Original flavor ≠ no flavor! 3 common myths about yogurt

The weather is hot in the summer, and people are starting to adopt a "light" diet. They desire a refreshing taste while also hoping to help with digestion and lose weight. At this time, sweet and sour yogurt becomes a hot commodity! However, the survey found that yogurts and cheeses labeled "original flavor" on the market are not truly "unflavored" and do not equal low in calories. Dairy products that use the word "light" or "light" to represent low calories also contain less milk, which greatly reduces their nutritional value.

Yogurt and yogurt have the advantages of aiding digestion and maintaining intestinal health, but commercially available products often contain added sugar and modified starch, which greatly reduces their health benefits. (Photography by Luo Huiwen)

Myth 1: Original flavor ≠ unflavored

The Tung Foundation investigated 39 yogurt and milk products on the market and found that among the 23 products that were labeled "original" or recognized by consumers as "white, without added colors and flavors", 4 were "flavored fermented milk." According to national standard CNS3058, the milk content of "flavored fermented milk" is only 45% to 90%, and other non-dairy ingredients can be added, such as fruit juice, vegetable juice, grains, chocolate, nuts, etc.

“Original” dairy products do not mean “unflavored”! Lin Yanting, a nutritionist from the Food Nutrition Group of the Tung Foundation, said that the food labels of commercially available yogurt also show that in addition to basic ingredients such as water, milk powder, and fresh milk, many products also add sugar, sucrose, spices, cream, modified starch, agar and other ingredients for flavoring, which is different from the general public's perception of "original flavor."

Myth 2: Original flavor ≠ low calorie

The survey also found that among 23 "original" dairy products, as many as 20 products had additional added sugar, accounting for nearly 87%, and the highest amount of added sugar was as high as 9 grams per 100 ml. Nutritionist Lin Yanting said that if the average adult consumes 2,000 calories per day, the upper limit of sugar intake is only 25 grams. Long-term excessive intake may cause hyperactivity or inattention in children and the risk of chronic diseases in adults.

Nutritionist Lin Yanting from the Tung Foundation said that yogurts marketed as "original flavor" are not necessarily "unflavored," as some may contain added sucrose, cream, or modified starch. (Photography by Luo Huiwen)

However, just because “original” dairy products are high in calories doesn’t necessarily mean they are high in sugar! Dong compared the calories of 12 plain yogurts and 4 flavored fermented milks on the market and found that the former had an average of 68.8 calories per 100 ml, while the latter had an average of 50.6 calories per 100 ml. Xu Huiyu, director of the Food Nutrition Group of the Tung Foundation, said that milk itself contains calories, and the milk content of original fermented milk is over 90%. Compared with flavored fermented milk which contains only 45% to 90% milk, the milk content is higher and the calories will naturally be higher.

Myth 3: “Light” ≠ low calorie

In order to emphasize sugar reduction, many yogurts with words such as "light" and "light" have appeared on the market, making consumers believe that the product is "low in calories". However, nutritionist Lin Yanting said that by checking food labels, it can be found that the sucrose content is still higher than that in raw milk and milk powder; and the low-calorie meaning given by the advertising words "light" is usually due to the fact that the amount of raw milk and milk powder is halved. Therefore, although the overall product calories are reduced, the nutritionally valuable milk content is also reduced.

There are many fermented milk products on the market. Read the labels carefully to eat them healthily.

There are many types of yogurt and yoghurt on the market, and the advertising wordings are varied. How can we smartly choose products that meet our health needs? The Tung Foundation calls on the public to pay attention to the labels on the back of the products when purchasing. The simpler the ingredients, the better. Or, the public can try making their own yogurt at home, which is safe and healthy. Manufacturers should reduce additional additives and simplify product ingredients.