Yoghurt pouches have become very popular among kids \u2013 but they could be hiding a sugary secret. Research has found that almost 80 per cent of the \u201cno added sugar\u201d yoghurt pouches sold in supermarkets instead contain purees or reconstituted* juices, which means they contain fruit-based sugars like fructose* and sucrose* despite not having added cane sugar.<\/p>\n
Some yoghurt pouches still punched above their weight when it came to health benefits.<\/p>\n
Out of 90 products analysed in a recent study, 30 per cent had more than 200mg per 100g of calcium, double what dietitians say we should be aiming for.<\/p>\n
WHAT\u2019S IN THE POUCH?
A quarter of pouches analysed were sold as being high in protein*, an important factor for athletes, older adults or people struggling to meet the requirements.<\/p>\n
However, Life, Diet and Nutrition dietitian and nutritionist Marnie Buller said high-protein options were not necessary for kids.<\/p>\n
\u201cChildren don\u2019t necessarily get any advantage from these over regular yoghurt,\u201d Ms Buller said.<\/p>\n
She also warned that while \u201cno added sugar\u201d products had no refined sugar, they often had very sweet ingredients.<\/p>\n
\u201cReconstituted fruit juices and puree still contribute to sugar and are much lower in fibre* than fruit chunks,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Australian Catholic University food and nutrition scientist Dr Emma Beckett agreed.<\/p>\n
\u201cCheck where the flavour comes from \u2026 does it have actual fruit or is it just fruit flavour,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Ms Buller also noted many yoghurt pouches often replaced sugar with added sweeteners like stevia, which comes from plant leaves.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you\u2019re going low sugar but then you\u2019re just adding stevia or aspartame* or some sort of artificial sweetener, it\u2019s potentially counteracting* the benefits,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI generally encourage consumers to focus on the overall nutritional profile rather than simply replacing sugar with sweeteners.\u201d<\/p>\n
Dr Beckett said the calcium in yoghurt pouches helped to keep our blood vessels and heart muscles pumping, while strengthening our bones.<\/p>\n
If we don\u2019t get enough when we\u2019re younger, it could result in bone disease later in life, she said.<\/p>\n
The following Shopping Swaps analysis compared nutritional panels of all products based on a 100g serving as pouches varied in size.<\/p>\n
HEALTHIEST OPTIONS:<\/p>\n
#1 Chobani Greek Yoghurt Natural Pouch:
Cost: $1.93 per 100g.<\/p>\n
This was easily the top pick among experts as the only unflavoured, traditional Greek yoghurt option in stores.<\/p>\n
It has just three simple ingredients \u2013 skim milk, cream and live cultures \u2013 which makes it the most similar to a traditional yoghurt.<\/p>\n
Dr Beckett said Greek yoghurts had a natural protein boost that Greek-style options would not have because Greek yoghurt was strained to remove liquid whey, which improved the protein concentration and gave it a creamy texture.<\/p>\n
Only 26 per cent of the 90 analysed options had a protein content above 8g per 100g, which dietitians said was a moderate level.<\/p>\n
This option was one of them at 8.6g per 100g.<\/p>\n
It met the calcium threshold with exactly 100mg of calcium per 100g.<\/p>\n
Dr Beckett said Greek yoghurts were high in lactose and this naturally occurring sugar wasn\u2019t a concern.<\/p>\n
#2 Farmers Union Greek Style Yoghurt Pouch Natural:
Cost: $1.92 per 100g.<\/p>\n
This unsweetened and unflavoured option was another top choice due to its simple ingredient list.<\/p>\n
It is only made up of milk, cream, probiotics and yoghurt cultures.<\/p>\n
Ms Buller said when manufacturers added flavours, they also added emulsifiers*, stabilisers*, thickeners and sometimes sweeteners which was why plain was best.<\/p>\n
This Greek-style pouch has three billion probiotics per serve to help gut health.<\/p>\n
\u201cProbiotics colonise and help produce beneficial substrates* in the gut \u2026 it will have health benefits, not just for the gut but for the whole body,\u201d Dr Beckett said.<\/p>\n
It also has 196mg of calcium per 100g, above the recommended threshold.<\/p>\n
However, because it is not traditional Greek yoghurt, it\u2019s naturally lower in protein than the above option with 5.2g per 100g.<\/p>\n
#3 Siggi\u2019s Vanilla:
Cost: $1.83 per 100g.<\/p>\n
If you prefer yoghurt with a bit more sweetness, then this one was the best choice among the flavoured options, according to experts.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt contains a small amount of cane sugar but the overall sugar content remains moderate and the ingredient list is still relatively simple compared with many high-protein competitors,\u201d Ms Buller said.<\/p>\n
It also had the 20th best protein score at 9.5g per 100g.<\/p>\n
This yoghurt pouch was also above the recommended calcium content at 113mg per 100g.<\/p>\n
#4 Farmers Union No Added Sugar Kids Strawberry:
Cost: $1.92 per 100g.<\/p>\n
This was Ms Buller\u2019s top recommendation for kid choices.<\/p>\n
It has one billion probiotics per serve and strawberry pulp is the ingredient that takes up the most sugar content.<\/p>\n
Ms Buller said it was great for kids\u2019 bones, with 188mg of calcium per 100g.<\/p>\n
However, she said its \u201cno added sugar\u201d claim could be considered misleading.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt contains reconstituted apple juice, which contributes naturally occurring fruit sugars but the overall sugar content remains relatively modest compared with some competing children\u2019s products,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
A spokeswoman for Bega Group said the \u201cno added sugar claim\u201d was used in line with the Food Standards Code, which meant no refined sugars were added during production.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe sweetness in this product comes from ingredients like fruit, including reconstituted apple juice, and lactose from milk, which contribute to the naturally occurring sugars,\u201d the spokeswoman said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhile these sugars are included in the total sugar content listed on pack, they are distinct from added sugar, which is outlined on pack.\u201d<\/p>\n
She said fruit-based ingredients allowed them to \u201cprovide a palatable* option for kids without adding refined sugar, alongside key dairy nutrients like protein, calcium, iodine, and vitamin B12.\u201d<\/p>\n
#5 YoPRO Perform High Protein Yoghurt Pouch Strawberry:
Cost: $1.71 per 100g.<\/p>\n
This was the healthiest high-protein option out of all 23 yoghurts that fell under this category in the analysis.<\/p>\n
Ms Buller said the added strawberry puree, thickener and sweetener were present in such small amounts it wasn\u2019t worth worrying about.<\/p>\n
The sugar content sat at less than a teaspoon per 100g (3.4g).<\/p>\n
About 11.5g of protein per 100g will help muscle growth for very active individuals, she said.<\/p>\n
It was also ranked second best for calcium overall when looking at all 90 options with 251mg per 100g.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor many Australians, calcium can be a bigger nutritional gap than protein but this one is exceptionally high,\u201d Ms Buller said.<\/p>\n
OPTIONS TO AVOID:
#1 Vaalia Boost Mango Magic Probiotic Pouch:
Cost: $0.95 per 100g.<\/p>\n
The name might sound like it is healthy \u2013 but it has a high amount of sugar compared to other options.<\/p>\n
It has more than 10g of sugar per 100g (10.4g), which equates to Two-and-a-half teaspoons per pouch.<\/p>\n
Of all the 90 pouches analysed, only nine products met this high sugar threshold.<\/p>\n
#2 ALDI Yoguri Greek Style Strawberry Pouches:
Cost: $1.42 per 100g.<\/p>\n
This one had the second highest sugar content overall with 12.2g per 100g, making it another option that appeared healthy but was ranked poorly.<\/p>\n
However it still has 7.5g of protein and meets the calcium mark.<\/p>\n
#3 Pauls Plus Protein Lemon Cheesecake:
Cost: $1.67 per 100g.<\/p>\n
This yoghurt is a high protein way to enjoy cheesecake \u2014 but it comes with an extensive ingredient list that experts did not prefer.<\/p>\n
Ms Buller said there were other pouches that met the 10g protein mark (per 100g) without the need for ingredients like modified starch*, sweeteners (acesulphame* and sucralose*), stabilisers and added colours.<\/p>\n
#4 Nestle Milo Energy Dairy Snack:
Cost: $1.90 per 100g.<\/p>\n
This sweet snack isn\u2019t even considered a yoghurt by its manufacturer and has the highest sugar content of all the 90 dairy products analysed.<\/p>\n
Sugar is the second most present ingredient plus added malt barley and maltodextrin* spike up the sweetness to 12.9g per 100g.<\/p>\n
Per pouch, that\u2019s almost five teaspoons.<\/p>\n
It is also lower in protein (4.4g per 100g) and has added emulsifiers, which are additives that can upset our guts.<\/p>\n
A spokeswoman for Nestle said the pouch was not a yoghurt or marketed as one because it was not fermented*.<\/p>\n
\u201cUnlike yoghurt, it is not fermented, does not contain live cultures, and has a neutral pH,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is positioned as a dairy-based energy snack, it is more relevant to compare it to other chocolate or malt-flavoured dairy snacks available in the market (and not to yoghurt).\u201d<\/p>\n
POLL<\/p>\n
GLOSSARY<\/p>\n
reconstituted: when most of the water is taken out of a juice to create a very sugary concentrate that is easier to transport and store and then water is added back in later to return the juice to its original state fructose: a naturally occurring sugar found in fruit sucrose: table sugar \u2013 the type of sugar made from sugar cane protein: long strings of amino acids that are considered the building blocks of life and are essential for the functioning and structure of cells, tissues and organs fibre: the rough parts of plant foods that you can\u2019t digest that helps to clean your digestive organs as it moves through your digestive system aspartame: an artificial sweetener commonly found in diet soft drinks, yoghurts and sugar-free gum counteracting: acting in opposition to something emulsifiers: substances added to products to help different ingredients bind together, when they wouldn\u2019t usually stick otherwise stabilisers: substances that maintains a product\u2019s state and prevent ingredients from separating or spoiling substrates: fuel or building blocks for your own digestive enzymes or gut bacteria palatable: something that tastes good that kids want to eat modified starch: starch that has been altered to improve its performance and used as an additive in food products to maintain texture and withstand heat or long storage acesulphame: an artificial sweetener used in processed foods sucralose: an artificial sweetener derived from table sugar maltodextrin: a highly processed powder derived from plant starches and used to thicken foods or as a preservative fermented: when food undergoes a chemical transformation caused by bacteria, yeast or fungi <\/p>\n
EXTRA READING QUICK QUIZ LISTEN TO THIS STORY<\/p>\n CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES Time: Spend at least 40 minutes on this activity 2. Extension Time: Spend at least 45 minutes on this activity VCOP ACTIVITY Create three new headlines for the events that took place in this article. Remember, what you write and how you write it will set the pace for the whole text, so make sure it matches.<\/p>\n Read out your headlines to a partner and discuss what the article will be about based on the headline you created. Discuss the tone and mood you set in just your few, short words. Does it do the article justice? Will it capture the audience\u2019s attention the way you hoped? Would you want to read more?<\/p>\n Consider how a headline or title is similar to using short, sharp sentences throughout your text. They can be just as important as complex ones. Go through the last text you wrote and highlight any short, sharp sentences that capture the audience.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Yoghurt pouches have become very popular among kids \u2013 but they could be hiding a sugary secret. Research…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":761702,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[36],"tags":[271398,49,48,84,395],"class_list":["post-761701","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-nutrition","tag-best-yoghurt-pouches","tag-ca","tag-canada","tag-health","tag-nutrition"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/761701","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=761701"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/761701\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/761702"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=761701"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=761701"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=761701"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
Butter vs. margarine: bad or best?<\/a>
Nuts are tops but are butters bad?<\/a>
What makes a healthy milk drink?<\/a><\/p>\n
1. In what way are some of the \u201cno added sugar\u201d pouches misleading?
2. Are high protein options important for kids? Why\/why not?
3. Why do you think less ingredients are often preferred among the experts?
4. What are a few different ingredients that can push up the overall sugar content even if the product has no added sugar?
5. In what way is Greek yoghurt different to other types of yoghurt?<\/p>\n
1. Make better choices
Create a poster or an infographic. The purpose of your work is to help parents or carers understand four of the most important things that they need to think about when they are considering healthy choices when buying yoghurt pouches and yoghurt products.<\/p>\n
Curriculum Links: English, Health and Physical Education, Visual Communication Design<\/p>\n
Do you think that we need tougher rules around food labelling? Imagine that you are part of a Federal Government Kids Task Force for Healthy Eating. Use information from the story, your own ideas and perhaps your research skills to help you to write a very convincing report to the Federal Government on this question.<\/p>\n
Curriculum Links: English, Health and Physical Education, Civics and Citizenship<\/p>\n
Read this!
A headline on an article \u2013 or a title on your text \u2013 should capture the attention of the audience, telling them to read this now. So choosing the perfect words for a headline or title is very important.<\/p>\n