CultureWars-FullReport

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Navigating the Dairy Case to Find Quality, Safety and Nutritional Value

A Report by The Cornucopia Institute | November 2014

Culture Warsw toHow the Food Giants Turned Yogurt, a Health Food, into Junk Food


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The Cornucopia Insiue

P.O. Box 126

Cornucopia, WI 54827

608-625-2000 voice

866-861-2214 ax

culivae@cornucopia.org

www.cornucopia.org

Design and layou by Draf Horse Sudio | drafhorsesudio.com

Phoo sources: Gayle Nielsen, The Cornucopia Insiue: pages 5, 6 and 30; iSockPho-

o: cover, pages 7, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 18, 19 (op), 21, 23, 27, 29, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 43 and 47;

DollarPhooClub.com: pages 19 (botom), 24, 38 and 44

Copyrigh 2014, The Cornucopia Insiue

The Cornucopia Insiue wishes o sincerely hank he housands o amily armers and

heir urban allies who und our work wih heir generous donaions.

Special hanks o Olivia Shelon and Maggie Youn or heir work on his repor.

The Cornucopia Insiue is dedicaed o he figh or economic jusice or he amily-scale

arming communiy. Through research and educaion, our goal is o empower armers

and heir cusomers in he good ood movemen, boh poliically and hrough markeplace

iniiaives.

Cornucopias Organic Inegriy Projec acs as a corporae and governmenal wachdog

assuring ha no compromises o he credibiliy o organic arming mehods and he ood

i produces are made in he pursui o profi. We acively resis regulaory rollbacks and

he weakening o organic sandards, o proec and mainain consumer confidence in he

organic ood label.


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THE CORNUCOPIA INSTITUTE 5

Executive Summary

Yogur, made he radiional way, is one o humaniys radiional, nourishing oods. Milk romorganic pasure-raised cows, rich in calcium, proein, beneficial as and oher healhy nuri-ens, is ermened using live culures, resuling in a wholesome, live ood eeming wih benefi-cial microorganisms.

Bu gian ood corporaions, led by General Mills(Yoplai) and Groupe Danone (Dannon), and now

joined by many ohers including Walmar and Pep-siCo, have all oo ofen managed o urn his healh

ood ino quasi-junk ood.

Many yogur producs on sore shelves oday aremarkeed and hyped as healhy, bu a close inspec-ion o he ingrediens lis, sugar conen, and howhe ingrediens are produced pains a very differenpicure.

Convenional yogur o oday is produced wih milkrom cows ha are nearly always confined and un-able o graze on pasure, and ed geneically en-gineered grains. Chemical deoamers, banned inorganics, are commonly added o milk during heprocessing o lowa yogur. Add in arificial swee-eners or high doses o sugar and high rucose cornsyrup, arificial colors, synheic preservaives, andhe gu-wrenching hickener carrageenan, and isplain o see ha many yogur producs are essen-

ially junk ood masquerading as healh ood.

Bu hese producs are markeed as healhy in par bydisplaying he indusrys Live and Acive Culures

seal, which supposedly assures a high level o benefi-cial microorganisms, also known as probioics. Theseal is ound on nearly all convenional yogur by pop-ular brands owned by corporaions such as GeneralMills and Groupe Danone. However, he popular mar-keing approach is no used by organic brands, largely

because o he cos o he program esing. Consumersmay be emped o choose producs wih he Live andAcive Culures seal, perceiving i as healhier, overproducs wihou iwhich may mean choosing con-venional yogur over organic.

Tesing commissioned by The Cornucopia Insiue,perormed by he Universiy o NebraskaLincolnsFood Processing Cener, revealed ha many organicarmsead yogur producs, wihou he Live and Ac-ive Culures seal, acually conained higher levels oprobioics han convenional yogur wih he seal.

Yoplait Go-Gurtfruity drinkable yogurt in a tube

marketed to childrenhas no actual fruit but tastes

and looks like fruit yogurt due to artificial colors and

artificial flavors. Go-Gurt also contains the harmfulingredient carrageenan along with artificial preserva-

tives and synthetic nutrients. The milk is conventionally

produced, from CAFO (confined animal feeding opera-

tion) dairy cows fed genetically engineered corn and

soybeans. And on a price-per-ounce basis, the Go-Gurt

brand, owned by General Mills, costs more than many

organic yogurt products.


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6 CULTURE WARS: HOW THE FOOD GIANTS TURNED YOGURT, A HEALTH FOOD, INTO JUNK FOOD

Cornucopias analysis also ound ha some conven-ional yogur producs on sore shelves do no meehe legal definiion o be labeled as yogur. The FDAhas a sandard o ideniy or yogur ha specifieswhich ypes o ingrediens can and canno be addedo a produc labeled and sold as yogur. Arificialsweeeners, preservaives, milk proein concen-

raes and arificial nuriens oher han viamins Aand D do no appear on he FDAs lis. Thereore, anyproduc conaining hese ingrediens should no bemarkeed and sold as yogurincluding producsrom mos o he Yoplai, Dannon and oher conven-ional brands, as well as producs rom mos sore la-

bel brands, including Walmars Grea Value.

The addiion o cerain ingrediens is no simply aquesion o legaliy; i also raises an imporan ques-ion abou he healhulness o he ood. Many in-grediens ound in yogur, such as asparame and

arificial colors, have been he subjec o conrover-sy as o heir adverse healh effecs. For example, re-search has linked he arificial sweeener asparameo brain umors and neurological disease in laborao-ry animals. Carrageenan, a ood hickener, has beenshown o promoe colon umors and cause inflam-maion and digesive disease in laboraory animals.Arificial colors have been linked o atenion deficihyperaciviy disorder in children. These ingredi-ens and ohers commonly ound in yogur have noplace in a ood markeed as healhy.

This repor oulines he various reasons peopleshould choose organic yogur over convenional.The USDA Organic seal on a yogur produc is much

more imporan, in erms o healhulness, han heLive and Acive Culures seal, he Greek label orany oher markeing claim or label.

What This Report Covers

SECTION Iexplores he emerging science o beter un-dersand he human microbiome, he hundred ril-lion microbes ha inhabi our bodies and play acenral role in our healh. Research suggess haculivaing a healhy communiy o gu baceria isno as simple as ingesing a daily dose o probio-ics, bu insead depends on overall dieary choices.This includes avoiding arificial sweeeners, whichmay be oxic o beneficial microorganisms. Avoid-ing chemical addiives in oods in general is likely agood rule o suppor a healhy microbiome, which is

why i is imporan o avoid oods, including yogur,wih hese ingrediens.

Secion I also assures consumers ha organic yo-gur wihou he Live and Acive Culures seal is agood choice, as i ofen conains higher levels o liveand acive culures han yogur producs wih heseal. Moreover, cours and he Federal Trade Com-mission have ruled ha adverisemens and healhclaims relaed o probioics are misleading. Theseadverisemens atemp o convince consumers ochoose convenional yogur wih designer srains oprobioics, bu scienific proo ha hese srains aresuperior o he ones commonly ound in radiionalorganic yogur is weak.

SECTION II explores he many benefis o organic yo-gur over convenional. Only organic yogur assuresha he milk used o produce he yogur came romcows ha grazed on pasure, were given a non-GMOorganic eed and were no reaed wih anibioics orsynheic growh hormones. Convenional yogurcan be processed wih chemical deoamers, which is

prohibied in he manuacuring o organic yogur.

Deoamers, and many oher processing aids, areno required by he FDA o be lised on he ingredi-en label even hough residues o hese maerials re-main in ood producs.

Tesing by he Universiy o NebraskaLincolns lab-oraory showed ha here are also nuriional bene-fis o eaing whole-milk organic yogur: beter raios

Many ingredients found in yogurt brands, such as

artificial sweeteners, have been the subject of con-

troversy as to their adverse health effects.


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o omega-3 o omega-6 aty acids and higher levelso oher beneficial as including conjugaed linoleicacid (CLA).

SECTION III responds o markeing claims ha painGreek yogur as a healhier choice han oher ypeso yogur, including organic whole-milk yogur. Au-

henic Greek yogur is yogur ha has been urherprocessed (strained) o remove he liquid whey.

Lesser qualiy Greek yogur producs add hickeningagens/sabilizers o achieve hicker mouh eel oreven impored milk proein concenrae. (There areno FDA sandards or wha consiues Greek yogur.)The remaining solids resul in a produc wih a hick-er consisency and higher levels o proein. Greek yo-gur is markeed as healhy and oued by weigh-lossprograms as beneficial or is high proein and low aconen.

Chobani, a pioneering manuacurer o Greek yo-gur in he U.S., has aken he yogur marke bysorm. Ye mos Greek yogur producs are no cer-ified organic. The milk used o produce Chobani yo-gur, like mos oher convenional yogur producs,comes rom convenionally managed cows, many owhich are raised in indusrial-scale operaions ona die o convenional, geneically engineered cornand soybeans.

Many o he Greek yogur brands ha ollowed in

Chobanis ooseps are made wih milk proein con-cenrae (MPC), which is primarily impored romoher counries in powdered orm as a way o avoidhe ime-consuming sraining process. MPC im-pors drive down he price o domesically produceddairy, squeezing many dairy armers ou o busi-ness.

In addiion o he use o MPC and he wase prob-lem associaed wih he srained whey, his sec-ion poins ou ha many Greek yogur producsconain high amouns o added sugar and are noas healhy as adverised. And when consumerschoose proein-rich Greek yogur, hey are missingou on he many beneficial as essenial or healhwhich are ound a higher levels in organic whole-milk yogur.

SECTION IVoulines he ingrediens commonly oundin yogur, oher han he milk and live culures.Many yogur producs conain high levels o addedsugars or high rucose corn syrup, including cornsyrups wih excepionally high levels o rucose,

misleadingly labeled as rucose.

Oher ingrediens o concern commonly ound in yo-gur include asparame, linked o brain umors andneurological disease in laboraory animals; carragee-nan, an addiive ha has been linked o gasroines-inal inflammaion and disease; and arificial colors,which have been linked o atenion defici hyperac-iviy disorder in children.

Many yogurt products contain high levels of added

sugars, in many cases exceeding the American

Heart Associations recommended maximum daily

intake in a single serving.

The Cornucopia Institute encourages people who

buy yogurt to buy minimally processed organic

brands, both to support organic farmers and to

support their familys health. Cornucopias Yogurt

Buyers Guide, available at www.cornucopia.org,

provides a resource for consumers who seek the

highest-quality yogurt.


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SECTION Vis a cos comparison o convenional versusorganic yogur producs ha challenges he myhha organic is always more expensive. In markesaround he counry, rom member-owned co-opsin urban ceners o Whole Foods Marke in upscalesuburbs o Walmar in rural communiies, organ-ic yogur producs can ofen be bough or less on a

price-per-ounce basis han many convenional yo-gurs.

For example, organic yogur rom armsead dair-ies in 32-ounce conainers ofen coss less on aper-ounce basis han mos convenional yogur in6-ounce conainers. And mos radiional organicyogur coss less han convenional Greek-syle yo-gur, especially he high-priced name brands likeChobani. (Alhough always relaively high priced,

Chobani raised prices by 30% in 2014, according ohe dairy indusry journal The Milkweed.). Organicyogur also ofen coss less han heavily processedyogur in special packaging markeed o children,like Yoplais Go-Gur and Dannons Danimals,wih heir long liss o arificial ingrediens.

In conclusion, convenional yogur makers decep-ively marke heir producs as healhy, especiallyyogur wih he Live and Acive Culures seal andGreek varieies. Ye he documened bes choice,in erms o healhulness, is organic yogur wih ashor ingrediens lis. Afer all, all ha is requiredor making healhy yogur is resh, organic milkand live culureswih added organic rui or unre-fined sweeeners, i so desired.


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Section I: Yogurt, Probiotics and the Microbiome

What Is Yogurt?

Yogur is made by adding specific bacerial culures o milk. The baceria (Lactobacillus bulgari-cusand Streptococcus thermophiles) conver he naural sugars o milk (lacose) ino lacic acid.This process hickens he milk and creaes he characerisic sour ase and hick and creamyexure o yogur. I also acs as a naural preservaive in several ways. By colonizing he milk

wih beneficial baceria, i prevens harmul baceria rom conaminaing he milk. The high-er levels o lacic acid in yogur also ac as a naural preservaive, since lacic acid inhibis hegrowh o pahogenic baceria.

Today, he U.S. Food and Drug Adminisraion (FDA) re-

quires ha any produc labeled yogur mus conaincream or milk culured wihLactobacill us bulgaricusand

Streptococcus thermophilus.1 The agency allows oher in-

grediens o be added, including sweeeners, flavoring

ingrediens, color addiives and sabilizers. Bu yogur

makers have added more han jus he allowed opional

ingrediens. Addiives ha are commonly ound in yo-

gur and ha raise concerns will be lised and explained

in Secion V o his repor.

Probiotics

The markeing o yogur as a healh ood revolves in large

par around he presence o probioics. The erm probio-

ic is a relaively new word meaning or lie; i reers o

baceria ound in oods ha are associaed wih beneficial

healh effecs.2

Probioics were defined in 1907 by a French pediarician,

Dr. Henry Tissier. He ound ha children suffering rom

diarrhea had a low number o bifid baceria, which

were abundan in healhy children. He suggesed ha

hese baceria, also used o ermen yogur, could help

children wih diarrhea, resoring heir gu microflora

and digesive healh.3

A around he same ime, a Russian biologis, Dr. Elie

Mechnikoff, was ascinaed by he longeviy o Bulgar-

ian peasans. He believed ha aging was caused in largepar by oxic baceria in he gu, and he hypohesized ha

he Bulgarians copious consumpion o ermened milk

(yogur) played a role in heir healh.4

Decades laer, when he French-based dairy conglom-

erae Groupe Danone launched yogur in he American

marke, yogur adverisemens ofen eaured he lon-

geviy o people whose radiional dies included yogur

or oher ermened milk producs. For example, a 1977

Yogurt is made by adding bacterial cultures to milk.

Prior to the invention of refrigeration, culturing was

a technique used to preserve fresh milk.


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Dannon commercial showed acive and healhy old

very oldSovie Georgian peasans eaing yogur.

In Sovie Georgia, here are wo curious hings abou he

people. A large par o heir die is yogur. And a large num-

ber o hem live pas a hundred, says he commercials nar-

raor.5Were no saying ha Dannon yogur will help you

live longer, bu Dannon lowa yogur is a wholesome nau-

ral ood rich in nuriion, he narraor coninues.

A leas in he 1977 commercial, he company behind he

Dannon brand, Groupe Danone, acknowledged ha yo-

gur migh no be he magic bulle o help you live longer.

In recen years, i has cos he company millions o dol-

lars o setle alse adverising lawsuis ha alleged ha

he company misrepresened he healh benefis o is

producs, specifically relaed o is probioics. Dannons

markeing rheoric has lef he company vulnerable o le-

gal acion. However, here are a number o documened

benefis rom eaing culured oods, including yogur.

Probioics are beneficial or he gasroinesinal healh

o individuals who are aking a course o anibioics or

medical reasons. When anibioics disrup he microor-

ganisms living in he gasroinesinal rac, eaing oods

wih high levels o probioics can be beneficial.

Daa sugges ha diarrhea and oher gasroinesinal

sympoms ha ofen accompany a course o anibioics

are likely caused by a surge in he populaion o he bace-

rium Clostridium difficile. While his microorganism ap-

pears in he gu o healhy individuals, he disrupion o

many indigenous gu microorganisms by anibioics can

lead o abnormally high levels o Clostridium difficileand

cause diarrhea. Eaing or drinking ermened milk prod-

ucs wih probioics creaes compeiion or Clostridium

difficile baceria and helps ensure heir numbers do no

rise oo high.6

A 2011 Cochrane Review evaluaing 3,432 children who

received probioics co-adminisered wih anibioics,

rom 16 sudies, concluded ha he overall evidence sug-

gess a proecive effec o probioics in prevening anibi-

oic-associaed diarrhea.7

The American Academy o Pediarics suppors he rec-

ommendaion o probioics or prevenion, bu no rea-

men, o anibioic-associaed diarrhea.8

Aduls who are undergoing a course o anibioics may

also benefi rom probioics. Two clinical rials, one using

DanAcive (Dannon)9 and anoher using a proprieary

probioic blend conaining L. casei and L. acidophilus,10

ound paiens given he higher dose o probioics concur-

ren wih anibioics had ewer occurrences o diarrhea.

Several sudies have ound probioics o be benefi-

cial or individuals suffering rom irriable bowel syn-

drome (IBS), alhough oher sudies ound no benefis. 11

Researchers acknowledge ha he exac causes o IBS

remain unknown and he evidence o benefi is no su-

ficienly srong o suppor he general recommendaiono probioics or IBS.12

Bu researchers cauion agains drawing sweeping con-

clusions regarding he benefis o probioics. The capaci-

y o probioics o modiy disease sympoms is likely o be

modes and varies among probioic srainsno all probi-

oics are righ or all diseases,13wries Mathew Ciorba,

a gasroenerologis a Washingon Universiys S. Louis

School o Medicine.

Probioics may no have as grea an effec on he microflo-

ra o healhy individuals as yogur makers claim on prod-uc packages and commercials. In order o see why, i is

imporan o undersand he emerging science on gu mi-

croflora and he human microbiome. This research sup-

pors he idea ha he overall dieincluding avoiding

cerain ood addiives commonly ound in yogur prod-

ucs ha have been linked o negaive healh impacs,

like arificial sweeeners and carrageenanaffecs gu

microflora greaer han simply increasing he consump-

ion o probioics.

The Microbiome

Our bodies are a collecion o cells. Tha is old news.

Bu recen research reveals ha cells carrying our own

DNAhuman DNAmake up only 10 percen o our

bodies. The res o us is made up o rillions o micro-

scopic creaures, primarily baceria.

Were no individuals, were colonies o creaures, says

Dr. Bruce Birren, a proessor a he Massachusets Insi-

ue o Technology who is also co-direcor o MITs Ge-nome Sequencing and Analysis Program.14When I ge

up rom my chair, 10 imes more bacerial cells ge up

han human ones.

Scieniss now reer o he oaliy o hese baceria in our

bodiesour parners in lieas our microbiota. The col-

lecive geneic makeup o our microbioa is reerred o

as our microbiome. In erms o weigh, a human micro-

bioa consiues 1% o 3% o a human body.15Bu in erms


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o he absolue number o cells and geneic maerial, we

are more microbe han human: As many as 100 rillion

bacerial cells reside in or on our body,16and hese micro-

organisms carry 300-old more unique genes han are

presen in our own genome.17

Baceria live in and on every par o our bodyrom be-

hind our ears o beween our oes and everywhere in

beween. Some pars o our bodies have especially high

numbers o microbes, wih our gu having no only he

larges number bu also he greaes diversiy.

In recen years, scieniss have made ascinaing discov-

eries regarding he role o he microbes ha inhabi us.

We as humans are a superorganism, wih our biology

deermined by he genes encoded in our DNA ogeher

wih he genes o our microbial parners, says Dr. Claire

Fraser, direcor o he Insiue or Genome Sciences, a

he Universiy o Maryland School o Medicine. 18

In ac, i is becoming increasingly clear ha here is only

so much abou he ae o our healh ha can be explained

by our own genes and how hey inerac wih our envi-

ronmen. Many o he myseries ha have baffled scien-

iss may be explained by he microbiome, including

quesions regarding how ood affecs our healh.

The microbiome may no presen us wih insan answerso old myseries abou he ineracions beween ood and

healh, bu is discovery opens a new way o hinking

abou ood. Afer all, wih rillions o microbes residing

in our gu, we can no longer resric our quesions abou

ood o how i ineracs wih our own cells. We mus also

consider how he oods we ea affec our residen micro-

organisms.

The Microbiome and Health

Emerging science suggess ha he hundred rillion mi-

crobes in our bodies are ar rom hichhikers or ree-

loaders. They are essenial o our healh.

To beter undersand he human microbiome, he Na-

ional Insiues o Healh iniiaed he Human Micro-biome Projec, which is ofen reerred o as he second

Human Genome Projec.

When addiional findings o he Human Microbiome

Projec were published in June 2012 in he journal Na-

ture, he auhors noed he incredible diversiy and com-

plexiy o he microbiome. We ound he diversiy and

abundance o each habias signaure microbes o vary

widely even among healhy subjecs, he auhors wroe.

This is imporan when considering die and healh. The

oods and drinks we inges end up in our gu, where iscomponens inerac no only wih our own cells bu wih

he baceria ha make up our microbiome. In ac, some

componens o oods may be beneficial o our healh or

he sole reason ha hey nourish our residen baceria.

For example, he human digesive rac canno diges cer-

ain fibers, and or years researchers scrached heir heads

as o why hese nuriens were ound in human milk. A-

er all, i hese componens were no digesed by he ba-

bys digesive rac, why would he mohers body go o he

rouble o creaing hem? I urns ou ha hese fibers may

be indigesible or our own cells bu provide an imporan

ood source or our microbial parners. These fibers are

now reerred o as prebioics: ood or microbes.

Research suggess ha he microbiome may play a crii-

cal role in energy harvesing and meabolism. In oher

words, our microbiome may decide how he calories and

as in he oods we inges are used and disribued. For

example, differen ypes o gu baceria may have an im-

pac on wheher hose calories are burned as energy or

sored as belly a.19

The microbiome o pregnan women has been shown o

change dramaically over he course o pregnancy.20

Researchers have also ound differences in populaions o

microbes beween lean and obese people. Scieniss are

quick o cauion ha much sill remains unclear abou

he role o he microbiome in weigh gain,21bu i is also

increasingly clear ha he gu microbiome is an ecosys-

em ha canno be ignored when making ood choices.

The human body is made up of trillions of micro-

scopic creatures, referred to as our microbiota.


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Dr. Qing Yang, a proessor o molecular, cellular and de-

velopmenal biology a Yale Universiy, wries: A rise

in he percen o he populaion who are obese coincides

wih an increase in he widespread use o non-caloric ar-

ificial sweeeners, such as asparame and sucralose.26

The ollowing daa demonsraes ha hose rends could

be relaed.

Several large-scale sudies in he 1980s ound ha arificialsweeeners do no correlae wih weigh loss. One sudy

examined 3,682 aduls over a seven- o eigh-year period

and ound ha drinkers o arificially sweeened beverag-

es consisenly had higher body mass indexes. 27Anoher

sudy, by he American Cancer Sociey, ound ha among

nearly 80,000 women, regular arificial sweeener users

gained more weigh compared o non-users.28

Ra sudies have also ound a posiive correlaion beween

arificial sweeeners in he die and weigh gain.29 Ras

wih arificial sweeeners as par o heir die acually ae

more han ras ha did no receive arificial sweeeners.30

Arificial sweeeners likely encourage higher consump-

ion o oods or several reasons. They sweeen he die

and may encourage sugar dependence and sugar crav-

ings. Sudies have shown his o be he case wih oherases: People who reduced heir inake o a31and sal32

evenually became used o lower levels, and afer a while

acually preerred oods wih less a and sal. The same

could be rue or he swee ase. Unsweeening he

die, raher han replacing caloric sweeeners wih non-

caloric sweeeners, may be more effecive in encouraging

a healhy die han creaing a dependence on swee ases

wih arificial sweeeners.33

Arificial sweeeners also decouple he brain and he di-

gesive sysem: The brain senses sweeness bu he di-

gesive sysem senses no sugar and sends a differen

message. This is linked o incomplee saisacion, which

may encourage he eaer o seek more oodeaing more

han he or she would have i he body had received wha

he brain was led o believe i had received.

There may be anoher acor involved in he ailure o ar-ificial sweeeners o help wih weigh loss: Could i be

ha arificial sweeeners in yogur may be oxic o our

gu microbiome?

Sudies have suggesed ha arificial sweeeners are ani-

microbials, which excied deniss who have enhusiasi-

cally writen ha arificial sweeeners could decrease he

incidence o caviies. An aricle in he Journal of Contem-

porary Dentistry Practiceconcluded: All he sweeeners

used in his sudy [saccharin, asparame and sucralose]

have demonsraed significan animicrobial aciviy.34

I chemical sweeeners kill caviy-causing microbes in

he mouh, how do hey affec he beneficial microbes in

he gu?

Duke Universiy Medical Cener researchers explored

his quesion by eeding various amouns o he arificial

sweeener sucralose o ras and measuring ecal micro-

flora and ecal pH. The researchers ound ha ras given

sucralose had significanly lower levels o beneficial gu

microflora, including he bifidobaceria and lacobacilli

ha yogur provides.

Even afer ras were allowed o recover or 12 weeks a-

er he sucralose die, levels o bifidobaceria remained

lower han in he conrol group. These changes occurred

a dosages o sucralose ha ell well below he FDAs Ac-

cepable Daily Inake level.35

Anoher sudy, by Dr. Gary Wu a he Universiy o Penn-

sylvanias Perelman School o Medicine, ound ha even

small amouns o asparame in he die impaced he

composiion o our gu microbiome. According o Dr. Wu,

Die srongly affecs human healh, parly by modula-ing gu microbiome composiion.36

The ac ha an arificial sweeener can modiy sub-

sanially our microbioa is remarkable and warrans

urher sudies, wries Dr. Alexander Moschen, a he

Medical Cener o he Universiy in Innsbruck, Ausria. 37

In a leter o he edior o he European Journal of Clinical

Nutrition, iled Gu Baceria and Asparame: Why Are

Numerous studies have found that artificial sweet-

eners actually increase caloric consumption, in-

crease weight gain, and are positively correlated

with diseases including diabetes and heart dis-

ease.25


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We Surprised?38Dr. Resia Preorius, proessor o phys-

iology a he Universiy o Preoria in Souh Arica, ex-

plained why his finding made sense:

On consumpion, each molecule o asparame re-

leases a molecule o mehanol, which meabolizes

ino a molecule o ormaldehyde.

Formaldehyde (which is a highly reacive subsance)

is classified as a known human carcinogen, wih no

sae level o consumpion.

Thereore, i is no unexpeced ha very small

amouns o he sweeener can modiy bacerial com-

muniies, as hese baceria ac as he firs line o in-

esinal deense and are hereore in direc conac

wih he sweeener and is meabolic compounds.

During obesiy or periods o weigh managemen,

where paiens migh use asparame, i is perhaps

more crucial o have opimum bacerial communiy

uncioning in he inesines.39

The paradoxical associaion beween non-nuriive

sweeeners and weigh gain may be due o he oxic e-

ecs o hese chemicals on gu microflora. I a seady sup-

ply o anibioics, which kill gu baceria, leads o seady

weigh gain, could he same be rue o a seady consump-

ion o arificial sweeeners?

Probiotic Advertisements

Sudies generally show ha here are ew, i any, measur-

able differences in he microbioa o people consuming pro-

bioics versus conrol groups. A sudy published in April

2013 in he Oxord journal DNA Researchound no signifi-

can changes in he overall srucure o gu microbioa in

he samples wih and wihou probioic adminisraion re-

gardless o groups and ypes o he probioics used.40

Yogur, like any oher radiional, wholesome ood,

should be viewed as par o a healhy die bu no a magic

bulle o longeviy and healh. Companies making healh

claims regarding probioics are likely doing so in an a-

emp o sell heir producs.

In 2008, he atorneys general in 39 saes joined orces

o sue Groupe Danone or is Dannon Acivia adverise-

mens. They charged ha he Dannon adverisemens

included claims regarding healh benefis ha could

no be subsaniaed by compeen and reliable scieni-

ic evidence. These claims, he atorneys general charged,

promised digesive healh, improved regulariy and im-

proved immuniy ha were misleading, decepive and

unair. The case was setled in 2010, when Dannon paid

$21 million o he 39 saes.41

Afer Dannon setled wih he saes, Washingon SaeAssisan Atorney General Bob Lipson said: Dannon

made up ancy names or baceria in is Acivia yogur

and dairy drink, markeed hem as having unique healh

benefis, hen milked he publics willingness o believe

hose claims.42

When Lipson menioned ancy names or baceria, he

was reerring o he rademarked bacerial srain Bifi-

dus Regularis. Dannon claimed ha Bifidus Regularis

helped promoe he purpored healh benefi o improved

regulariya claim ha many consumers believed, giv-

en he bacerial srains name.

Earlier in 2010, Dannon setled a separae class acion law-

sui, paying consumers up o $45 million. Again, he com-

pany had been sued or alse and misleading adverising

regarding he unproven healh benefis o is producs.43

The Federal Trade Commission also issued a complain

agains Dannon or is Acivia adverisemens in 2010,

charging ha he healh claims could no be subsaniaed.44

In Europe, healh claims on oods are more ighly regu-laed and mus be preapproved by an independen scien-

ific panel o ensure ha he healh claim is backed by

science beore i can appear on ood labels.

In June 2012, he European Food Saey Auhoriy ruled

ha no healh claims regarding probioics would be per-

mited. Food companies submited 74 peiions, including

scienific sudies o back heir claims. All were rejeced

by he panel.

Artificial sweeteners can substantially modify ben-

eficial microbes in the gut.


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None o his has deerred he growh o he probioic mar-

ke, which is esimaed a nearly $30 billion worldwide and

expeced o grow 30% o nearly $47 billion in five years.45

Probiotics: Profits and Big Business

Since probioics are now big business, i is no surpriseha large corporaions have become involved. For ex-

ample, DuPon, he chemical company ha go is sar

making explosives and is now a major manuacurer o

everyhing chemical, rom Teflon o Tyvek, is also a

major supplier o probioics.46

On he websie o DuPons Danisco division, he compa-

ny explains: Specialy ingrediens are he key o helping

manuacurers creae oods, beverages and supplemens

ha improve healh hrough beter nuriion.47

Wha he company is really saying is ha here is mon-ey o be made by markeing and selling ingrediens wih

purpored healh benefis. DuPon offers a Yo-Mix prod-

uc, in eiher reeze-dried or rozen pelle orm, conain-

ing he conen claim srains including Lactobacillus

acidophilus, Lactobacillus paracasei and Bifidobacterium

lactis.48 In June 2013, Danisco released a Greek Yo-Mix

culure blend.49

Oher suppliers o probioics include he agribusiness gi-

an Cargill50and he Danish dairy ingredien manuac-

urer Chr. Hansen.

In February 2012, hese companies creaed a rade lobby

group or probioics, specifically o alk wih lawmakers

and ry o win healh claims in he European Union.51

The rade lobby group, called he Global Alliance or Pro-

bioics (GAP), was ormed in response o previous disap-

poining lobbying effors. I is expeced ha he rade

group will coninue lobbying he European regulaors o

allow healh claims relaed o probioics.

Live and Active Cultures Seal

In he Unied Saes, ood corporaions convened o esab-

lish he Naional Yogur Associaion and developed he

Live and Acive Culures seal ound on many leading

yogur producs.

Members o he Naional Yogur Associaion include

Groupe Danone (Dannon), General Mills (Yoplai), Jo-

hanna Foods (LaYogur), The Kroger Company, PepsiCo

(Muller), Pinkberry, Agrana Fruis US, and Chr. Hansen

(he Danish probioics supplier).

Consumers may wonder wheher yogur wihou he

Live and Acive Culures seal conains as many culures

as yogur wih he seal. Cornucopia sen samples o heUniversiy o NebraskaLincolns Food Processing Cen-

er laboraory o find ou. No organic armsead dairies

ha produce yogur, and which are highly raed in he

Cornucopia Organic Dairy Scorecard, included he seal.

This is likely because he esing ha accompanies ceri-

ficaion coss housands o dollars per sample.

Cornucopias esing revealed ha many o he organic

yogur producs wihou he Live and Acive Culures

seal conained higher levels o live and acive culures

han brands wih he sealbrands owned by members o

he rade/lobby group.

The giant chemical company DuPont is a major

supplier of probiotics.

The National Yogurt Association is careful to ex-

plain on its website that the seal does not assure

that live and active cultures will actually be found

in the yogurt by the time the consumer eats it.

Rather, the testing is performed at time of manu-

facture.


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The esing also revealed ha some o he yogur prod-

ucs wih he Live and Acive Culures seal conained

much lower levels o probioics han he seal claims. Yo-

gur producs wih he seal conaining less han 100 mil-

lion culures per gram included Yoplai Go-Gur, LaLa

Cul, and Dannon Danimals Smoohies.

PROBIOTIC LEVELS IN YOGURT BRANDS

BRAND LEVEL ORGANIC STATUS LIVE AND ACTIVE

CULTURES SEAL

Dannon Light & Fit 39 billion Conventional Yes

Dannon Oikos 24 billion Conventional Yes

Fage 24 billion Conventional No

Cedar Summit 9 billion Organic No

Maple Hill Creamery 9 billion Organic No

Seven Stars 7.5 billion Organic No

Butterworks 5.5 billion Organic No

Yoplait Whips 5.1 billion Conventional Yes

Organic Valley Drinkable 910 million Organic No

Dannon Activia Light 710 million Conventional Yes

The Greek Gods 370 million Conventional No

Yoplait Light Thick & Creamy 340 million Conventional Yes

Wallaby Organic 170 million Organic No

Kalona Supernatural 150 million Organic No

Muller 120 million Conventional No

Noosa 92 million Conventional No

Stonyfield 70 million Organic No

Yoplait Go-Gurt 43 million Conventional Yes

LaLa Cult 34 million Conventional Yes

Dannon Danimals Smoothies 28 million Conventional Yes

Chobani 8.7 million Conventional No

Horizon 1.4 million Organic No

Walmart Great Value Light Nonfat 1.2 million Conventional No


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Section II: Benefits of Organic Yogurt

Organic yogur is superior o convenional yogur in a large variey o ways. For he reasons de-ailed below, consumers should always look or he organic label on yogur.

Genetically Engineered Ingredients

Geneic engineering is he process o manipulaing he ge-

neic maerial o an organism by insering genes rom a

differen species ino he geneic makeup o he organism.

In he Unied Saes oday, he USDA repors ha 88% o

corn and 93% o soybeans are geneically engineered (GE)

o eiher resis pesicide applicaions, produce heir own

oxins or boh.52

Foods conaining geneically engineered ingrediens,

also called GMOs (geneically modified organisms), do

no require labeling in he U.S., so here is no way o

know i he producs you are buying conain GMOs.

In addiion o geneically modified recombinan bovine

growh hormone (rbGH), which increases hormone lev-

els including IGF-1 in convenional milk, he eed given

o dairy cows producing convenional milk is mos likely

geneically engineered given ha 88% o corn and 93% o

soybeans are GE.

GMO oods, including milk rom cows on a geneically en-

gineered die, have no been adequaely esed or saey.

An overview o saey sudies on GMO oods, published in

he journal Environment International ,53finds roughly an

equal spli beween he number o peer-reviewed sud-ies ha conclude here are no healh risks and hose ha

conclude here are.

The vas majoriy o sudies finding no risks wih GMOs

were sponsored by he corporaions ha sand o profi

rom heir coninued use because he law requires hem

o prove saey. There is limied unding or research on

GMO saey rom he public secor.

Glyphosate Residues

Glyphosae is he worlds mos widely used herbicide,

markeed by Monsano as Roundup

. Use o he herbicidehas increased dramaically since he lae 1990s wih he

release o glyphosae-oleran GMO seed.

GMO crops are designed o break down he herbicide

glyphosae. This echnology allows he armer o broadcas

spray glyphosae-based herbicides over he enire crop, kill-

ing he weeds bu leaving he suscepible crop unharmed.

Glyphosae is also commonly used as a harves aid applied

o dry ou crops prior o harves. More concenraed doses

USDA certified organic foods expressly prohibit

GMO ingredients.


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are now required o comba glyphosae-resisan weeds

ha have evolved due o repeaed exposure o he herbicide.

These pracices have resuled in increased glyphosae

residues in our ood. Field ess show ha crops can con-

ain glyphosae residues up o one year afer spraying.55An independen sudy showed GMO soy conains on av-

erage 9.0 mg/kg residue o boh glyphosae and AMPA, a

breakdown produc.56

Due o increases in he applicaion o glyphosae, he En-

vironmenal Proecion Agency (EPA) has increased ol-

erance levels or residues on ood. For example, in soy he

maximum allowance has been increased rom 20 ppm o

40 ppm.57

Glyphosae is commonly deeced in human urine due o

exposure in our die rom crop residues.58Though sudies

sugges ha glyphosae does no bioaccumulae (become

concenraed in) he human body, esing commissioned

by Moms Across America and Susainable Pulse in 2014

ound glyphosae in he breas milk o hree ou o en lac-

aing women.59

The finding ha glyphosae may be presen in breas

milk warrans more research ino he role glyphosae

plays once ingesed. I also indicaes ha glyphosae may

be ound in he milk o convenionally armed dairy ani-

mals ha are ed an exclusive die o glyphosae-oleranGMO grain.

Choosing organic yogurs eliminaes he poenial expo-

sure o glyphosae in convenional milk. When hey are

ed grain, in addiion o pasure, organic cows consume

exclusively organic grain ree o glyphosae residues.

Finally, several sudies by scieniss who are no affili-

aed wih or commissioned by he bioechnology indus-

ry have raised concern over he saey o eaing GMOs.

Laboraory animal sudies have shown ha geneically

engineered ood damaged he inesines and peripheral

immune sysems,60caused reproducive problems,61and

increased he incidence o malignan umors.62

Growth HormonesConvenional dairy cows can also be reaed wih GMO

growh hormones, which are sricly prohibied in organ-

ic producion. Monsano, he bioechnology corporaion

ha markes he majoriy o GMO crops, also developed

hese hormones, bu has since sold he Posilac brand due

o decreased sales and consumer concerns.

The hormones known as recombinan bovine growh

hormone, or rbGH, are injeced in dairy cows or he pur-

pose o increasing milk producion. Consumer backlash

agains rbGH and is quesionable impac on arm profi-abiliy have reduced is overall use in convenional dairy.

Curren usage is highly skewed oward he larger indus-

rial-scale dairies.

In 2007, he Cancer Prevenion Coaliion, chaired by Uni-

versiy o Illinois cancer exper Dr. Samuel Epsein, filed

a peiion63 wih he FDA requesing he prohibiion o

GMO growh hormones in milk producion.

The peiion cied numerous sudies indicaing ha milk

rom cows reaed wih synheic growh hormones has

higher levels o he hormone IGF-1. According o sudies

cied in he peiion, IGF-1 is readily absorbed rom he in-

esines ino he bloodsream. In 19 scienific publicaions

The United States agricultural sector applied 180

million pounds of glyphosate in 2013, making it

the most commonly used herbicide.54

Conventional milk is commonly commingled, mean-

ing it comes from several different farms, from

different breeds of cows, and is mixed together

during transport before it reaches the processing

facility. Consumers who wish to avoid the synthetic

rbGH hormone should always choose organic.


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i has been shown o increase he risk o breas cancer; in

10 publicaions, he risk o colon cancer; and in 7 publica-

ions, he risk o prosae cancer.64

While he FDA has no aced o proec public healh,

some convenional yogur manuacurers have made a

commimen o source milk rom cows no reaed wih

growh hormones.65

However, while non-rbGH claims on yogur are increas-

ingly common, such claims generally are no hird-pary

cerified unless he produc is cerified organic. Injecing

dairy cows wih growh hormones is explicily banned in

organic producion.66Cerified organic remains he bes

assurance ha yogur was produced wihou he use o

geneically engineered synheic growh hormones.

Sudies have also indicaed ha injecing cows wih

rbGH increases he rae o clinical masiis by 25%.67This

raises he concern ha increased raes o masiis require

ever increasing herapy wih anibioics in dairy herds.

Many convenional yogur producs also conain numer-

ous minor ingrediens ha are derived rom corn, which

is likely GMO corn. These ingrediens include modified

corn sarch and ciric acid, which are presen in many

Dannon and Yoplai producs.

Organic oods provide a sae haven rom GMOs. The

USDA sricly prohibis he use o geneically engineered

eeds in organic animal arming.68

Grazing Dairy Cows vs. Feedlot Diets:

Beneficial Fats and Other Nutrients

Fats

Organic yogur also provides beter nuriion han con-venional yogur. Yogur labeled naural, like mos

Chobani producs (hey are releasing a small percenage

made wih organic milk), is convenional and does no

provide he same nuriional benefis as organic yogur,

in large par because o he way he milk cows are raised

and wha hey ea.

Naural/convenional yogur uses milk rom convenion-

al cows, which are predominanly raised in confinemen

raher han grazing on pasure. The eed o convenional

cows relies heavily on corn and soybeans. The adage you

are wha you ea applies o cows as well as humans, in-cluding he milk a cow produces.

Providing a dairy cow eed raion ha is excessively high

in corn leads o an overall die wih an unhealhy raio o

omega-6 o omega-3 aty acids, and a cow ed a die pre-

dominanly consising o grain will produce milk wih a

similar unhealhy aty acid raio.

The organic sandards require ha organic dairy cows be

on pasure during he grazing season and obain a mini-

mum o 30% o heir nuriion rom pasure; some excep-

ional organic dairies eed 100% pasure and hay. Compared

wih dairy cows raised in convenional confinemen dair-

Look for the USDA Organic seal, but be aware that

some certified organic farmstead dairies choose

not to display the label. (Its use on certified organ-

ic packaging and marketing materials is optional.)

Instead, their products will state organic on the

front of the package and will list the organic certify-

ing agent on the back panel of the container.

The Cornucopia Organic Dairy Scorecard lists

brands that produce exemplary yogurt and other

dairy products by greatly exceeding the minimum

grazing standards required by the USDA. Access it

at www.cornucopia.org under the Scorecards tab.


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ies, organic dairy cows ea much beter, and his affecs he

nuriional qualiy o he milk hey produce.

When cows graze on pasure, research has shown ha

heir milk has a much more avorable as profile. Two

2012 mea-analysis sudies ound higher levels o ben-

eficial as, including conjugaed linoleic acid (CLA), in

organic dair y.69Scieniss a he Universiy o Massachu-

setsAmhers wrie abou he benefis o CLA: CLA re-duces body a, cardiovascular diseases and cancer, and

modulaes immune and inflammaory responses as well

as improves bone mass.70,71,72,73

A sudy by researchers a So Paulo Universiy in Brazil

ound higher levels o beneficial as, including polyun-

sauraed aty acids and CLA, in organic ermened milk

compared wih convenional.74

To find ou wheher organic yogur on supermarke

shelves is indeed higher in beneficial as han conven-

ional yogur, The Cornucopia Insiue sen seven yo-gur samples o an accredied ood esing laboraory a

he Universiy o NebraskaLincoln. The resuls corrob-

oraed wha published research has already shown: Or-

ganic yogur conains higher levels o he beneficial a

CLA and omega-3 as, and a more avorable raio o ome-

ga-6 o omega-3 as han convenional yogur.

The clear winner in erms o good as was Cedar Sum-

mi Farm, a 100% grass-based organic dairy in Minneso-

a. Cedar Summi was also he op-raed brand in he U.S.

in prior esing conduced by The Milkweed, a dairy indus-

ry publicaion.

The loser was Chobani, which had he leas avorable

omega-6 o omega-3 raio and he lowes levels o CLA. In

ac, he difference was saggering: Cedar Summi Farm

conains 19 imes as much o he healh-promoing CLA

as Chobani, nearly 15 imes as much as Dannon, and 10

imes as much as Yoplai, as shown in he able a righ.

Traders Poin, a grass-based Indiana dairy, and Ver-

mons Buterworks yogur also had high CLA conen.

CLA CONTENT OF YOGURT BRANDS

BRAND PRODUCT CLA CONTENT(MG PER G OF

YOGURT)

Cedar Summit Farm Whole milk 0.359

Traders Point Creamery Whole milk 0.257

Butterworks Farm Whole milk 0.248

Stonyfield Farm Whole milk 0.124

Yoplait Lowfat 0.035

Dannon Lowfat 0.024

Chobani 2% 0.019

Because The Cornucopia Insiue se ou o compare

popular and widely available yogur producs offered by

Yoplai, Dannon and Chobani, heir lowa (2% milk a)

versions were esed. Whole-milk versions by hese con-

venional brands are eiher unavailable or difficul o find.For he organic yogur, we esed whole-milk versions.

Since Yoplai, Dannon and Chobani remove a porion o

he naurally occurring as, i is no surprising ha heir

CLA conen would be lower. So we also measured spe-

cific ypes o as as a percenage o he overall a conen.

When measured in his way, he resuls are even more

asonishing.

Over 1.1% o he oal as in Cedar Summi Farm yogur is

CLA, compared wih jus 0.26% in Chobani. Organic yo-

gur ranged rom 0.58% o 1.1% CLA, whereas convenion-

al yogur ranged rom 0.26% o 0.36% CLA.

Omega-6 to Omega-3 Ratio

Omega-3 aty acids have healh benefis, bu i is no

enough o simply increase ones inake o omega-3s in

he die or hrough supplemenaion. Omega-6 aty ac-

ids compee in he body wih omega-3s, and i is hereore

imporan o ensure a balanced inake o omega-6s rela-ive o omega-3s.

Dr. Aremis Simopoulus, a physician-scienis who has

published over 300 scienific papers and is presiden o

he nonprofi Cener or Geneics, Nuriion and Healh,

wries in he preace o Omega-6/Omega-3 Essential Fat-

ty Acid Ratio: The Scientific Evidence: Excessive amouns

o omega-6 polyunsauraed aty acids (PUFA) and a

very high omega-6 o omega-3 raio, as is ound in odays


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Wesern and Indian dies, promoe he pahogenesis o

many diseases, including cardiovascular disease, cancer,

and inflammaory and auoimmune diseases, whereas

increased levels o omega-3 PUFA (and lower omega-6/

omega-3 raio), exer suppressive effecs.75

I is esimaed ha he inake o omega-6 o omega-3 a-

y acids in he die o early humans was 1:1.76In he ypi-

cal American die oday, a high inake o vegeable-basedas as well as mea and dairy rom grain-ed animals has

skewed he raio, wih inake raios esimaed a nearly

10:1. Expers recommend an inake raio o 2:1.77

Given he imporance o a balanced omega-6 o omega-3

raio in he overall die, we also esed he raios o he

seven brands o yogur. Again, he resuls showed he

mos avorable raios in he organic, grass-based dairies

yogur and he mos unavorable raios in he hree con-

venional yogurs. One o he yogurs conained a raio o

less han 2:1, in oher words, a more han ideal raio. Cho-

bani again appears a he botom o he lis, wih a raioo 4.47:1.

OMEGA-6 TO OMEGA-3 RATIOS IN YOGURT BRANDS

BRAND RATIO OF

OMEGA-6 TO

OMEGA-3

PRECISE RATIO

Traders Point

Creamery

2:1 (1.75 omega-6 : 1

omega-3)

Cedar Summit

Farm

2:1 (2.2 omega-6 : 1

omega-3)

Butterworks

Farm

2:1 (2.4 omega-6 : 1

omega-3)

Stonyfield Farm 2:1 (2.5 omega-6 : 1

omega-3)

Yoplait 3:1 (3.0 omega-6 : 1

omega-3)

Dannon 4:1 (3.6 omega-6 : 1

omega-3)

Chobani 4:1 (4.47 omega-6 : 1omega-3)

Vitamins and Other Nutrients

Since grasses, clover and oher oragehe ingrediens

in a pasured cows dieconain oher healhy nuriens,

i sands o reason ha milk rom pasured cows is high-

er in hese nuriens as well. Research has shown ha

cows on a die o nurien-rich pasure produce milk ha

is healhier and richer in nuriens. Significanly higher

levels o he anioxidans luein and zeaxanhin, impor-

an or eye healh, have been ound in organic milk ver-

sus convenional milk.78,79

Organic milk rom pasured cows has also consisenly

been ound o have higher levels o naurally occurring

bea caroene (viamin A) and ocopherols (viamin E).80,81

Conventional Fruit and Pesticides

Many convenional yogur producs on sore shelves

conain no rui a all, even i he label picures rui

and he produc bears he name o a rui. Insead, hese

producs conain arificial colors and arificial flavors.

Even so, convenional yogur ha doesconain rui comes

wih is own hazards. Convenional ruis commonly con-

ain residues o synheic pesicides. According o he Na-

ional Academy o Sciences, Depending on dose, some

pesicides can cause a range o adverse effecs on human

healh, including cancer, acue and chronic injury o he

nervous sysem, lung damage, reproducive dysuncion,

and possibly dysuncion o he endocrine and immune

sysems.82

Yogurt from dairies that graze their cows is much

healthier than yogurt from dairies that feed hot

rations (predominantly corn and soybeans). It is

likely that the conventional cows supplying major

brands like Yoplait and Dannon have never touched

a fresh blade of grass during their productive life-

times, while being milked.


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The American Academy o Pediarics has s aed: Or-

ganic produce conains ewer pesicide residues handoes convenional produce, and consuming a die o

organic produce reduces human exposure o pesi-

cides.84

The oncologiss on he Presidens Cancer Panel agree:

Exposure o pesicides can be decreased by choosing,

o he exen possible, ood grown wihou pesicides or

chemical erilizers.85

The Unied Saes Deparmen o Agriculure (USDA)

annually ess common oods, boh convenional and

organic, or pesicide residues. Resuls show ha con-

venional oods commonly conain pesicide residues,

whereas organic oods are generally a sae haven.

When buying yogur wih r ui, i is especially imporan

o choose organic o ensure he rui was produced wih-

ou he use o oxic pesicides.

Processing Aids

Once milk eners a convenional yogur plan, i can bereaed wih chemical processing aids. Dimehylpoly-

siloxane is a chemical deoamer added o milk used or

lowa yogur.86 Chemical processing aids such as di-mehylpolysiloxane are prohibied in he producion o

organic yogur.

While a review o animal sudies by he World Healh Or-

ganizaion (WHO) and by he Environmenal Proecion

Agency (EPA) ound no adverse healh effecs associa-

ed wih dimehylpolysiloxane,87mos o he saey sud-

ies were perormed or commissioned by Dow Corning

Corporaion (owned in par by he chemical gian DowChemical Company) and General Elecric Company.

The corporaions concluded ha dimehylpolysiloxane

is nonoxic based on ra sudies showing no moraliy a

high doses. Bu wha abou oher healh effecs? A high

doses, one sudy ound an increase in cell umors in ras,

bu he EPA dismissed he sudys findings as a mos

marginal/suggesive. 88

Avoiding chemical processing aids, such as he deoamer

dimehylpolysiloxane, is anoher good reason o choose

organic. Processing aids are no legally required o be

lised on he label even i residues persis in he produc.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics,

There is a growing body of literature that suggests

that pesticides may induce chronic health compli-

cations in children, including neurodevelopmental

or behavioral problems, birth defects, asthma, and

cancer.83


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Section III: Greek Yogurt

Group Danone and Yoplai dominaed he yogur marke unil Chobanis explosive growhmade i a marke leader wih is Greek yogur.89Groupe Danone calls Greek yogur he newAmerican revoluion.90

American households buying Greek yogur sho up rom

9% in 2010 o 47% in 2012.91

In erms o marke share, Groupe Danone believes ha

Greek yogur accouned or more han 35% o a marke es-

imaed a $6 billion a he end o 2012.92The ounder andCEO o Chobani, Hamdi Ulukaya, believes Greek yogur

has capured even more o he yogur marke. Accord-

ing o Ulukaya, Greek yogur made up 0.2% o he yogur

marke in 2007 and oday makes up roughly 50%. 93

Ye despie he growing populariy o Greek yogur, he in-

dusry has is share o conroversies, described in his secion.

Milk Protein Concentrate

Yogur makers ineresed in ollowing in Chobanis oo-

seps have urned o cheap addiives o creae Greek-syle

yogur. Raher han undergo he ime-consuming pro-

cess o physically sraining he liquid whey ou o he yo-

gur o creae he hicker consisency and higher proein

conen, some yogur makers have simply added corn

sarch or milk proein concenrae (MPC) powders o reg-

ular yogur in order o increase he proein conen and

creae a hicker exure.

Unlike resh milk used o manuacure yogur, MPCs dono come rom Grade A aciliies and are no regulaed or

puriy. This is cause or concern because wihou proper

oversigh, milk may be dilued wih waer ollowed by ur-

her aduleraions o raise he crude proein conen. Recen

proein aduleraion scandals include he use o melamine,

cyanuric acid, ammeline and ammelide o inflae he ap-

paren proein conen o concenraed proeins.

Farmers and consumer groups have been concerned

abou he use o MPCs or years. The consumer advoca-

cy group Food and Waer Wach wries: Unregulaed

impors o cheap milk proein concenraes are driving

down he price o domesically produced milk and pu-

ing American dairy armers ou o business.95

Leading he challenge o he legaliy o impored MPCs

on behal o he arm communiy is he Wisconsin-based

advocacy group Family Farm Deenders, along wih he

influenial dairy indusry journal The Milkweed.

The FDA has sill no lised MPCs as GRAS (generally

regarded as sae) or even defined wha hey should con-

siue. Given he recen proein aduleraion scandals,

here is jusificaion or sric regulaion and enorce-

men. Given lax oversigh o impored oods, consumers

have reason o avoid yogur wih MPCs.

Moreover, MPCs are no lised as an allowed ingredien

MPCs are primarily imported from other countries,

driving American dairy farmers out of business. The

majority of MPCs come from New Zealand, Canada

and India. Australia, Germany, Denmark and Hun-

gary have also exported MPCs to the U.S.94


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in yogur by he FDA. Thereore, lawsuis agains Gen-

eral Mills Yoplai Greek yogur allege ha i could no be

sold as yogur. In December 2012, a judge in Minnesoa

dismissed a class acion lawsui agains General Mills,

saing ha he resoluion o his quesion alls squarely

wihin he compeence and experise o he FDA.96Al-

hough he FDA sill has no aced, i is hard o prevail

in a lawsui proving a ederal regulaory agency is acing

in an arbirary and capricious manner by no enorcinghe law.

Yoplai reormulaed is Greek-syle yogur producs in

June 2013 o remove MPCs. Oher yogur makers conin-

ue o add MPCs, and consumers should read he ingredi-

ens lis o avoid hem.

Environmental Concerns

Acid Whey WasteWhen Greek yogur is produced using radiional meh-ods, wihou milk proein concenrae, i is made by

sraining he liquid whey rom he milk, creaing a by-

produc: high-acid whey. This is why Greek yogur is

more expensive: I requires wo o hree imes more milk

han radiional yogur.

An invesigaion by Jusin Elliot iled Whey Too Much:

Greek Yogurs Dark Side, published in Modern Farmer,

ound ha he Greek yogur indusry has a wase prob-

lem. The acid whey ha is a byproduc o Greek yogur

producion needs o be disposed o. Whey can be used as

an ingredien in animal eeds and in moderae amouns

as erilizer. I can also be disposed o in mehane diges-

ers o produce energy. The aricle ound, unorunaely,

he inrasrucure o handle he whey o be lacking in

some regions. Greek yogur manuacurers are scram-

bling or a place o saely uilize he whey byproducs.

Elliot wries:

For every hree or our ounces o milk, Chobani

and oher companies can produce only one ounce ocreamy Greek yogur. The res becomes acid whey.

Is a hin, runny wase produc ha can simply be

dumped. No only would ha be illegal, bu whey

decomposiion is oxic o he naural environmen,

robbing oxygen rom sreams and rivers. Tha could

urn a waerway ino wha one exper calls a dead

sea, desroying aquaic lie over poenially large ar-

eas. Spills o cheese whey, a cousin o Greek yogur

whey, have killed ens o housands o fish around

he counry in recen years. The scale o he prob-

lemor opporuniy, depending on who you askis

dauning.97

Is Greek Yogurt Healthier?According o Groupe Danone, Greek yogurs success

is no mysery. Is creamy exure appeals o American

ases; is high proein conen makes i saisying; and

wih very litle a and sugar, is a healhy choice.

I is rue ha mos Greek yogur has very litle a, bu is

ha a good hing? Fa rom grass-ed cows is like a rom

wild salmon, rich in beneficial as ha he body needs.

And is i rue ha Greek yogur has very lile sugar?

Chobani adds 14.5 grams o sugar o every cup o is va-

nilla-flavored Greek yogur. Dannon adds 18 grams o sug-

ar o every cup o Oikos. The lowes added-sugar conen

o Greek yogur brands is Sonyfields, which conains 10

grams o added sugar.

Whole-milk plain yogur rom pasure-raised organic

cows provides a much beter choice han convenional

Manufacturers are increasingly diverting whey, pro-

ductively, into manufactured byproducts. Even so,

Greek yogurts waste problem provides anotherreason why plain old yogurt might be a better

choice environmentally. No whey byproduct is pro-

duced in the manufacture of traditional yogurt.


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Greek yogur in erms o nuriion and cos, while offer-

ing a similar creamy and saisying exure. Regional

organic dairies like Buterworks Farm and Maple Hill

Creamery (Norheas) and Cedar Summi Farm (Upper

Midwes) offer creamy whole-milk yogur wih a much

more avorable as raio and much lower levels o sug-

ar han Chobani and oher convenional Greek yogurs.

They have he addiional advanage o having he opion

o no added sugar and he brands never add synheicsugar subsiues.

Buterworks Whole Milk Maple yogur conains 10

grams o added sugar in he orm o organic maple syrup,

which is well below he 14.5 grams o processed sugar in

a cup o Chobani. And i is much less expensive a $4.99

per 32-ounce conainer, compared wih $6.29 or a simi-

lar-sized conainer o convenional, lower-a and higher-

sugar Chobani.

A teaspoon of sugar contains roughly 4.2 grams. A

cup of Dannon Greek yogurt contains more than 4

teaspoons of sugar, a cup of Chobani yogurt con-

tains 3.5 teaspoons of added sugar, and a cup of

Stonyfield Oikos contains roughly 2.5 teaspoons of

sugar.


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27/64


Section IV: Ingredients in Yogurt

Sweeteners

Sugar

Large mulinaional corporaions marke yogur as a

healh ood even when he producs conain high levels

o sugar or high rucose corn syrup. Many flavored yo-gur varieies have as much sugar as a candy barand

someimes more. Organic brands are no necessarily ex-

emp. Sweeeners are added o saisy he swee ooh o

he ypical American consumer and also o mask he na-

ural acidiy and somewha sour flavor profile o ermen-

ed milk.98

Excess consumpion o refined sugar is ied o many

healh problems. Research sudies have poined o possi-

ble links beween high sugar consumpion and cancer,99

diabees (independen o obesiy raes)100 and reduced

brain uncion including memory and learning.101

A recen sudy rom he Ceners or Disease Conrol and

Prevenion, consisen wih previous research conduc-

ed, ound an increased risk or deah rom cardiovascu-

lar disease (CVD) and he consumpion o added sugar.102

The American Hear Associaion (AHA) recommends

ha no more han 5% o calorie inake come rom sugars.

This means limiing added sugar inake o six easpoons

per day or women103and nine easpoons or men.104,105,106

Yogur conains naurally occurring sugars, which is

why he Nuriion Facs or unsweeened, plain yogur

will ypically lis up o 9 grams o sugar per 6-ounce

serving or whole-milk plain varieies and up o 12 grams

or non-a plain yogurs. These sugars are naurally oc-

curring, no added sweeeners. The bacerial culures in

yogur break down some, bu no all, o he naurally oc-

curring lacose ino simpler sugars, glucose and galac-

ose, which are easier o diges.

Yogur is markeed as a healhy alernaive o junk ood,

bu he added sugar conen in yogur can be jus as high

as in candy. Yoplai pushes is ligh yogur as a swappor-

uniy o subsiue a desser wih one o heir 100-calo-

rie yogur cups. Wha hey don say is ha sugar is sill

number wo, hree or our on he ingrediens lis, depend-

ing on he flavor, and is backed up by he arificial swee-

eners sucralose, acesulame poassium or asparame o

cu a ew more calories.

New yogur desser producs released in 2014 are being

markeed as relaively low calorie, including Dannon

Creamery and Chobani Indulgen. In ac, calorie couns

o around 200 per 5.3-ounce po (plain yogur has abou

40 calories) are on par wih mos candy bars.

Yoplai Original yogur cups all conain 26 o 27 grams o

sugar. In comparison, a 3.27-ounce bag o Peanu M&Mshas 23 grams o sugar.

Dannons Oikos Greek non-a and radiional yogur in

5.3-ounce conainers liss jus 6 grams o naurally oc-

curring sugar (lacose) in he plain yogur bu 17 o 21

grams o sugar in he flavored opions. Tha means up o

15 grams o sugars, or 3.5 easpoons, were added o he

single-serving conainers.

The American Heart

Association says most

Americans consume

between 22 and 30

teaspoons of added

sugar per daymany

times what is consid-

ered a healthy limit.

The recommended limit

can come in a single

serving of sweetened

yogurt.


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SUGAR CONTENT OF YOGURT BRANDS

BRAND PRODUCT TEASPOONS OF ADDED

SUGAR PER CUP OF

YOGURT

Crowley Lowfat, Strawberry Banana 9.75

Fage 0% Fat, Honey 9.34

ShurFine Lowfat, Blueberry 8.67

Muller Lowfat, Chocoballs 8.12

LaYogurt Lowfat Probiotic, Cherry 7.95

365 Greek 0%, Honey 7.71

Yoplait Thick n Creamy, Strawberry 7.59

Stonyfield Blends Fat Free, Strawberry 7.22

Yoplait Simply Go-Gurt, Strawberry 7.07

Yoplait Go-Gurt, Blueberry Blast 7.07

Muller FrutUp, Peach 6.89

Stonyfield Blends Fat Free, French Vanilla 6.87

Liberte Whole Milk, Blueberry 6.87

YoCrunch Lowfat Oreo, Strawberry Oreo 6.87

Stonyfield YoKids Greek, Strawberry 6.74

Great Value Lowfat, Vanilla 6.67

365 Organic Fatfree, Vanilla 6.50

Yoplait Fruplait, Strawberry 6.17

Yoplait Simplait, Strawberry 6.15

Stop n Shop Lowfat Fruit on the Bottom, Peach 6.15

Chobani Blended Vanilla Chocolate 6.13

There are some yogur brands ha add very litle swee-

ener or add only unrefined sweeeners like maple syrup

or honey. Examples include Buterworks Farm, Seven

Sars, Erivan, Meadow Gold, Pavels, Whie Mounain,

Hawhorne Valley Farm, Side Hill, and Cedar Summi

Farm. For he ull lising, consul he Yogur Buyers

Guide a www.cornucopia.org.

According o he AHA, women should limi heir added

sugar consumpion o six easpoons per day. One cup o

Crowley Lowa yogur conains nearly 10 easpoons o

added sugar, in he orm o high rucose corn syrup, corn

syrup and sugar.

The ollowing producs conained more han he dai-

ly recommended maximum inake by women (six ea-

spoons) o added sugar per cup o yogur:


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High Fructose Corn Syrup, Fructose, Dextrose

and Other Processed Sugars

High rucose corn syrup (HFCS) is a sweeener ubiqui-

ous in soda and many ypes o junk ood. I is ound in

some ypes o yogur as well, someimes labeled high

rucose corn syrup on he ingrediens lis bu ofen sim-

ply rucose.

To make corn syrup, HFCS and rucose, corn undergoes a

process called we milling. The process begins wih soak-

ing clean, shelled corn in anks o warm waer conaining

0.1% o 0.2% sulur dioxide.107The sarch is hen convered

o syrup wih he use o acid and/or enzymes.108

High levels o rucose are no ound in naural dies o

wholesome, real ood. Breas milk, vegeables and mea

conain essenially no rucose or very low levels, and

ruis like grapes, blueberries and raw apples have a ruc-

ose conen o only 5% o 10% by weigh.109

Several sudies link high dieary levels o rucose wih

he ormaion o body a.110

While mos HFCS conains eiher 42% or 55% rucose, a

hird variaion o high rucose corn syrup exiss called

HFCS-90. I conains 90% rucose and, according o heCorn Refiners Associaion, syrups wih 90% rucose

will no sae high rucose corn syrup on he label, hey

will sae rucose or rucose syrup.111

Agave was once hough o be a good alernaive o sugar

because i has a low-glycemic index, meaning i doesn

spike your blood sugar. Ye agave is 90% rucose.

Scieniss now know ha rucose is digesed in he liver

where i releases uric acid and ree radicals ha damage cells

as well as riglycerides ha conribue o hear disease.112

One o he yogur makers ha uses rucose is Dannon.

On is FAQ webpage, Dannon ells is cusomers ha

rucose is a simple sugar derived rom rui. I adds

sweeness o yogur. High rucose corn syrup is a ype

o corn syrup sweeener ha conains a combinaion

o rucose and glucose, anoher simple sugar.113 In an

email response o a consumer inquiry, a Dannon con-

sumer represenaive wroe ha he source o heir ruc-

ose is proprieary inormaion, and would no or could

no ell heir cusomers wheher he source is corn or no.

Given increasing consumer awareness abou he healh

effecs o high rucose corn syrup, Yoplai ollowed

hrough on heir commimen o remove he ingredien

rom all is producs.

Many yogur makers coninue o add high rucose corn

syrup, as shown in he able on he nex page.

Artificial Sweeteners

The FDA does no allow he addiion o chemical swee-

eners o oods labeled yogur. Ye his does no sop

some yogur manuacurers, including Dannon and Yo-

plai. Asparame, acesulame poassium and sucralose

are arificial sweeeners ha appear in many yogur

producs ha are markeed as ligh. While consumers

may associae ligh wih healhy, research cass seri-

ous doub on he healhulness o oods conaining hese

chemical addiives.

THE BEST LOW-SUGAR OPTION

When it comes to buying yogurt with the lowest sugar

content, the best option is always to buy plain yogurt

and add your own fresh organic fruit or natural/un-

processed sweetener, such as honey or maple syrup.

That way you will be in control of not only which

sweetener you use but also how much you add.

WHAT IS FRUCTOSE?Fructose is simply high fructose corn syrup

(HFCS) with extremely high levels of fructose. A

more appropriate label would be super-high fruc-

tose corn syrup. Yet it is commonly called fruc-

tose on ingredient labels, likely in an attempt to

mislead consumers who avoid HFCS. Somehow,

fructose sounds cleaner and less processed

but it is actually worse than HFCS.


30/64


In addiion o he likelihood ha hese chemicals aler

he gu microbioa in a negaive way, as oulined in Sec-

ion I: Yogur, Probioics and he Microbiome, here are

oher healh concerns relaed o arificial sweeeners.

Asparame has been linked o brain umors in animal

sudies. Researchers a he Washingon Universiy Med-

ical School wroe in 1996, There is need or reassessing

he carcinogenic poenial o asparame. Their conclu-

sion was based on a review o exising scienific liera-

ure, including an animal sudy showing an exceedingly

high incidence o brain umors in asparame-ed rascompared o no brain umors in concurren conrols.

They also noed ha he raes o brain umors in he U.S.

have increased concurrenly wih he inroducion and

increased usage o asparame.114

In response o hese calls or urher research, scieniss

a he Cesare Maloni Cancer Research Cener in Bolo-

gna, Ialy, perormed a sudy using ras. They ound ha

asparame in he ras die caused an increased incidence

o malignan umors, an increase in lymphomas/leuke-

mias, and an increased incidence o cell carcinomas o

he renal pelvis and ureer in emales. The researchers

concluded ha carcinogeniciy sudies perormed in he

1970s and 1980s were inadequae, and ha asparame is

a mulipoenial carcinogenic agen.115

In 2007, Environmental Health Perspectives, he official

journal o he U.S. Naional Insiue o Environmenal

YOGURT BRANDS CONTAINING HFCS

BRAND PRODUCT HOW LABELED

Dannon Oikos Fructose

Dannon Activia Fructose

Dannon Activia Light Fructose

Dannon Activia Drink Fructose

Dannon Danimals Coolision Fructose

Dannon Light n Fit Greek Fructose

LaYogurt Lowfat Fruit Flavored Fructose

Great Value (Walmart) Lowfat Fruit and Light Nonfat Fruit Flavored Fructose

Berkeley Farms Prestirred Lowfat Yogurt High Fructose Corn Syrup

Alta Dena (Dean Foods) Lowfat Fruit Flavored High Fructose Corn Syrup

ShurFine Lowfat Fruit Flavored High Fructose Corn Syrup

YoCrunch With Oreos (HFCS in the Oreos) High Fructose Corn Syrup

LaLa Yogurt Smoothie High Fructose Corn Syrup

Crowley Lowfat Yogurt High Fructose Corn Syrup

El Mexicano Drinkable Yogurt High Fructose Corn Syrup

Kroger Blended High Fructose Corn Syrup

Great Value (Walmart) Lowfat Vanilla High Fructose Corn Syrup

Marketed as Great for

You!, Walmarts Great

Value brand contains all

four kinds of artificial

sweeteners: fructose

(HFCS with extremely

high levels of fructose),

sucralose, aspartame,

and acesulfame potas-

sium.


31/64


Healh Sciences, published he resuls o a hree-year

rial using laboraory animals. Like he Ialian sudy, i

revealed higher raes o malignan umors, lymphomas/

leukemias and mammary cancer in animals ed aspar-

ame in heir die.116

A 2010 sudy published in he American Journal of Indus-

trial Medicineconfirmed ha aspar ame is a carcinogen-

ic agen in muliple sies in ras and mice (males only). 117

Consumpion o asparame can also cause headaches, in-

somnia and seizures in sensiive individuals, as repored in

heEuropean Journal of Clinical Nutrition.118A eam o Souh

Arican researchers a he Universiy o Preoria even sug-

gesed ha excessive asparame ingesion migh be in-

volved in he pahogenesis o cerain menal disorders.119

In June 2014, Yoplai announced ha i would remove

asparame rom is Yoplai Ligh brand in response o

consumer demand. A ron label on Yoplai Ligh reads

Now No Asparame. Yoplai Ligh is now sweeenedwih sucralose (Splenda), which has saey issues o is

own, including concerns abou cancer and effecs on gu

microflora.120, 121

Anoher arificial sweeener, acesulame poassium

(someimes lised as acesulame K), has also been linked

o higher cancer raes in animal sudies. Mos o he sae-

y ess, commissioned by he manuacurer o he chem-

ical, have been criicized as inadequae. Bu even hese

inadequae sudies indicae an associaion beween he

sweeener and carcinogenesis, as repored in a 2006 En-

vironmenal Healh Perspecives review.122For example,

a 1991 sudy ound higher raes o malignan mammary

umors in ras given acesulame poassium compared

wih conrols.123

The hird commonly used arificial sweeener in ligh

yogur is sucralose. The Cener or Science in he PublicIneres downgraded he saus o sucralose rom sae

o cauion in June 2013 based on unpublished resuls

by an independen Ialian laboraory ha ound higher

raes o leukemia in mice ha consumed sucralose.124

Thickeners

Tradiional yogur, made wih only milk and bacerial

culures, can vary in exure and is generally hinner

han yogur wih added gels and hickeners. Tradiion-al yogur also separaes, which means he waery whey

ha collecs on op should be sirred back ino he yogur,

used or cooking or pe ood, or poured down he drain.

These naural rais o radiional yogur are viewed as

undesirable by some yogur manuacurers and unin-

ormed consumers, hence he addiion o hickeners and

sabilizers.

Thickeners and sabilizers ound in some yogurs are

YOGURT BRANDS CONTAINING ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS

BRAND PRODUCT ARTIFICIAL SWEETENER OTHER SWEETENERS

Great Value (Walmart) Strawberry Light Nonfat Sucralose, aspartame, acesulfame potas-

sium

High fructose corn syrup

(fructose)

LaLa Light Sucralose, acesulfame potassium Sugar

Hiland Light Sucralose, acesulfame potassium

Dannon Activia Light Aspartame, sucralose, acesulfame potas-

sium

High fructose corn syrup

(fructose)

Dannon Light n Fit Sucralose, acesulfame potassium Fructose

Yoplait Light, Thick n Creamy Sucralose, acesulfame potassium Sugar

Yoplait Greek 100 Sucralose, acesulfame potassium Sugar

Belfonte Nonfat Aspartame

Sunnyside Farms Nonfat Light Sucralose

Ralphs Carbmaster Sucralose, acesulfame potassium


32/64


highly processed ingrediens. They include carrageenan,

xanhan gum, modified corn sarch, ood sarch, pecin

and gelain. The addiion o hese processed ingrediens

is rare in armsead organic yogur, made wih simple in-

grediens over highly processed ones.

While all hickeners and sabilizers are highly processed,

some are more problemaic, and poenially injurious o

human healh, han ohers.

Carrageenan

Carrageenan, he poison ivy o he ocean, is a ood ad-

diive exraced rom red seaweed. For he pas our de-

cades, scieniss have warned ha he use o carrageenan

in ood is no sae. Animal sudies have repeaedly shown

ha ood-grade carrageenan is associaed wih gasroin-

esinal inflammaion and higher raes o inesinal le-

sions, ulceraions and even malignan umors.

Publicly unded scieniss have recenly conduced sud-

ies using human cell culures and have ound ha carra-

geenan acivaes paricular immune pahways, similar

o hose acivaed by oher naural poisons, such as

pahogenic baceria (including Salmonella).125

I is imporan o noe ha recen research has used ood-

grade carrageenan, as opposed o degraded carragee-

nan, and doses ha are represenaive o wha an average

consumer would inges. Degraded carrageenan is used

in pharmaceuical experimens o predicably induce in-

flammaion in laboraory animals. In addiion, several

sudies have shown ha ood-grade carrageenan convers

o degraded carrageenan hrough he process o digesion.

Carrageenan manuacurers have a rade group, Mari-

nalg, which lobbies governmen agencies o coninue al-

lowing carrageenan in oods, despie medical evidence

poining o harm. Marinalg also commissions scieniss

o prove ha carrageenan is sae or human consump-

ion. As a resul, some sudies conclude ha carrageenan

is sae, bu hey have all been eiher perormed by scien-iss employed or sponsored by corporae agribusiness or

commissioned by he carrageenan rade lobby group.

When a Chicago Tribune invesigaive journalis asked

Marinalg or sudies no unded by he carrageenan in-

dusry ha indicae carrageenan is sae o consume, he

rade group was unable o produce a single sudy. 126

As a resul o he inflammaory properies o carragee-

nan, many people experience gasroinesinal sympoms

afer consuming oods conaining he ingredien. Com-

mon repored sympoms range rom bloaing, loose sool,

requen need o deecae and diarrhea o serious disease

including inflammaory bowel disease (IBD), spasic co-

lon, ulceraive coliis and Crohns disease.

As o July 2014, over 930 people had filled ou Cornuco-

pias online quesionnaire, developed in collaboraionwih medical researchers. They have repored ha re-

moving carrageenan rom heir die considerably im-

proved heir gasroinesinal healh.

Though carrageenan adds no nuriional value or flavor

o oods or beverages, he ood indusry uses i in sev-

eral ypes o yogur, mos noably in squeezable yogur

pouches ha are markeed specifically o children. This

harmul ingredien is ound in General Mills Yoplai

Go-Gur, WhieWaves Horizon Tuberz, and Groupe Da-

nones Sonyfield Farm Squeezers. Alhough WhieWave

announced in 2014 ha i is removing carrageenan rom

all o is producs by he end o 2016, in he inerim con-

sumers should look careully or he suspec ingredien.

Chobanis Champions Tubes produc, markeed much

like Danimals and Go-Gur, does no conain carragee-

nan, discrediing he claims ha carrageenan is an es-senial ingredien in such producs.

One o he ironies o adding carrageenan o yogur is ha

many consumers wih gasroinesinal sympoms, espe-

cially mild uncomorable sympoms like bloaing, urn

o yogur as a healh ood, believing i migh improve

heir sympoms. While he probioics in yogur could im-

prove gasroinesinal healh, he inflammaory effecs

o carrageenan could counerac hese benefis.

Many people experience gastrointestinal symp-

toms after eating foods containing carrageenan,

including many yogurt brands.


33/64


By ingesing a harmul ingredien in an oherwise

healhy ood, many consumers who urn o yogur or is

benefis may unwitingly be doing more harm han good

o heir digesive healh.

YOGURT BRANDS CONTAINING CARRAGEENAN

BRAND PRODUCT

Alta Dena All Products

Brown Cow Chocolate on the Bottom

Crowley Lowfat Yogurt

Dannon Oikos

Dannon Activia

Dannon Danimals Coolision

El Mexicano Drinkable Yogurt

Horizon Tuberz

Karoun Yogurt Drink

My Essentials Nonfat and Lowfat

Nancys Lowfat Yogurt

ShurFine Lowfat Yogurt

Stonyfield Oikos Caramel

Stonyfield Squeezers

Trader Joes Squishers

Yami Organic Yogurt

Yoplait Go-Gurt

Pectin

The mos common saring maerial or making pecin

is he peel o cirus rui. Even in organic yogur, pecin

rom he peel o convenional rui is allowed, despie he

use o pesicides on convenional rui crops.

Pecin is made by exracing cirus peel, apple pomace or

bee pulp wih ho dilue acid. The exrac is hen filered,

and pecin is precipiaed rom he clear exrac wih he

synheic solvens ehanol, isopropanol,127 or hexane, a

neurooxin and hazardous air polluan.128

According o USDA esing, convenional cirus rui

commonly conains residues o oxic pesicides. Tesing

deeced hiabendazole residues on nearly hal o orange

samples.129Thiabendazole is a ungicide and parasiicide

ha is classified as a probable human carcinogen.

The USDA also ound 93.9% o impored and 73.8% o domes-ic convenional oranges conained imazalil residues. The

U.S. Environmenal Proecion Agency (EPA) classifies ima-

zalil, a ungicide, as likely o be carcinogenic in humans.130

While hese es resuls are disconcering, i is ruly

alarming when considering he USDA esing proocol:

Laboraory echnicians are asked o wash or peel he

rui beore esing, reflecing how an average consum-

er would consume he rui. For oranges, his means he

residues were ound in he rui. The levels on he peel,

which would no have been esed since consumers do

no inges he peel, are unknown, and are likely much

higher. Ye pecin is produced using he peel. The USDA

has never esed residues in pecin as par o is Pesicide

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