YoPlus+ Digestive Lowfat Yogurt
Yoplait yogurt is a familar sight in most US grocery stores. Owned by mega-food corporation General Mills, the product line has jumped on the “digestive health” bandwagon with YoPlus+ – a probiotic/pre-biotic fiber product. YoPlus+ is sold in single-serving 4-packs, and comes in 7 flavors: Strawberry, Cranberry-Raspberry, Blackberry-Pomegranate, Blueberry-Acai, Vanilla, Cherry and Peach.
Manufacturer’s Description: Yo-Plus has a special combination of probiotic cultures and fiber, plus vitamins A and D. In fact, Yo-Plus cultures are clinically proven to help naturally regulate digestive health. And with creamy, delicious flavors…it has the great taste you expect from Yoplait…Just one cup of Yo-Plus every day will help your body keep its digestive balance.
Product Label:
| Serving Size: 1 container (113g) Calories 110 Calories from Fat 10 Total Fat 1.5g Saturated Fat 1g Trans Fat 0g Cholesterol 10mg Sodium 70mg Potassium 190mg |
Total Carbohydrate 21g Dietary Fiber 3g Sugars 16g Protein 4g Vitamin A 10% Vitamin D 10% Calcium 15% Phosphorus 10% |
| Ingredients: Cultured Pasteurized Grade A Reduced Fat Milk, Sugar, Chicory Root Extract (Inulin), Modified Corn Starch, Blackberries, Nonfat Milk, Whey Protein Concentrate, Pomegranate Juice Concentrate, Kosher Gelatin, Natural Flavor, Colored with Beet Juice and Grape Juice Concentrates, Tricalcium Phosphate, Citric Acid, Pectin, Vitamin A Acetate, Vitamin D3 | |
Comments: I picked up a 4-pack of the Blackberry-Pomegranate YoPlus+ at my local Fred Meyer for $2.47…approx. $0.62 per serving. Each cup holds 4 oz (1/2 cup)…less than regular Yoplait (6 oz), which – at the time I purchased it – was selling for $0.50 each. Thus, YoPlus+ is more expensive than the “standard issue” stuff.
What’s the difference between the two? According to the “Fact Sheet for Health Professionals” available from the product web site, one serving of YoPlus+…
“…provides at least one billion (109) live and stable Bb-12 through the end of shelf life. Yo-Plus also provides the same amount of S. thermophilus and L.bulgaricus as one cup of Yoplait yogurt.”
One serving of YoPlus+ also provides 3g of inulin, a prebiotic fiber that supports the growth of the probiotic bacteria in the digestive tract. Thus, YoPlus+ is a sort of “enhanced” version of Yoplait. It’s interesting to note, however, that the product recommendations are based on studies of the Bb-12 culture – NOT on YoPlus+ itself…unlike Danone (Dannon) – the manufacturers of Activia – General Mills does not report any product clinical studies. This may be significant, as the number of cfus (colony-forming units) provided by YoPlus+ may be different from Activia.
For what it’s worth, if I were purchasing a product for health reasons, I’d prefer one with direct, primary research underlying its claims.
Nonetheless, I thought YoPlus+ was quite tasty: fruity, creamy and smooth. It’s not quite diet-fare, however, as it contains added sugars (beyond the naturally-occurring lactose in milk) which provide unnecessary calories. It’s unfortunate that – unlike Activia (again!) – YoPlus+ doesn’t come in either “light,” “plain,” or multi-serving containers…which would make it more healthful AND economical (on a per serving basis).
[usrlist “Taste:5.0” “Quality:4.0” “Efficacy:3.0” “Value:2.5″ avg=”true”]
