Live Yoghurt v' Standard Yoghurts

marathonic

I’m trying to figure out why live yoghurts are usually advised as a substitute for the cheaper alternatives such as Muller Fruit Corners. In my supermarket (after counting the cost of fruit to add to the natural yoghurt) it works out about 50% more expensive for the natural yoghurt option. However, I'm prepared to pay this if the advantages are there.

I’ve got one of each here now and the following are the nutritional values for each:

Onken Live Natural Set Yoghurt
http://www.onken.co.uk/product_details.aspx?catId=onkenNaturalBiopots&productId=biopotNaturalWholemilkset

71 Calories
3.9g Protein
5.7g Carbohydrates (all sugars)
3.7g Fat
2.6g Saturates
- Fibre
.07g Sodium
132mg Calcium


Muller Fruit Corner Yoghurt

108 Calories
3.8g Protein
13.7g Carbohydrates (all sugars)
3.9g Fat
2.4g Saturates
0.3g Fibre
.1g Sodium
124mg Calcium


The main difference appears to be in the sugar levels where there is an 8g difference (after adding, for example, 50g of blueberries which contains 3.3g sugars, the difference is about 4.7g sugars). Therefore, the Onken option (with added blueberries) contains 34% less sugars.

Is the reduction in sugars the only advantage of the Onken option or is there an advantage in the fact that it contains Bio Cultures inside (Lactobacillus acidophilus, Bifidobacterium longum & Streptococcus thermophilus).

Finally, from a nutritional standpoint, what are the main advantages of adding the Onken (or similar) option to your diet.

Macha

If you look at the live yoghurt, it's lower in:

calories
carbs (sugars)
fat
sodium

It's higher in
protein
saturated fat
calcium.

I think that speaks for itself. Also, the Muller is more processed & a consistent piece of advice for healthy eating is try to get back to the basic foodstuffs & away from things that your great grandparents would never have eaten (general rule with obvious exceptions like protein shakes). I think the live cultures can do you no harm but only do a considerable amount of good if you have indigestion problems.

You said that it's 50% more expensive but we're not really talking about an expensive item here; in real terms, is the difference around €1? Also, I just checked out the Tesco website & the Muller yogurts are only 175g (€4.92/kg), while the Onken pots are 500g (3.16/kg). so in reality, the Onken pots are cheaper.

I would personally recommend the Glenisk 500g natural yogurt pots. They're €1.92 each (€3.84/kg) but Irish, organic & oh so yummmmmmy.

mack1

Natural yoghurts contain bacteria that help your digestive system, immune system etc etc