Yo-rage
Similar to my rage against that website detailing the sugar content of numerous foods from carrots to Chips Ahoy!, this article makes me rage against narrow-minded nutrioNazis: "Yogurt: You Might as Well Drink a Soda Instead."
What? What kind of message is that?
Now, I do see their angle. Not all yogurts are created equal - some come with cookie bits, chocolate sauce, or caramel to mix in, and it doesn't get much more sugary-dessert-style than that (except maybe for a dollop of Reddi-Whip on top). But, really? Yogurt = soda? I think not. Yogurt, for one, has some sugar content in the form of lactose, not simply added sucrose. It also contains protein, and probiotics that are good for the microflora population of our GI tract. And while the article admits that yogurt has calcium, they wave it off as a a poor trade for all that sugar, and something easily obtained from a range of other foods (if we would only TRY harder!).
The author quoted in the article says that yogurt is a "feel better approach," in which we justify the sugar as acceptable because yogurt has calcium. Maybe the attempt of this article is to say "Yogurt isn't as good as you thought! You need more fruits and veggies!" but the message I get is "Hey, that yogurt's sweetened; why don't you just have a Sprite, dumbass."
If people are made to think that yogurt is as bad as cookies and soda and donuts, what's to stop them from putting 2 and 2 together and ACTING on that idea? Why should we even try if trying just isn't good enough for the ubernutritionists?
What? What kind of message is that?
Now, I do see their angle. Not all yogurts are created equal - some come with cookie bits, chocolate sauce, or caramel to mix in, and it doesn't get much more sugary-dessert-style than that (except maybe for a dollop of Reddi-Whip on top). But, really? Yogurt = soda? I think not. Yogurt, for one, has some sugar content in the form of lactose, not simply added sucrose. It also contains protein, and probiotics that are good for the microflora population of our GI tract. And while the article admits that yogurt has calcium, they wave it off as a a poor trade for all that sugar, and something easily obtained from a range of other foods (if we would only TRY harder!).
The author quoted in the article says that yogurt is a "feel better approach," in which we justify the sugar as acceptable because yogurt has calcium. Maybe the attempt of this article is to say "Yogurt isn't as good as you thought! You need more fruits and veggies!" but the message I get is "Hey, that yogurt's sweetened; why don't you just have a Sprite, dumbass."
If people are made to think that yogurt is as bad as cookies and soda and donuts, what's to stop them from putting 2 and 2 together and ACTING on that idea? Why should we even try if trying just isn't good enough for the ubernutritionists?