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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
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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THE CORNUCOPIA INSTITUTE 7
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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8 CULTURE WARS: HOW THE FOOD GIANTS TURNED YOGURT, A HEALTH FOOD, INTO JUNK FOOD
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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THE CORNUCOPIA INSTITUTE 9
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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10 CULTURE WARS: HOW THE FOOD GIANTS TURNED YOGURT, A HEALTH FOOD, INTO JUNK FOOD
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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THE CORNUCOPIA INSTITUTE 11
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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THE CORNUCOPIA INSTITUTE 13
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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14 CULTURE WARS: HOW THE FOOD GIANTS TURNED YOGURT, A HEALTH FOOD, INTO JUNK FOOD
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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THE CORNUCOPIA INSTITUTE 15
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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16 CULTURE WARS: HOW THE FOOD GIANTS TURNED YOGURT, A HEALTH FOOD, INTO JUNK FOOD
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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THE CORNUCOPIA INSTITUTE 17
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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18 CULTURE WARS: HOW THE FOOD GIANTS TURNED YOGURT, A HEALTH FOOD, INTO JUNK FOOD
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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THE CORNUCOPIA INSTITUTE 19
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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20 CULTURE WARS: HOW THE FOOD GIANTS TURNED YOGURT, A HEALTH FOOD, INTO JUNK FOOD
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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THE CORNUCOPIA INSTITUTE 21
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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22 CULTURE WARS: HOW THE FOOD GIANTS TURNED YOGURT, A HEALTH FOOD, INTO JUNK FOOD
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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THE CORNUCOPIA INSTITUTE 23
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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24 CULTURE WARS: HOW THE FOOD GIANTS TURNED YOGURT, A HEALTH FOOD, INTO JUNK FOOD
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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THE CORNUCOPIA INSTITUTE 25
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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THE CORNUCOPIA INSTITUTE 27
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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28 CULTURE WARS: HOW THE FOOD GIANTS TURNED YOGURT, A HEALTH FOOD, INTO JUNK FOOD
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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THE CORNUCOPIA INSTITUTE 29
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.
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30 CULTURE WARS: HOW THE FOOD GIANTS TURNED YOGURT, A HEALTH FOOD, INTO JUNK FOOD
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.
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THE CORNUCOPIA INSTITUTE 31
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
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32 CULTURE WARS: HOW THE FOOD GIANTS TURNED YOGURT, A HEALTH FOOD, INTO JUNK FOOD
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.
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THE CORNUCOPIA INSTITUTE 33
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