Yoghurt for Kids: What to Look Out For!
Yoghurt
Yoghurt is a popular and versatile food that can be a healthy addition to your child's daily diet. It provides essential nutrients like calcium, protein, and vitamins while offering the benefits of probiotics for gut health. However, not all yoghurts are created equal, and it's essential to choose wisely when purchasing yogurt for children.
Some varieties may contain added sugars (3-5 tsp per serving), artificial flavours, and unhealthy additives, which can reduce their health benefits. To make an informed decision when buying yoghurt, it's important to understand what to look for and what to avoid. In this article, I will provide valuable tips on choosing the best yogurt options to ensure your family derives all the benefits of yoghurt and none of the nasties.
Read the label:
The first step in selecting a healthy yoghurt is carefully reading the label. The label provides crucial information about the ingredients and nutritional content of the product. Pay attention to the ingredient list: Choose yoghurts with fewer ingredients. The ideal yogurt should contain milk, bacterial cultures, and minimal additional ingredients.
Avoid yoghurts with added sugars:
If you see the name 'sugar' in the ingredient list, place it back on the shelf. But be aware sugar can be listed under various names, such as sucrose, high fructose corn syrup, fruit juice, cane sugar, or agave nectar. Yoghurts with high amounts of added sugar should be avoided. Instead, choose yoghurts with little or no added sugar. Many nutrition labels now distinguish between naturally occurring and added sugars, helping you make more informed choices. So be sure to check the grams of added sugar per serving. It should be less than 4 grams or preferably 0. My advice is always to choose a natural non-flavoured yoghurt and sweeten it with a drizzle of maple syrup, raw honey, and fresh or pureed fruit. When you control the amount of added sweetness, it will be far less than the store-bought options.
Avoid yoghurts with artificial sweeteners:
Some yogurts are marketed as "sugar-free" or "light" and contain non-nutritive sweeteners like sucralose, maltitol or saccharin. These sweeteners may negatively alter the gut microbiota, so it's best to omit these types of yoghurts, especially in our little one's diets.
Avoid all artificial flavours, colours and emulsifiers:
Manufacturers often use additives to compensate for cheap ingredients and to improve appearance, texture and tastiness. A good quality yoghurt should not need any of this. The main additives to avoid are artificial food colourings and flavours and emulsifiers (additives used to improve the texture and appearance of food) such as carrageenan. I always recommend choosing quality yoghurts without any additives for children.
Avoid low-fat, 99% fat-free or lite yoghurts:
Full-cream yogurt contains a higher amount of beneficial nutrients compared to low-fat yoghurts, especially when it comes to the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins such as (vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E, and vitamin K) and essential minerals like calcium and phosphorus, which young children need for proper growth and development. The presence of fat in full-cream yogurt enhances the bioavailability and utilization of fat-soluble vitamins, ensuring that your little one derives the maximum benefits from these essential nutrients. Furthermore, the fat content in full-cream yogurt provides a feeling of satiety and helps to keep children satisfied for longer periods. The higher fat content contributes to a creamier texture and more satisfying taste, making it a preferred option for many children. While low-fat yogurt may be recommended for children over two years of age due to its lower fat content, it is important to consider the overall nutritional benefits and preferences of children. Full-cream yogurt provides a more balanced nutrient profile, better taste, and improved satiety, making it a preferable choice for healthy children. NB: If your child is suffering from overweight or obesity, then choosing a low-fat yoghurt may be recommended by your healthcare practitioner from 2 years+.
Look for added live and active cultures:
Probiotics, or live and active cultures, are beneficial bacteria that promote gut health and overall well-being. Look for yoghurts that specifically mention "live and active cultures" on the label. This indicates that the yogurt contains probiotics, which can support digestive health.
My Top 5 Favourite Yoghurts
Natural Yoghurt
Greek Natural Yoghurt
Natural Sheep’s Milk Yoghurt
Kefir Yoghurt, unsweetened
Natural Goat’s Yoghurt
Pot Set Natural Yoghurt
Coconut Yoghurt
For more information on how to choose yoghurts for your family and a spotlight on brands, head to my Okay Better Best Yoghurt Reel on my Instagram page.