Yoghurt lovers have been warned the healthy snack might not be so good for you after all.
There are many touted benefits of yoghurt, from boosting the immune system to aiding weight loss and strengthening bones.
But new research has revealed the health food can simply be a “dessert in disguise”.
The Heart Foundation and Cancer Council analysed almost 200 flavoured yoghurts and found some contain as much sugar as ice cream.
Nearly half (44 per cent) of those examined contained more than three teaspoons (12g) of sugar per 100g, the upper limit of the recommended amount.
The yoghurts – found in Australian supermarkets Coles and Woolworths – are popular choices for health conscious individuals on the go.
Gippsland Dairy’s Choc Cherry Twist contained the highest sugar content, with a whopping 18.8g per 100g, or 30.1g per serve.
That’s more than the content of some vanilla ice creams on the market.
Next highest in sugar was Gippsland Dairy Boysenberry Twist, followed by Tasmanian Tamar Valley Dairy Greek Style Raspberry
Alison McAleese, manager of the Livelighter public health campaign, said product labels can be misleading.
She added: “Our research has found that some manufacturers are turning yoghurt – which is a healthy food – into a dessert by adding excessive amounts of sugar or cream.
“Some yoghurts contain a whopping 7.5 teaspoons of sugar in just one small 160g tub, or 4.5 teaspoons of sugar per 100g, which is almost as much sugar as ice cream.
Weight loss: Some yoghurts contain as much sugar as ice cream
“Some labels use terms like ‘natural’, ‘high in probiotics’ and ‘low fat’, but these hide the high sugar content and can make it hard for shoppers to figure out which ones are genuinely good.” While yoghurt contains naturally occurring sugar in lactose, it’s the added sugar that consumers need to be wary of. There are usually around six grams of lactose sugar in 100g of yoghurt, so anything beyond that is necessary. [Source:-express]
