On too much sugar in flavored yogurt

[LibraryLover]

How did a tasty probiotic turn into junk food? Consumers didn't ask for this. We didn't say, 'Hey make ' lite' yogurt w/ HFCS, please!"

Food giants won't stop pushing this crack until we stop buying it. I know butter is more $ than the corn oil stuff, but something has got to give.

[Tap]

Ummmm, because they did ask for it.  They voted with their dollars.  Yogurt used to be more natural.  Then as companies added coloring, and heaped on the sugar....those brands started outselling the natural yogurts.  

 

Go to any store, you will find 75% or more have probably something close to or over 25grams of sugar per serving.  It is hard to find ones that do not.  People's shopping habits are why it is that way. It is simple math 75% of the people want yogurt with more that 25 grams of sugar. 

[Guest submarines]

Ummmm, because they did ask for it.  They voted with their dollars.  Yogurt used to be more natural.  Then as companies added coloring, and heaped on the sugar....those brands started outselling the natural yogurts.  

 

Go to any store, you will find 75% or more have probably something close to or over 25grams of sugar per serving.  It is hard to find ones that do not.  People's shopping habits are why it is that way. It is simple math 75% of the people want yogurt with more that 25 grams of sugar.

Unfortunately, yes.

 

I hope the trend will change as consumers become more aware.

[LibraryLover]

Tap, I don't think we asked for it. Companies figured out a way to make cheap sugar and started pouring it into everything. They also heavily started marketing 'fun' foods to kids. Advertisers create 'niche ' markets. No parent asked to be sold a 'Lunchable' with absolutely no health value. I just don't see it.

I don't have a need to buy baby yogurt, but in shopping for yogurt which might have a lower sugar content, I hoped Yo Baby Organic might be a possibility. I was shocked. I don't think there are many health conscious parents out there assuming an organic baby yogurt might not be any healthier for their child than a cup of Coke.

[Jennifer in MI]

 

I hope the trend will change as consumers become more aware.

I hope so too.  But, getting people to change their tastes is going to be hard.  I'm SO grateful that I grew up on real foods.  At the time, I thought my mom was just an old fogie with old ideas!  But, now?  I do it to my kids too!  :)

[zoobie]

Homemade yogurt is so much better and really easy. :)

 

Yeah, I always roll my eyes when someone thinks something neon pink and flavored like "watermelon" is a health food. It's candy! The stuff with artificial sweetener too is really gross.

[LibraryLover]

I don't know why chicken nuggets get such a bad rap. I know some are better than others, but there are decent ones out there. Or you can make them yourself.

I'm beginning to think the nuggets have more nutrients than Yo Baby cups.

[Jennifer in MI]

You know though - I'm seeing the start of this reversing in small ways.  My dd takes snacks to gymnastics.  I give her very healthy options - pepper slices, string cheese, etc.  Sometimes she is there for a meal and I give her things that we usually eat at home - spaghetti with homemade meat sauce, stir fry, etc.

 

People ask my dd to trade her for the healthy stuff!  One day dd had peas.  One other little girl was BEGGING her for the peas.  

 

 

[LibraryLover]

I think people are confused.

We are being manipulated. By the same folks who told our grandparents that cigarettes were healthy. The same people who lied to the end and were finally shut down.

No more advertising aimed at kids. I think that would help.

[Jennifer in MI]

 

No more advertising aimed at kids. I think that would help.

This.  We got rid of cable tv a year ago.  It stopped ALL the begging by my kids.  They just aren't aware of the newest flavor in Trix yogurt or the latest breakfast cereal.  Well, until they go to friend's houses!!!  :)

[Tap]

Tap, I don't think we asked for it. Companies figured out a way to make cheap sugar and started pouring it into everything. They also heavily started marketing 'fun' foods to kids. Advertisers create 'niche ' markets. No parent asked to be sold a 'Lunchable', which has absolutely no health value. I just don't see it.

 

I don't have a need to buy baby yogurt, but in shopping for yogurt which might have a lower sugar content, I hoped Yo Baby Organic might be a possibility. I was shocked. I think there are many health conscious parents out there ( perhaps wrongly) assuming an organic baby yogurt might not be any healthier for their child than cup of Coke.

 

There are a lot of products that are put on market shelves and don't sell, so they go away.  The moment someone puts a yogurt or Lunchable into their carts, they are telling the manufacturers and the stores that sell it, "yes, I want to buy this. I want to feed this to my self/child/sister/husband/mother."  If enough people are buying products, they stick around.  Store shelves are often reset every 3 months.  If no one bought a Lunchable, they would have gone into oblivion. 

 

The government has passed laws to say that the ingredients must be listed on the label and nutrition information must be listed in a very specific way.  This is so a consumer can still have Free Will, they can still have free choice of what they buy and what they eat, but they can also compare those choices and make good decisions.   I am aware that food producers get sneeky, and hide things under different names like 'inert sugar' to make it seem innocuous, but then it is up to the consumer to research what 'inert sugar' really is and make their decisions to purchase those items accordingly. 

[LibraryLover]

We do have to use our consumer power.

I know we've had this conversation plenty. I shouldn't rehash.

 

 

[LAS in LA]

There's a new book called "Sugar, Salt, Fat: How the food giants hooked us". (Or something like that title). Very interesting, though I didn't finished it before the library wanted it back. Poor Mr. Kellogg must be rolling over in his grave at what's become of the healthy-food company he started.

[JumpyTheFrog]

I buy plain whole milk yogurt so I can control how much sugar I put in it for my kids. Lately, I've just been using frozen berries without any sugar and my yogurt monster likes it just as much.

[LAS in LA]

I think people are confused. Lets not bash ( sorry, June!!!).

 

We are being manipulated. By the same folks who told our grandparents that cigarettes were healthy. The same people who lied to the end before they were finally shut down.

 

No more advertising aimed at kids. I think that would help.

Guess who owns several of the big "food" companies? Wait for it . . . . THE CIGARETTE PEOPLE!

[LibraryLover]

You know though - I'm seeing the start of this reversing in small ways. My dd takes snacks to gymnastics. I give her very healthy options - pepper slices, string cheese, etc. Sometimes she is there for a meal and I give her things that we usually eat at home - spaghetti with homemade meat sauce, stir fry, etc.

 

People ask my dd to trade her for the healthy stuff! One day dd had peas. One other little girl was BEGGING her for the peas.

I see it as well. I know very few people who give their children packaged snacks. It's all about fresh fruits and veggies, hummus etc.

 

It's a socio-economic issue most of the time.

 

(Fwiw, i hope June and her family make a bundle. I hope they buy a nice house with a pool, and no gnats. I hope Pumpkin and Alana go to college and get STEM degrees. )

[VeganCupcake]

There's a new book called "Sugar, Salt, Fat: How the food giants hooked us". (Or something like that title). Very interesting, though I didn't finished it before the library wanted it back. Poor Mr. Kellogg must be rolling over in his grave at what's become of the healthy-food company he started.

This discussion reminded me of that very book. It is excellent. It includes a lot of information about the Lunchable and also about added sugar. The history of the Lunchable is especially interesting.

[LibraryLover]

Wow. I can't write at all today! If I confused any of you with my some of my sentence structure, sorry! I tried to correct errors, although I still see some, but I can't keep editing. My eyes hurt.

[gardenmom5]

greek yogurt tends to have less fake ingredients.  you can also make it at home.

[KungFuPanda]

Am I the only one who doesn't know Alena and June?

[Caroline]

Am I the only one who doesn't know Alena and June?

I don't either.

[Joker]

Am I the only one who doesn't know Alena and June?

Honey Boo Boo

 

ETA: I tried to add a link and couldn't. The forum has been really weird for me since the last shut down.

[Ali in OR]

I'm one of those customers who never asked for high quantities of sugar or HCFS. But I was a bit naive and just assumed that foods that are supposed to be healthy would be made in a healthy way, i.e. yogurt. It took hearing a home school mom talk about giving a kid a yogurt is the same as giving her a candy bar to get me to check the labels. Sure enough, the brand of yogurt I had been buying from a local-ish dairy had 35gm of sugar in one 6 oz cup!!! And my light Yoplait had HFCS in it. How ridiculous is that? I was not cynical enough to even realize that I should look at the labels of everything. I am now. So I say that putting their product in my cart was not me asking for more sugar, but me not realizing that Big Food Corporations cannot be trusted. We get Greek yogurt now, carefully reading labels to get the good stuff. I do not trust any Greek yogurts put out by Yoplait or other companies that can sell it cheap as it is made thick with thickeners instead of by the original Greek yogurt making process (which takes more milk and is thus more expensive.)

 

Another great book to read on this is Pandora's Lunchbox. I know that's where I heard about the Greek yogurt. My food bill has definitely gone up this year after reading that book, but we've gotten rid of some junk we didn't know we were eating.

[bolt.]

To make Greek-thickness yogurt at home:

 

- buy (or make) a large quantity of plain unflavored normal yogurt

- find a strainer / sieve / colander and a large bowl or pot that it can rest in (or above) without bring terribly tippy

- slightly dampen paper coffee filters and line the colander completely, overlapping as nessisary

- dump the regular yogurt into the lined colander and set the colander (now full of yogurt) on/in its receptacle

- cover the surface of the yogurt with waxed paper or plastic wrap

- find a plate, bowl or lid that is somewhat smaller than the surface area of the yogurt and place it on top of the covered yogurt surface

- put the whole thing in the fridge

- find something in your fridge to use as a weight (I use a jar if relish) and put that on top of the plate

 

Over a few hours, the yogurt will thicken, the plate will drop, and the receptacle will gather liquid (it's 'whey' I think). Pour off (or save) the liquid and check the consistency of the remaining yogurt. End the process whenever you are happy by dumping the semi-solid yogurt out of the colander and gently pulling away the coffee filters and/or scraping gently with a soft rubber spatula. (Try not to tear the coffee filters -- they are strong enough for the process, but need a little care.)

 

You can get this to thicken almost to cream cheese if you wait a while and continually switch to smaller plates.

[LAS in LA]

Whoa..really?!

Yes. Wish I had the Sugar, Salt, Fat book in front of me, but I think it was Phillip-Morris that bought Kraft and General Foods (later consolidated into Kraft Foods). Maybe someone else can chime in with the right names. The Sugar chapter of the book goes into more detail. The book is not about the healthfulness of S, S, and F; it's much more about the food companies and how they work.

 

Edit: the part about Coca-Cola is interesting, too.

[LAS in LA]

This discussion reminded me of that very book. It is excellent. It includes a lot of information about the Lunchable and also about added sugar. The history of the Lunchable is especially interesting.

I didn't get as far as the Lunchable discussion -- guess I'll have to get in the library line for the book again! Thanks for the spur!

[LibraryLover]

No, I have no clue who Alena and June are.

 

So do you want the link to Cooking with Mama June? 

 

There is a book coming out soon, complete with the recipes. You could skip the rush and put it on hold at the library.

 

June did win a GLAAD  award. Props for that, girl.  :)

[bolt.]

All you'd need to do would be to find out how to make 'regular' home made yogurt, then press/strain that into Greek-ness.

 

I find I can get a jumbo bucket of plain organic not-Greek yogurt for about the same price as an ordinary tub of Greek-but-not-organic plain yogurt. If I do the thickening myself I end up with more yogurt (at Greek thickness) from an organic dairy -- for less cost than buying it already thick (and possibly artificially thickened) from a mainstream dairy source.

[LibraryLover]

Yes, share the link, please...

 

Okay, but it makes Deen's food look like Mark Bittman's.

 

As sweet as I think June is as a Mom, you probably should not watch on a full stomach. It's not just the ingredients.

 

http://www.tlc.com/tv-shows/here-comes-honey-boo-boo/videos/cooking-with-mama-june.htm

[Jen in PA]

To make Greek-thickness yogurt at home:

 

- buy (or make) a large quantity of plain unflavored normal yogurt

- find a strainer / sieve / colander and a large bowl or pot that it can rest in (or above) without bring terribly tippy

- slightly dampen paper coffee filters and line the colander completely, overlapping as nessisary

- dump the regular yogurt into the lined colander and set the colander (now full of yogurt) on/in its receptacle

- cover the surface of the yogurt with waxed paper or plastic wrap

- find a plate, bowl or lid that is somewhat smaller than the surface area of the yogurt and place it on top of the covered yogurt surface

- put the whole thing in the fridge

- find something in your fridge to use as a weight (I use a jar if relish) and put that on top of the plate

 

Over a few hours, the yogurt will thicken, the plate will drop, and the receptacle will gather liquid (it's 'whey' I think). Pour off (or save) the liquid and check the consistency of the remaining yogurt. End the process whenever you are happy by dumping the semi-solid yogurt out of the colander and gently pulling away the coffee filters and/or scraping gently with a soft rubber spatula. (Try not to tear the coffee filters -- they are strong enough for the process, but need a little care.)

 

You can get this to thicken almost to cream cheese if you wait a while and continually switch to smaller plates.

 

 

I was hoping to make it completely by scratch.  That is the part I have trouble with.  They already sell plain Greek yogurt.

 

But thank you!

 

I do exactly what Bolt does to make regular yogurt into Greek yogurt. To make regular yogurt, I heat half a gallon of whole milk to 180 F, then cool it to 120 F. I add a few Tbsp of plain yogurt to the bottom of a large glass bowl, then slowly pour the warm milk in, stirring to combine. I put plastic wrap over the bowl, wrap it in a towel, and pop it into a cooler (you could also put it in the oven). I usually let it rest for eight hours, sometimes more like nine in the winter. Then I stir everything well and pour into glass jars, and refrigerate. This usually yields a texture just like Stonyfield Farms yogurt after it has chilled. When I am running low, I grab a few tablespoons from what is left in the fridge, and repeat the whole process. I don't sweeten it for me, but my kids do like some honey drizzled over it.

[Caroline]

For the few tbsp of plain yogurt, the first time, can I use store bought yogurt? Or is there some network of yogurt makers I need to tap into?

 

Thanks for the directions.

 

I do exactly what Bolt does to make regular yogurt into Greek yogurt. To make regular yogurt, I heat half a gallon of whole milk to 180 F, then cool it to 120 F. I add a few Tbsp of plain yogurt to the bottom of a large glass bowl, then slowly pour the warm milk in, stirring to combine. I put plastic wrap over the bowl, wrap it in a towel, and pop it into a cooler (you could also put it in the oven). I usually let it rest for eight hours, sometimes more like nine in the winter. Then I stir everything well and pour into glass jars, and refrigerate. This usually yields a texture just like Stonyfield Farms yogurt after it has chilled. When I am running low, I grab a few tablespoons from what is left in the fridge, and repeat the whole process. I don't sweeten it for me, but my kids do like some honey drizzled over it.

[LibraryLover]

I do think she is a sweet lady.  Very real.

 

And I feel for the sneezing.  I have the same problem in the spring.

 

She is so unbelievably patient.  Her daughters obviously adore her.  She is so chatty with them, and with Alana.  Her language may not be mine, but she has actual conversations with her children and treats them with respect. I love how Alana's Daddy thinks she's wonderful. Girls need that from Dads,  It also looks like they ditched the 'special drink'. ;)

 

Anyway.  June, step away from the margarine!  (And maybe use tissues...:))

[Jen in PA]

For the few tbsp of plain yogurt, the first time, can I use store bought yogurt? Or is there some network of yogurt makers I need to tap into?

 

Thanks for the directions.

 

You can use store-bought, it has always worked out fine for me. You just need to get one that is unflavored and has no fillers. 

[LibraryLover]

June is killing me with throwing the hot pans on the counter.  Eeek.  And the disposable pans.  Oh lady. 

 

I really want her to consider a recycle bin. ;) Do folks recycle in that part of GA?

[LibraryLover]

The way she cooks is pretty much the way my mother cooked.  I mean my mother would occasionally branch out and roast a chicken, but yeah she made a lot of stuff like that.  And she used margarine.  This was back in the day where people were led to believe it was healthier.  And these days, well it's just dirt cheap.

 

Yes.  Your mother probably started using margarine because it was touted as health food, with real butter being demonized.  More ways to get people buying those post WWII chemicals... on which 'food' companies built empires.

[Pegasus]

Okay, but it makes Deen's food look like Mark Bittman's.

 

As sweet as I think June is as a Mom, you probably should not watch on a full stomach. It's not just the ingredients.

 

http://www.tlc.com/tv-shows/here-comes-honey-boo-boo/videos/cooking-with-mama-june.htm

 

Oh my! I wish I could un-watch that.  That is just yucky. 

 

This thread has inspired me to look more closely at the Greek yogurt we usually buy:Dannon Oikos Plain Nonfat Greek - Ingredients: Milk Non-Fat Grade A Cultured, Yogurt Cultures Active.

 

Looks ok.

[*********]

Okay, but it makes Deen's food look like Mark Bittman's.

 

As sweet as I think June is as a Mom, you probably should not watch on a full stomach. It's not just the ingredients.

 

http://www.tlc.com/tv-shows/here-comes-honey-boo-boo/videos/cooking-with-mama-june.htm

Oh dear. That is... unfortunate. I've never watched that show, and now I see I'm not missing much.

 

I'm not making any judgments on what kind of person that lady is (outside of not being a good cook). She may very well love her children and care for them very well. However that "recipe" is... wow. So. Much. Margarine. And she called it butter! No!!!! That's NOT butter!

 

We were at my inlaws recently, and my fil's new wife served margarine. (It kind of surprised me because she's very health conscious; I think it may be a generational difference?). Anyway, the boys had never had it before, didn't know what it was, and were totally grossed out by the idea of fake butter. They did NOT think it tasted good. (Thankfully they were polite about it.)

[4kidlets4me]

Wow people cook like that? That was the most disgusting meal I've ever seen.

[LibraryLover]

 

it may be a generational difference?). Anyway, the boys had never had it before, didn't know what it was, and were totally grossed out by the idea of fake butter. They did NOT think it tasted good. (Thankfully they were polite about it.)

 

Why did they think/know it was 'fake butter'? The taste?   I am not sure my youngest would connect the dots on that. She might not like the taste, I don't know,  but I am not sure she would think it was fake butter...it doesn't actually taste like butter, kwim? 

[LibraryLover]

Wow people cook like that? That was the most disgusting meal I've ever seen.

Yes, some people use these ingredients. If you have read this thread, you know that the selling of' food stuff' isn't innocent, and is, in fact, quite calculated.

 

Thank you. :)

 

Don't be mean to June. She's kinder and more respectful than 99.99% of people on the planet.

 

And yes. I did do my own research on that stat. loll

[LostSurprise]

When my mother was a girl, margarine was illegal in the state of Wisconsin. You had to cross the border to buy it and it was white so you mixed it with a little packet of orangey-yellow to make it the right color. 

 

That still cracks me up. Illegal margarine!

[LibraryLover]

When my mother was a girl, margarine was illegal in the state of Wisconsin. You had to cross the border to buy it and it was white so you mixed it with a little packet of orangey-yellow to make it the right color. 

 

That still cracks me up. Illegal margarine!

 

The dairy state knew they had a lot to lose.  Makes sense to me.  They tried.

[dakarimom5]

I tried making homemade yogurt. It was a total disaster. LOL I'd like to try again, but I need a method that does not rely on the temperature of my house.

 

Try cooking on the stovetop and then putting in a cooler. This is what works for me, after two failed batches of crockpot yogurt.

[4kidlets4me]

Unless you live under a rock, yes, some people use these ingredients. If you have read this thread, you know that the selling of' food stuff' isn't innocent, and is, in fact, quite calculated.

 

Thank you. :)

 

Don't be mean to June. She's kinder and more respectful than 99.99% of people on the planet.

 

And yes. I did do my own research on that stat. Call my attorney. :)

 

It was the entire preparation of that meal that grossed me out. Does she not own silverware? Who scoops margarine out of a tub with their fingers after touching chicken? Licking your fingers and then touching food is disgusting.

[LucyStoner]

Advertisers create 'niche ' markets. No parent asked to be sold a 'Lunchable' with absolutely no health value. I just don't see it.

 

 

Advertisers try to create markets.  Sometimes they don't succeed (McDonald's Pizza, New Coke, Pepsi Clear etc).  But sometimes they do and they do when people decide they want these products being pitched.  Enough parents buy Lunchables that I think that it is safe to say that enough someones do want to pay an inflated price for a small number of crackers and lunch meat to keep them on the shelves.  If no one wanted them, no one would buy.  If customers refused to buy ridiculously overpriced, over sugared yogurt cups they wouldn't be on the shelves.  

[Lakeside]

Yeah I did something like that. In the winter it is way too cold in my house, but in the summer way too hot.

 

I think I need to buy a yogurt maker thing where I can control the temperature.

You can also use a dehydrator. Here is a link to one recipe. http://chickensintheroad.com/farm-bell-recipes/making-yogurt-using-a-dehydrator/

 

I've used a yogurt maker, the oven, and the dehydrator to make yogurt. I like the dehydrator because it can be used for multiple things. It also doesn't tie up the oven for long periods of time.

[Scrub Jay]

It seems like making yogurt is a bit of a process. Is the cost savings really worth all of that time?

 

I already buy plain yogurt easily from Trader Joe's but will need to buy more for the baby soon...

[LucyStoner]

And to keep this on topic ;), why does June think Alana has gained weight on too many chicken nuggets? If the child only ate nuggets and June god rid of franken butter and soda, the nuggets would be the least of it.

 

June is such a loving mother, but it's not the nuggets! Really! It's the fake food we bring home. the sugar even in 'organic' yogurt, the chemical foods we call butter etc. just because we're not eating in a fast food restaurant doesn't mean the food were preparing in our kitchen is healthier.

 

Most "nuggets" are the ultimate franken food.  Fillers, chemicals, ammonia, salt, flavoring, crazy fat content.  Yeah, it is the nuggets.  Among lots of other things.  

[KungFuPanda]

Ohhhh, I didn't make the Honey Boo Boo connection and totally missed it in the thread title. I'm caught up now :-)

 

Try cooking on the stovetop and then putting in a cooler. This is what works for me, after two failed batches of crockpot yogurt.

I use a cooler and surround my tubs of yogurt with jars of hot water. When the cooler is closed, the temp is maintained well enough to get yogurt in 6-8 hours. I use powdered milk to thicken it a bit.

[zoobie]

I cheat and use a yogurt maker. My mom found it on an old amazon wish list and gave it to me for Christmas. A quart of local, plain yogurt is nearly the same price as a gallon of organic milk. It takes 5 cups of milk and 3 heaping TB of plain yogurt to fill the 7 little jars (I think? Trying to picture the glass measuring cup in my head...). I microwave it until it gets to the right temp, then check on it every 5-10 minutes until it falls to the right lower temp. Pour a splash in the starter yogurt, whisk until smooth, then pour back in the milk and whisk. Fill jars, turn on, and go to sleep. 12 hours works to get it nice and thick like Greek yogurt. :)