Do you enjoy eating yogurt every day? Learn to choose them carefully because some, sold in the fresh section, do not have all the benefits. Our expert guides you.
Fruit flavored, stirred, plain, farmhouse or even enriched with probiotics… In the supermarket, the yogurt section is full of very different products. What to choose then, faced with this profusion? Alexandra Murcier, dietitian-nutritionist, helps you get your bearings.
Yogurts: what are the benefits?
Yogurts are rich in protein and calcium (approximately 150 mg per plain pot), an essential mineral for maintaining good bone health.
Additionally, the bacteria used to ferment milk into yogurt convert lactose into lactic acid, which makes yogurt easier to digest and improves calcium absorption. These ferments also play a beneficial role in the intestines by helping to balance the microbiota.
Question quantity, Health Insurance advises to “eat 2 dairy products a day while moderating your consumption of fatty and salty cheeses“.
After the age of 55, it is advisable to increase your consumption of dairy products and switch to “3 or 4 per day” because of their richness in calcium and proteins.
Recommended serving sizes? 150 ml of milk, 125 g of yogurt, or 30 g of cheese. If the portions are smaller, consume 3 dairy products per day, recommends the site.
Yogurts: which ones to choose?
First of all, it is important to differentiate between natural yoghurts, fruit (or flavored) yoghurts and dessert creams.
“Puddings are not yogurt, although many people include them in the same category. These are clearly sweet desserts, which should be limited as much as possible, explains Alexandra Murcier.
Then, it is better to choose a natural yogurt – even if it means adding a small spoonful of jam or honey inside – “than a flavored or fruit yogurt which for some brands are very sweet or which contain sweeteners“, warns the expert.
“Then, I do not recommend the consumption of 0% flavored yogurts, quite simply because they are, of course, less fatty but they are sweeter.“, warns the expert.
Starch is also generally used to maintain the consistency of yogurt. “It is therefore better to choose classic yogurts“, she says.
Another good reflex: read the product label scrupulously.
“I recommend choosing yogurts that have the shortest list of ingredients, with the fewest additives possible and that have the lowest “carbohydrates including sugars” label. We can also pay attention to the amount of calcium present in the yogurt. recommends Alexandra Murcier.
For people intolerant to cow's milk proteins, plant-based yogurts remain a good option.
“If possible, respecting the same criteria and checking that they are enriched with calcium,” she explains. As for Greek yogurts, they are fattier but not very sweet, and quite filling, so I recommend them more than yogurts. with fruit for example“, assures the specialist. “Finally, skyr seems to be a good source of protein, but they are still quite expensive“.
The expert's tip? Favor the little Swiss, “which have practically the same composition as skyr and are much cheaper.”
Slide: The richest foods in protein: the guide to the best sources
