This Is Hardly Greek Yogurt

Greek yogurt is super trendy. So much so that food companies are starting to make completely unrelated packaged foods that supposedly feature it. But unless you’re staring at a container of plain Greek yogurt (a truly healthy choice) in the dairy case, beware!

Here’s an example of how a company is capitalizing on a trendy health food to make their less-than-ideal cereal seem healthier: Honey Bunches of Oats Greek. The cereal claims to be “made with real Greek yogurt,” but a quick glance at the ingredients list reveals something very different:

Almost at the bottom of this list, you see “Greek Yogurt Powder” that’s been “Heat Treated After Culturing.” Heating after culturing kills any live active cultures that once existed, meaning the probiotic benefits of yogurt are gone. And the amount added in the first place was so trivial that it wouldn’t add a nutritional benefit anyway. So the only thing this cereal does is try to convince consumers that “Greek yogurt” being on the box somehow makes the cereal a healthier choice.

More proof: Check out the protein and calcium on the Nutrition Facts label – low in protein and almost nonexistent calcium (until you add your own milk)…which means there ain’t any yogurt in this stuff.

 

There are countless other examples of how food companies use trending topics to their advantage and consumer’s disadvantage. Don’t be fooled. If you want the benefits of Greek yogurt, just eat Greek yogurt!