Friday, 14 May 2010

• When Yogurt Met Fiber

  I have been noticing the new trend of yogurt products with added fiber. Food companies are really trying to make their products as healthy as possible! I've tried the following two products from Danone:

       

  Both have 2g of fiber per container. We need 25g of fiber per day, but most people do not reach this recommendation. If this is you, then a little fiber kick in your yogurt can help you reach your goal! Filling up on fiber can help you stay slim and maintain a healthy weight.

  These yogurts get extra fiber from the added inulin, which has some pros and cons to your health. Inulin is a natural form of starch found in very common foods like bananas, onions, garlic, etc.

  Some pros of having inulin in your yogurt:

  1. Acts as a prebiotic. Prebiotics are like food for probiotics (good bacteria). Since yogurts already contain probiotics, a prebiotic like inulin will help the probiotics flourish in your gut and improve digestion.
  2. Helps your body to absorb calcium better. Again, this is great when consumed with dairy products like yogurt, which is rich in calcium.

  However, beware of overconsuming inulin as some people cannot tolerate high doses. With anything, more does not mean better! Too much can cause you to produce gas or feel bloated. Not pretty.

  For more pros and cons of inulin, this person wrote up a great debate here:
  http://www.naturalnews.com/022356.html

  I was most impressed by Chapman's YogurtPlus frozen yogurt. Each 1/2 cup serving has a whopping 5 - 7 g of fiber (depends on the flavor). It's like a "healthy" ice cream, but does that mean you can eat as much as you want? Of course not! This frozen yogurt still has calories and saturated fats, both of which need to be limited. However, it is so delicious that it's hard to resist getting seconds.

  

  Chapman's YogurtPlus is pretty expensive though! It comes in a 1 Litre container and costs around $6cdn, depending on where you go. I went to the grocery store with my brother to buy this product while he bought his own ice cream. He bought the huge 4 Litre tub of no-name brand neopolitian ice cream and it cost the same price! My brother likes cheap/inexpensive. I like healthy! But Chapman's YogurtPlus will probably only be an occasional treat for me.

  Bottom line: Remember that FIBER IS YOUR FRIEND! And now fiber and yogurt are friends too. It's still best to obtain fiber from natural fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, but for those who need more help in achieving 25 g of fiber per day can make use of the extra fiber in these yogurts.

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