rare. Remember that a long composition is a bad sign.
• Also note - sugar should not be in natural yogurt!
• The content of lactic acid bacteria (at least 10 * 7 CFU / g) and bifidobacteria (at least 10 * 6 CFU / g) must be indicated. By the way, their quantity should be preserved until the end of the expiration date.

What are natural yoghurts worth highlighting:

Fat-free, low-calorie yogurts: which brand is better?

It is also worth noting that dairy products help the body cleanse itself. Therefore, yogurt, when used systematically, dissolves body fat, corrects the shape of the body, removes excess feces and fights excess weight.

• "Valio" with a fat content of 0.4%. Excellent quality, which is expressed in the absence of preservatives and high levels of lactic acid bacteria. Very moderate sucrose content, which is important for low-fat yoghurts.
  • But the content of protein and SOMO is several times less than the required content according to the regulations and GOST. Taste and aroma are subtle.
• Sour-milk drink It belongs to the category of low-calorie yoghurts, has a fat content of 1.5%. It is really low in calories and dairy fat. Lactic acid organisms are normal.
  • But the taste and aroma of yogurt is very weak, but dyes were taken in abundance. And there are no berries, that is, there is no filler or it is very weakly expressed.
  • And take note - yogurt has a slightly high sugar content! Even for high calorie yogurt.

Important! Sometimes manufacturers use potassium chloride instead of milk fat. It creates a salty and bitter taste, so they are forced to include more sugar in the composition.

• Yogurt "Slavushkin" from Optimal. Far "stepped" from the previous representatives in terms of naturalness. But it loses only in terms of nutritional value and taste.
  • Bifidobacteria are present in the right amount. It is worth highlighting that sucrose is used for a sweet taste (in acceptable doses). There are no preservatives, which is an indisputable positive quality.
  • But the taste of yogurt has become less expressive and a little powdery, and this indicates the content of starch.
• Please note!Low-calorie foods can be called useless because they do not carry any energy value for the body. And to reduce the calorie content of the product, water and sugar are often used. Water destroys the consistency of yogurt and becomes the cause for the emergence of pathogenic flora. And in order to somehow “adjust” the taste of such yogurt, manufacturers add a huge amount of sugar. Its content exceeds even the dose of fatty yoghurts.

Live yogurt: brands, manufacturers

Live yogurt is a product that does not undergo heat treatment. That is, it contains live lactobacilli or probiotics. In such a fermented milk product there are always live bacteria. The shelf life of such products is no more than 7 days. By the way, it is also called bio-yogurt.

• Yogurt "Live", natural. It has only milk and leaven. Keeps only 4 days after opening the jar.
• Asenievskaya farm, classic yogurt. The same pleasant composition - only two components and can be stored for only 4-6 days.
• "Kozelsky live" yogrut. Again, only two components with a period of no more than 5 days.
• "Dairy culture". This, by the way, is drinking yogurt, which also pleases with its composition.

• "Bifidus Nature"
• "Activia"
• "Bio balance"

And it is best to cook your own, homemade live yogurt. There is absolutely no doubt about its composition. The choice of starter cultures today is plentiful. Moreover, you can add pieces of your favorite fruits to such yogurt. By the way, due to the lack of heat treatment, it retains maximum utility. It will be really natural, because only you follow the ingredients. And it will also be fresh, and this is an important criterion for the viability of beneficial bacteria.

Video: Which yogurt to choose?

From the editor. The choice of high-quality and truly healthy products for a healthy diet is not an easy question. Are manufacturers always honest with us and are the labels on the packaging true? It is almost impossible for a simple buyer to check this on their own. The Lady Mail.Ru project is launching a series of materials together with the Roskontrol.RF expert portal. In them, we will tell you about the laboratory results of testing popular diet products.

Experts tested five types of low-fat drinking yogurt

Almost everyone likes low-fat, but especially those who follow their figure: after all, this is an excellent dietary breakfast, snack and dinner. However, not all of these products are safe for the waist, and some can hardly be called useful at all. How to choose the right yogurt? What brands should be wary of? To answer these questions, Roskontrol.RF experts conducted a comprehensive study of low-fat drinking yoghurts. Products of five brands participated in the test: Vkusnoteevo, Biobalance, B.Yu.Aleksandrov, Frugurt and Ostankinskoye.

Attention - dangerous to health!

Real yogurt is a "live" product, it is produced using starter microorganisms - thermophilic streptococci and Bulgarian lactic acid bacillus. But if sanitary standards are not observed, not only beneficial, but also harmful microbes can get into yogurt. The experts checked all the samples for the presence of E. coli bacteria, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella, Listeria, as well as yeasts and molds.

Some yogurts contain harmful microorganisms

It turned out that in the most expensive yogurt among those tested, the B.Yu. Aleksandrov brand, there are 800 times more yeast fungi than is permissible according to safety requirements. 40 thousand microorganisms in one gram of the product! Those. yogurt is dangerous to health, although at first glance it inspires confidence: on the label of yogurt - the inscription "GOST", the shelf life is only 10 days, the composition contains a minimum amount of food additives. What are the dangers of eating it? “In a person with a weakened immune system, it can cause at least intestinal upset. Such a quantity of yeast fungi in the product may indicate that the sanitary condition of the enterprise is unsatisfactory, the technology is violated, the equipment is not washed”- comments Andrey Mosov, head of the expert direction of NP "Roskontrol", a doctor.

The myth of lactic acid bacteria

On the packages of yoghurts they write: "the content of lactic acid microorganisms is not less than 10 7 CFU / g at the end of the expiration date." In fact, most of the yogurts tested had even more beneficial bacteria. Biobalance yogurt, as stated on the label, also contains bifidobacteria. And only in Ostankinskoye yogurt there are 10 times less lactic acid bacteria than in the rest, although this amount does not affect the benefits of the products. “It is generally accepted that the more live bacteria that improve digestion in yogurt, the more useful it is. But this is a myth: most of them die in our gastrointestinal tract. Even if the beneficial microflora reaches the intestines, it does not stay there,- says Marina Studenikina, dietitian, deputy chief physician of the Weight Factor clinic. - In fact, yogurts, like all fermented milk products, are useful due to the content of lactic acid, which is detrimental to putrefactive and fermentative microflora. They also contain complete protein, which is much easier to digest than milk protein.”

How much fat is in low fat yogurt?

The labels of all tested yogurts indicate a fat content of 1 to 1.5%. Yoghurt "B.Yu. Aleksandrov" "distinguished himself" again. According to the results of laboratory examination, its fat content is 33% more. A noticeable excess, especially significant for those who monitor their weight.

The actual fat content of this yogurt is much higher than the labeled figures.

The same yogurt has the most carbohydrates - 15.8%. This is due to the presence of a significant amount of sugar in the composition.

For the rest of the yogurts, the fat content corresponds to that indicated on the labels, a slight discrepancy was noted for the Vkusnoteevo yogurt (1.6% instead of 1.5%). The minimum fat content is for Ostankinskoye yogurt: 1%.

Fruit yogurt? Not really

Experts noted the so-called empty taste of Ostankinskoye yogurt, with an extraneous taste and smell: it does not contain any fruit components, like Frugurt. These are flavored fermented milk products, although they are depicted on the packaging. The smell of fresh berries is given to them by artificial flavors, and the pink color is carmine dye (food additive E120), which is considered safe for health.

Most of us are convinced that the fewer additives in yogurt, the better. Allergies can be caused not only by flavors, dyes, but also by other food additives. Some manufacturers try to draw attention to their product with “no artificial additives” labels. On the label of "Frugurt" there is a mark "without preservatives and GMOs." Experts explained: this is just a marketing ploy. Preservatives in yogurt are not used in principle, because they would suppress the beneficial lactic acid microflora. Genetically modified organisms are not added to them either: they simply do not exist in “milk”.

Yogurt has earned a reputation as one of the healthiest foods around. But is it? Yogurt can easily become unhealthy food - and in this case, we are not just talking about pseudo-healthy yogurts with cookie bits and candies.

Dairy novelties are constantly appearing on the shelves of our stores - so how do you choose the healthiest yogurt? We will tell.

Choose yogurt without additives

Yogurt requires milk and two bacterial cultures, Lactobacillus Bulgaricus and Streptococcus Thermophilus, which ferment milk into yogurt.

Plus a little sugar or fruit - and that's it. Stay away from foods with long ingredient lists, some of which you can't even pronounce.

Look for beneficial bacteria

Probiotics are good bacteria. They are similar to those that live in your digestive tract. Probiotics are a key ingredient in yogurt, promoting digestion and overall gut health.

Surprisingly, not all yogurts in stores actually contain "live and active cultures". Some companies heat-treat yogurt to increase shelf life, which kills bacteria, both good and bad. There is no benefit to this product.

Calcium

Yogurt is a great source of calcium, but the amount can vary from brand to brand. Look for yogurt that contains at least 15% of your daily calcium requirement. Ideal - from 15 to 35%.

Check the sugar

Looking for low sugar yogurt? Do not rely solely on the number of grams indicated on the label. Regular yogurt has a fair amount of natural milk sugar - lactose (about 9 grams per 180 ml), to which more sugar is added. So avoid foods that contain sugar in the first or second place.

Avoid fruits

Of course, it is better to buy yogurt without additives and put fresh berries and fruits into it at home to your taste. But sometimes we still want yogurt with strawberries or cherries.

In this case, make sure that natural fruits and berries are added to it - they should be among the ingredients at the very beginning. Otherwise, if this information is listed somewhere at the end of the list, most likely a mixture of sugar and food coloring has been added to the product.

Don't be afraid of fat

Fat-free foods are devoid of any benefit whatsoever. Also, the word “low-fat” on the package does not always mean low in calories. And all because low-fat yogurts often contain a lot of sugar. So it's better to choose yogurt with natural fruits or just add a teaspoon of honey to low-fat kefir.

Read the label carefully

Start doing this and you will soon understand the difference between healthy and unhealthy yogurt. Pay attention to the presence of beneficial bacteria L. Bulgaricus and S. Thermophilus in it, the amount of sugar. And be healthy!

I love cotton candy. And all because it is made from one spoon of sugar. This is the rarest example of a food that has less sugar than it looks. Even a schoolboy knows about the harmfulness of cola, chips and sweets, but what is the situation with dairy products, diet yoghurts and children's curds?

Natural yogurt?

At one time I tried to lose weight on a sour-milk diet. I don’t like kefir, so I used delicious drinking yoghurts with and without fillers. You cannot express my disappointment when, after a week of such nutrition, my weight increased by 2 kilograms! I immediately returned to my usual diet, but my intestines protested. He protested for 3 days, only gave up after a lactulose syrup prescribed by a gastroenterologist.

The doctor explained what errors caused this complication. Blame it on those same drinking yoghurts with an incredible amount of sugar and lack of nutrients!

If we only talk about sweets, doctors recommend men should consume no more than 36 grams of sugar per day, and women - only 20. It is necessary to evaluate not only granulated sugar, but all foods eaten, including fruits. Exceeding the "sweet" boundaries is fraught with obesity, diabetes, problems with the heart and brain.

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Dairy products always considered useful. According to television advertising, they contain the maximum concentration of nutrients and all kinds of "live" bacteria. But let's look at the composition of the classic drinkable yogurt. First on the list is raw milk, then sugar or fruit sugar syrup. Further thickeners and additives "identical to natural" ...

Manufacturers of low-fat yogurts also sin by adding sugar. A 300 ml bottle contains 8 spoons, which is 2 times more than the allowable daily allowance for women! Do not even plan to lose weight on drinking yogurt, you risk gaining a couple of kilograms.

On the labels you can often find two names - yogurt and yogurt product. But what's the difference? Experts from scientific research institutes answer that both are useless, even if they do not contain antibiotics, preservatives and vegetable fats. Natural yogurt should contain 11 million beneficial bacteria per 1 gram of product. But none of the studied samples taken from store shelves does not meet the stated indications. The number of detected bacteria is 100 times less than what is written on the label.

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There should be no bacteria in the yogurt product at all, neither beneficial nor harmful, because making yogurt in this way involves high-temperature processing (pasteurization). Roughly speaking, a yogurt product is a canned milk product that can be stored at room temperature.

“Lactic acid bacteria tend to inhibit the growth of harmful microflora, which is why they are so beneficial for digestion and for the intestines. That is why preservatives are not used in yogurt in principle - they are simply not needed there, because useful ones cope with harmful microbes. Unfortunately, not all manufacturers are literate enough in such matters, and it is easier for them to play it safe and “boil” yogurt than to take the risk and produce a “live” product. We end up buying and eating yogurt thinking that we care about health, but in fact - do not bring any benefit to the body».

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Another trick for buyers - calcium enrichment. Yogurt without additives should have at least 110 mg of calcium per 100 g of product. But the test in the laboratory established other data, which are 2-3 times less than indicated! In Rastishka, my children's favorite, there was even less calcium than in milk!

Saturation with calcium is an absolutely useless procedure. Here is how nutritionist Lyudmila Denisenko says about it: “Manufacturers often fortify yogurt or other dairy products with inorganic calcium, which is practically indigestible.. And the lack of calcium in foods is aggravated by the fact that the body absorbs it worse if the yogurt is also fat-free. In addition, by skimming milk, we deprive it of fat-soluble vitamins (A and D), and vitamin D promotes the absorption of calcium.”

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Drinkable yoghurts with fruit fillers rich in flavors and dyes, and there are very few beneficial bacteria in them. No one adds natural vanilla to dairy products, otherwise no one would buy them. A synthetic substitute is used, which may contain the following substances: vanillin lignin (an industry by-product from wood waste pulp), ethyl vanillin (compounds from coal tar), or coumarin (a similar flavoring, but very toxic).

Another problem with dairy products is best before date. A simple rule will help you choose a healthy product - choose yogurt with fewer ingredients and a minimum shelf life. Optimally up to 5-7 days. Just imagine how much chemicals you need to use to keep a dairy dessert for up to 30 days!

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Very often carriers, shops and supermarkets violate storage temperature conditions. Such a product becomes extremely dangerous. Well, if it "carries", but serious poisoning is not ruled out!

"Increased amount of lactobacilli", "carefully selected natural ingredients", "normalizes metabolism and improves digestion" - all these are tricks for the buyer! Read labels carefully, and it is best to make yogurt from milk using natural lactic acid bacteria.

If the article was useful to you, show it to your friends on social networks. Surely many of them do not read the labels on dairy products!

Your opinion is very important to us dairy products How to choose a useful and high-quality? Don't forget to write a comment.

Alexandra Dyachenko is perhaps the most active editor of our team. She is an active mother of two children, a tireless hostess, and Sasha also has an interesting hobby: she loves to make impressive decorations and decorate children's parties. The energy of this man cannot be put into words! Dreams of visiting the Brazilian carnival. Sasha's favorite book is "Unstoppable Wonderland" by Haruki Murakami.