A LESSON IN LABEL READING for your Sweet Tooth - Yoplait Yogurt!

OK so most people are either "sweet" or "salty" when it comes to their cravings and temptations.

If you MUST have sweets and you are a fan of yogurt, then this is something that may interest you!  Just going down the yogurt aisle these days can be frightening !  So many different brands, Greek, Fruit on the Bottom or not ? Pro-Biotic or not ? 
#1 Best Choice is Plain Greek Yogurt with 0% MF like PC Greek Yogurt.  If you mix this with some fruit and granola it is a very healthy breakfast or afternoon rev-up before you work out! 

Well - the rule of thumb when shopping for Yogurt should be 0% MF (milk fat) and Low or no sugar.

Sugar can be disguised as well as Fructose, Sucrose and High Fructose Corn Syrup among other chemicals like Aspartame etc.  Just because something says "low fat" does not mean it is Low Sugar!  So what to do ????

1) Turn it around and read the Label !

2) Less then 5 grms of sugar PER SERVING should be what you aim for.  And watch the Per Serving (which you find right at the top under Serving Size.  This is important because the item your holding may not mean that the entire unit is one serving ! So even 1/2 cup of the product could be disastrous ! 

3) Remember - the products are listed in the order of quantity in the product - meaning that if you see Sugar as the first ingredient...then PUT IT BACK on the shelf!  See below for Ingredient listing....

Below is a sample of one of the best Yogurts out there.  Yoplait "Source" - it comes in either fruit or the one pictured below which is the Dessert brand.  This is a great substitute if you have "sweet" cravings during the day or late at night.  

INGREDIENT LISTING:  

Dessert Selection  Ingredients Skim milk, strawberries, fruit puree: raspberries, cranberries, black cherries, boysenberries, milk and whey proteins, modified corn starch, active bacterial cultures, gelatin, natural and artificial flavours, citric acid, pectin, lemon juice concentrate, sucralose (Strawberry Chantilly: 19 mg ; Raspberry cranberry crumble: 25 mg ; Cherry delight: 17 mg ; Lemon meringue parfait: 21 mg ; Creme caramel : 25 mg ; Cafe latte : 24 mg ; Strawberry parfait :  23 mg ;  Raspberry-chocolate : 21 mg per 100g serving), locust bean gum, colour, vitamin A palmitate, vitamin D3, potassium sorbate, made with vitamin A & D fortified skim milk.

NOW - THIS PRODUCT does in fact have the Spenda label on it as well and before you all go - "but that's bad".....see product info below....trust me - there are alot worse products out there then this.  AND the item appears lower on the ingredient listing which again, is what is ideal.  Always check the labels and while Aspartame and Spenda and Stevia are not the best ingredients, when you learn to compare and read labels I think you will realize that there are alot worse choices you can make! 

What does the Splenda® symbol on Yoplait Source yogurts mean? The hypo-caloric sweetener Splenda® (the commercial trademark for sucralose) is a new concentrated, powerful, calorie-free sweetener/sugar substitute. It's made from sugar but doesn't promote cavities. (Ref: Extract from Canada Gazette, Part 2, Department of Health and Welfare, September 25, 1991) Because sucralose is not a carbohydrate, it has no impact on glycaemia, so diabetics can safely consume products sweetened with sucralose.

So hopefully this exercise has helped you and next time you navigate the Dairy aisle you will feel more confident !   Remember - knowledge is power !!!  "Peace, Love and Fitness"