Low-fat yogurt without additives. Kefir and yogurt: how to choose a "live" product? Composition and shelf life

Mom bought “live” yogurt for her daughter, brought it home, put it in the refrigerator, and at night the yogurt got out of the jar, ate borscht and sausage ... So do our bodies need "foreign" bacteria?

Nadezhda Kovalenko, professor at the Institute of Microbiology and Virology, knows that there is a considerable amount of truth in this joke. For her, bacteria are really alive. They wage wars, make friends with each other, spend subbotniks in our body, exerting an irreplaceable influence. Professor Kovalenko has been studying these "worlds" for more than forty years. In the 1990s, she developed the probiotic drink Gerolact, which lowers blood cholesterol. Ukrainian gerolact is now drunk in Denmark and South Africa.

- One of the most important questions that worries many consumers is what is the state of lactic acid bacteria in yogurts with a shelf life of up to 14 days? Are they still alive?

- If the company uses modern equipment and follows the production technology, then even by the 14th day a large number of active bacteria remain. But when low-quality raw materials are used, non-sterile containers are used in the dairy workshop, then extraneous microflora can get into yogurt. Then lactic acid bacteria will fight with it, and a lot of energy can be spent on suppressing pathogenic bacteria. As a result, a meager amount of useful microflora will remain in yogurt. For example, there are few fermented milk and bifidobacteria declared on the packaging, but there are many spore microorganisms - their content sometimes exceeded the norm several times. Yeast, say, should not be at all, but they are present. We found molds and even putrefactive microflora in yoghurts.

- There is an opinion that artificially derived bacteria from starter cultures do not correspond to the human microflora, and therefore do not take root in it. Is it so?

– Indeed, entire laboratories are working on the selection of starter cultures. But the statement that these bacteria do not take root in the human body is not true. Useful microflora multiplies and takes root, and most importantly - works for the benefit of the human body. Lactic acid bacteria suppress neutral ph (acid-base balance. - Focus), in which pathogenic microflora grows. What is more important: the body does not produce enzymes for the assimilation of fermented milk products. Probiotics, entering the body, do not just transit, but cling to the villi that are present on the epithelium of the intestines, esophagus, stomach, where they multiply, contributing to the digestion of food. After taking a course of antibiotics, the microflora of the digestive tract is practically “washed out”, therefore it is necessary to populate probiotics, otherwise dysbacteriosis may develop. Each probiotic has its own purpose. For example, one of the varieties of beneficial bacteria - acidophilus bacillus - produces a huge amount of lactic acid, which is an antioxidant, it eliminates the putrefactive processes that can take place in the body.

– Many people are sure that our producers use cheap starter cultures.

– As a rule, Ukrainian producers work with foreign starters. The fact is that domestic starters must first be diluted by ten liters, then by a ton, and at each stage there is a human factor. In industrial production, our starters are less convenient. The only plant for the production of starter cultures at the Institute of Milk and Meat now specializes in selling starter cultures to the population. Of course, they are more adapted to our stomachs and to our region, but foreign ones are more adapted to standardized production.

- Which is better - making your own yogurt or buying it in a supermarket?

- At home, you seem to get a quality product, but here, too, a lot depends on the accuracy of the hostess and the quality of the milk. If you are not sure of its quality and cannot guarantee sterility in the process of diluting the starter, then in this case it is better to buy store-bought yogurts. I understand that today some manufacturers want to save money, use powdered or skimmed milk, flavors and not very high-quality fillers. But even in this case, industrial fermented milk products may be better. Abroad, the basic product is very popular - yogurt without additives, only on the basis of a microorganism. Homemade fillers can be added to such a product.

- Are yogurts and other dairy products useful for everyone?

– No, there are individual features. Sweet yoghurts are not suitable for diabetics. Acidophilic milk or kefir is not suitable for people who suffer from gastritis, in this case cottage cheese is better. Yogurt, if real, contains bulgaric acid and thermophilic streptococci, which makes yogurt sour, not very pleasant. But in sweet yoghurts, if there is a pathogenic flora present, then it immediately begins to devour the sweetness and also releases acid. Such yogurt, like ice cream, does not bring any health benefits.

How often should you eat dairy products?

It is advisable to start the morning with a glass of kefir or yogurt, always of good quality, and drink a glass at night. The fact is that during rest, lactic acid bacteria begin to participate in the process of digestion of food, the body is sanitized and the state of health improves.

Yogurt is one of the healthiest foods. It normalizes the intestinal microflora, stimulates digestion and helps keep the body in shape. At least that's what advertising convinces us every day. However, in reality, along with some “natural products”, consumers consume kilograms of nutritional supplements per year.

As a survey on the AiF website showed, when choosing yogurts, about a quarter of our readers primarily prefer products with a short shelf life, as well as without "E" additives. At the same time, most of the consumers do not pay attention to the composition at all, trusting the promoted brand.

Expiry date is not a problem

Many consumers already know that yogurt must be made from natural milk and sourdough, and also contain "live" lactic acid bacteria (not thermized). However, the Technical Regulations for milk and dairy products allow dyes and flavors - natural and identical to natural, as well as other food additives in the composition of yogurt. And, as a rule, it is possible to decipher the real composition of the product - all these letters and numbers - only with excellent eyesight and the education of a chemist. How to choose the right yogurt, AiF readers are advised by experts:

“When choosing yoghurts, first of all, you should pay attention to the appearance of the package,” advises Ekaterina Poliektova, head of the sector for determining the physico-chemical parameters of the Test-St. Petersburg Federal State Institution. - It must be sealed and without any damage. Full information about the composition should be written in a font that is readable to the consumer. And not in small letters, which are impossible to make out. If yogurt is filled, then you should pay special attention to whether there are thickeners and flavors or only natural fruit additives. As for the shelf life, thanks to pasteurization and modern packaging, today even natural yoghurts can be stored for quite a long time. Therefore, a shelf life of up to 30 days should not scare away.

In addition, according to nutritionists, the current boom in allergic diseases is associated precisely with intolerance to “E” supplements. Some "E's" can extend the life of a product, but sometimes natural additives work best, not only increasing shelf life, but also stabilizing the composition. It is always better to give preference to products that do not contain “E” codes in the composition.

Decipher the label

The main suppliers of yogurt to Russia are our neighbors - Finland (36.8% of all imports), France (19.8%), Estonia (13%).

At the same time, only “live” yoghurts are mainly produced in Suomi, which is very important for the Finns, who carefully monitor their health and occupy first places in Europe in terms of life expectancy.

Russians are also paying more and more attention to healthy eating, and not so much for weight loss, but for good health. It was for them that the Finns were the first in Russia to introduce a new series of products with a clear composition - Clean Label ("clean label"). Products with this label have gained popularity in Europe and the United States ten years ago. Manufacturers went to meet consumers who want to see simple products on their table, without food additives at all, albeit at a higher price. Thus, “E” codes (which are assigned to both natural and artificial food additives) were completely excluded from the composition. Only milk and natural flavors remained (pomace from fruits and berries, without chemical processing), as well as sugar.

In Russia, few people know about such 100% natural products: as our survey showed, 82% of AiF readers have never heard of Clean Label products. Nevertheless, they are in the country. So far, only Finnish Valio products can boast of such labels, but the direction towards healthy eating has already been taken.

AiF infographics

Yoghurt, yoghurt, bioygurt, drinking yoghurt... It's just that your eyes run wide, isn't it?! In fact, this is the same product - yogurt, which manufacturers give a variety of names in order to attract as many buyers as possible to the product.

Natural yogurt: what is it?

Natural yogurt is made from the following ingredients:

• whole milk,
• starter cultures from probiotics: Bulgarian sticks (in Latin Lactobacillusbulgaricus) + thermophilic lactic streptococcus (Streptococcusthermophilus).

The benefits of these microorganisms for human health are simply invaluable. They perform a number of important tasks:

• remove toxins from the body,
• normalize the activity of the gastrointestinal tract,
• prevent the growth of pathogenic bacteria,
• increase the protective functions of the body,
• prevent the development of gastrointestinal diseases and oncology,
• contribute to the absorption of a number of vitamins and essential amino acids.

Yogurt: read the label!

Choosing Please read its ingredients carefully. It will help determine how many useful and harmful substances this yogurt contains.

1. Minimum of artificial components

Alas, during the production of some yogurts, a number of non-natural components (the so-called "E") are added to them: stabilizers, preservatives, dyes, flavors, etc. The less of these compounds in the composition of yogurt, the more useful it is.

Alas, it is very rare to find yogurt in the store that was made without the use of stabilizers. Give preference to products that contain natural stabilizers (gelatin, guar gum). Unlike artificial stabilizers, natural stabilizers are obtained from plant materials - they will not cause much harm to your body.

1. CFU - indicator of "live" yogurt

According to the presence of beneficial microorganisms, yogurts can be conditionally divided into "live" and "non-living". The former contain probiotics (beneficial microorganisms), while the latter do not.

Carefully read what is written on the product packaging: on the label of "live" yogurt containing useful bifidobacteria and lactobacilli, their number (CFU) in 1 g of the product at the end of the expiration date is always indicated.

1. Short shelf life

The rule here is quite simple: the shorter the shelf life of yogurt, the more natural it is. The so-called "live" yogurt can be stored at 2-6 degrees Celsius for a maximum of 2-3 weeks. If the packaging indicates a long shelf life (over 3-4 weeks), then this yogurt is unlikely to contain useful probiotics. After all, it is possible to increase the shelf life of yogurt only due to its heat treatment, as a result of which all beneficial microorganisms die.

1. Say "no" to thermized and sterilized yoghurts

If the name or description of a yogurt says that it is thermized or sterilized, then it is safe to say that this product was subjected to heat treatment during its production (this is the so-called “non-living” yogurt). In the process of such processing, not only harmful, but also beneficial microorganisms, so necessary for our body, died. As a result, the shelf life of such yogurt can reach 30 days or more.

However, even though all useful biological cultures die during heat treatment, “lifeless” yogurt can bring certain benefits to your body, because it is rich in proteins, carbohydrates and fats, vitamins and minerals.

1. Say yes to prebiotics

Prebiotics (fiber and inulin) are added to some yogurts, compounds that feed on beneficial bacteria. Therefore, yogurts with prebiotics have certain advantages over regular yogurts.

1. Only natural fillers

There are two main types of fruit yogurts:

• with pieces of fruit (apple, strawberry, peach, etc.) processed at high temperature;
• with jam, which often contains flavorings, thickeners and sugar.

In the case of the first yogurt, you will read the phrase “cherry pieces” (“cherry”) in the composition of the product, in the second case - “cherry filler: ...”.

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 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 please 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.

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 "Wonderland Without Brakes" by Haruki Murakami.