Dairy desserts, are they healthy?

It should not be forgotten that yoghurt is the product resulting from fermenting milk with lactic acid bacteria such as Steptococcus thermophylus and Lactobacillus bulgaricus . The fermentation of lactose produces lactic acid and the subsequent coagulation of milk proteins. In yoghurt, the bacteria responsible for carrying out this process are still present in the final product (around 10,000,000 and 100,000,000 live bacteria per ml).

This is the difference with the so-called dairy desserts . These products are also processed by lactic acid fermentation, giving them a consistency and pH similar to yoghurt. However, once processed they are subjected to heat treatment (thermisation or pasteurisation), which means that the live bacteria that are present in yoghurt are lost.

Thus, although dairy desserts have a longer shelf life and do not need to be kept cold, we must not forget that they lack live bacteria or lactic ferments, which do not resist heat treatments and which are attributed with important health benefits for those who eat them, such as improving the balance of our intestinal flora and stimulating our body's immune system.

Any product rich in sugars or saturated fats is best taken in small quantities .

When choosing a packaged dairy dessert, it is therefore advisable to opt for containers with less content. The problem is that many of these desserts contain 130 g and up to 160 g of product. The exception is mousses, which do not exceed 70 g.

The energy value of the dairy dessert gives you an idea of ​​the fats and sugars it contains . Thus, 100 g of rice pudding contains 128 calories, similar to a glass of cream (133 kcal); while tocino de cielo provides 260 calories per 100 g.

The negative side of a dairy dessert is not only saturated fats or sugar... additives are another ingredient to take into account when evaluating how healthy a product is . For example, tocino de cielo is very caloric but does not usually contain too many additives since many are basically made with milk, sugar and eggs. The same occurs with rice pudding.

When choosing a dessert of this type, the more syrups, gelling agents or flavourings, that is, the more substances that begin with the letter E or end in -ine or -ose, the worse because it indicates that it is a highly processed product.

The consumer organisation has passed through its Healthy Scale filter various packaged dairy desserts that are commonly sold in supermarkets. All of them have a milk derivative among their ingredients and are sold in the refrigerated section: flans, rice pudding, cream puffs, mousse and various products such as pudding, panna cotta, tocino de cielo, custards, cakes, etc. The result of the analysis was the following:

Rice pudding: out of 25 products from different brands analyzed, 17 have a good score, 8 have an acceptable score and none have a bad score .

Cream cups: out of 20 products analyzed, none got a good score , 18 had an acceptable score and 2 a bad score.

Mousse: 21 products have been analyzed and none have a good score : 9 have an acceptable score and 12 a bad one.

Flan: Of the 72 brands analyzed, only 2 have a good score , 55 have an acceptable score and 15 have a bad score.

Various dairy products: here you can find everything from tocino de cielo to panna cotta, including custard and puddings. 36 products were analysed: 32 received a poor rating and only 4 received an acceptable rating. None received a good rating.

Kefir is a fermented product rich in probiotics, which are beneficial bacteria that strengthen intestinal flora, while skyr is a fresh cheese typical of Iceland, with a texture similar to Greek yogurt, low in fat and rich in protein.

For a dairy dessert to be healthy, it must contain milk and rennet, say dieticians. This only includes natural yoghurts (always whole and unsweetened) and curds. If we like yoghurt with a little sugar, it is always preferable to buy it natural and sweeten it at home, since the amount we add will always be less than that added by the manufacturer, although it is best not to add sugar.

Greek yogurts are also healthy, and although they are somewhat higher in calories, they contain numerous nutrients and are also more filling than natural yogurts. There is no problem with consuming Greek yogurt regularly, since in addition to milk and ferments, it has cream, which provides that extra fat and creaminess. In addition, Greek yogurt is an interesting option for all those people who are on a keto diet or who, for various reasons, have a low-fat or low-protein diet, since it is an easy way to get these nutrients.

Although both natural and Greek yogurt have had a bad reputation for being sources of saturated fats for some time, the latest scientific evidence shows that the fats present in yogurt are not comparable to the saturated fats present in foods such as red meat or sausages, which are of lower quality. According to a study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, saturated fats from dairy sources are associated with a lower cardiometabolic risk.

Thus, yogurt, curd, kefir and skyr can easily form part of a balanced diet and can therefore be consumed regularly as long as there are no contraindications. In fact, their consumption has numerous health benefits and has a decisive impact on the prevention of some diseases.

Fruit yogurts contain a lot of ingredients, but none of them are fruit. What they do contain are flavorings, flavourings and other additives . The problem is that many people buy them thinking that they are consuming fruit and that a flavored yogurt can be healthier than, say, a custard, but this is not true.

Nutritionists say that flavoured yoghurt can have around 12g of sugar, while custard contains between 13g and 17g. Although this is not a significant difference and it may be a little healthier, it still contains a very high amount of sugar. In addition, this type of dessert not only contains a lot of sugar, but since it is not directly present, many people are not aware of the amount they are consuming.

They are perhaps the most misleading products in the dairy dessert fridge , as many people buy them thinking that they will have the benefits of fruit and yoghurt in one product... but this is not true, as yoghurt is usually defatted and sugar or sweetener is added, and in the case of fruit, either the percentage is minimal or practically non-existent. This is indicated by the Organisation of Consumers and Users (OCU), which in a study on yoghurts pointed out that most of those advertised as having "pieces of fruit" hardly have any fruit and this is usually incorporated in the form of puree or even juice.

To avoid high sugar consumption, many people switch to light, low-calorie, 0% or any other definition associated with calorie reduction yoghurts. This is not a good idea, since in these types of products, when the fat is removed, sugar or sweeteners are usually added. It is not advisable, since good quality fat is essential in the diet. In addition, as they do not contain fat, light yoghurts are not at all satiating, so it is common for many people to consume two units and, if they do not, they are likely to be hungry shortly after. Considering that a natural, full-fat, sugar-free yoghurt has a very moderate caloric intake, it is considered a perfect food in a healthy and balanced diet without the need to resort to the light version.

In a study on custards, the OCU concluded that most of those on the market contain an amount of sugar equivalent to three sachets, that is, 20 g per tub. This is a very high figure , considering that the WHO recommends a total daily sugar consumption of 20-25 g in adults. The OCU also points out that almost all custards found on the market contain a large amount of additives.

The industrial processing of this type of dessert, and the substitution of eggs and corn flour, have led to the need to use additives. On the one hand, we find texturizers such as modified starches; gelling agents and gums such as carrageenans, xanthan, guar gum or pectins; colorants such as norbixin, curcumin or carotenes; stabilizers such as phosphates; and emulsifiers such as lecithin. Although not all additives are harmful by definition, there are some present in custards that the OCU does not recommend, such as diphosphates and sodium phosphate.

In these products, skimmed milk is used and cream is added on the other hand, to achieve that characteristic texture and make the result more tasty.

The best option is to choose a natural yogurt and, if you fancy chocolate, accompany it with an ounce of dark chocolate. If you don't know which product to choose, it's best to look at the labels: the fewer ingredients they contain, the better.

Rice pudding is one of the most common desserts in Spain...however, this dessert might not be so healthy, especially considering how high in calories it is due to the amount of sugar it contains.

The main problem with this typical dessert is that it is made with a large amount of sugar, which easily increases the total calories of a food and also does not contribute to feeling full. It is associated with many serious illnesses, as it is very easy to become overweight by consuming it. This means that eating rice pudding does not satisfy as much as it should.

If you like rice pudding, try making it at home! You can replace the milk with a vegetable milk, add less sugar or substitute it with Stevia or honey and reduce the amount of rice, or use your imagination to use other products such as oats or brown rice.