Yogurt contains the natural sugar lactose sometimes alongside added sugars, which are combined to give a ‘total sugar’ figure on food labels. Nutritional advice from both the Government and the NHS does not recommend cutting out the natural sugars found in milk or yogurts, as these do not count as free sugars.
Some yogurts contain added sugars and the dairy industry has through the reformulation process worked with Public Health England to reduce this. This study was carried out prior to the sugar reformulation programme published its first year results. As a result, it fails to take into account the sugar reduction the industry has already achieved. We are already ahead of the reformulation target, achieving a 6% reduction in added sugar in year one.
It is important to remember that yogurts are nutritionally valuable, providing protein, calcium, iodine as well as B vitamins and many other minerals. Just One 125g pot of low-fat fruit yogurt can provide a 4-6 year old with 39% of their recommended daily calcium and 60% of their iodine intake.
