What are the healthiest yogurts?

It’s a staple we often find in our fridges. Some prefer it plain, others with muesli. According to the 2023 Cniel/CSA barometer, 8 out of 10 French people use yogurt , as its name suggests, from the fermentation of milk (cow, sheep or goat). But in the fresh section there are other options such as flavored yogurts (fruit, vanilla or even chocolate), white cheeses such as petit-suisses or the very popular Icelandic skyr, both made from curdled milk wondering how to choose the right dessert, and first of all, what is the healthiest option to choose?

Each dessert has its own benefit

In order to make a better distinction, one should first carefully study their composition, because not all of them have exactly the same nutritional intake, informs D.^r: Laurence Plumey, nutritionist and founder of NAPSO-Therapy. Classic yogurt contains proteins, calcium, but above all bacteria, Lactobacillus bulgaricus And Streptococcus thermophilus. “This corresponds to more than a billion live probiotics, which makes it an excellent product to enrich our microbiota,” concludes the nutritionist. Based on this principle, it is therefore active in facilitating our digestion.

Skyr or petit-suisse white cheeses or Greek yogurt have a thicker texture than yogurt. with lactic acid (a coagulant of animal origin) or lactic acid enzymes that are coagulated and added to cream for some white cheeses. “These contain less calcium but more protein than yogurts, which may be of interest to people who want to be fitter and those who want to gain muscle,” says D.^r: Lawrence Plum. It is enough to compete with the protein-enriched and more expensive popular desserts that we have seen in the fresh section in recent years. Apart from their price, the difference between these two products is not so obvious, says the nutritionist. “You need 8 grams of protein for cottage cheese, 10 grams for dessert, it’s not much,” he concludes.

Everything is in proportion

Whether your choice is plain yogurt, cottage cheese, or skyr, these three desserts are just as valid and can very well be consumed daily to meet the official Public Health Recommendation of two dairy products (three for kids). However, it’s important Pay attention to the fat intake of these foods, the presence of which increases the caloric content. “It depends on the type of milk used. if you use the semi-skimmed version, you get 2 grams of fat per pot of yogurt. And if we choose whole milk, then we double those proportions,” explains the nutritionist. Especially with cream-enriched versions, like white cheeses are an increase in this fat content, about 5 grams per can, according to D.^r: Lawrence Plum.

After all, it’s the dose that makes the poison. “If you have too much cholesterol or want to lose weight, you have to be careful about it and be careful not to overdo it,” says the nutritionist. “Eating two whole-milk yogurts is like swallowing a 10-gram wafer of butter.” As you will understand, the most important thing is to integrate these desserts into a balanced and healthy diet. “The best is to take natural plain yogurts (not skim, not whole milk),” advises the nutritionist. They have a very good taste and nutritional quality ratio.

Avoid flavored yogurts and plant-based desserts

And if you don’t like the natural options, can you blindly turn to yogurts or fruit or flavored white cheeses? “Whether they’re fortified with real fruit or flavorings, these products are de facto sweet and contain the equivalent of two pieces of sugar per container. which is too much,” says Dr. Laurence Plumey. “One should be enough.” If our taste buds can’t tolerate the milky taste alone, it would be better to add a little sugar (maximum one teaspoon), fresh fruit or a little honey to your simple dessert without reaching the excessive sugar level of industrial yogurts.

Plant-based desserts also appeal to gourmets such as the lactose intolerant and vegans. Coconut, oats, soybeans, hazelnuts… If the offer is wide, then the dietitian doctor wants to note that these foods, although they taste delicious, do not contain the nutritional properties of yogurt, cottage cheese and other dairy desserts. , in this case very little protein and calcium. “It’s actually a fermented vegetable juice. If you swear by these products, the danger is that you deprive yourself of dairy products that are too rich in calcium (for example, 200 mg for semi-skimmed yogurt) and therefore silently and gradually undergo bone demineralization. Not to mention that these desserts are also subject to the abuse of added sugar. That’s why it’s important to read the labels carefully, prefer the shortest and most understandable ones, and choose calcium-enriched versions.