- Plant-based alternatives to dairy products are becoming more readily available to consumers.
- A recent study found that plant-based yogurts may have certain advantages over dairy yogurts, including higher fiber content and less sugar. However, plant-based yogurts had lower amounts of nutrients like protein and calcium.
- The study indicated that almond-based yogurts had the highest nutrient density based on the Nutrient Rich Foods Index.
Plant-based alternatives to many animal products are growing in popularity, and researchers are still working to understand the nutritional value of plant-based options and how they compare to their animal-based counterparts.
A study published in Frontiers in Nutrition examined the nutritional value of several different types of plant-based and dairy yogurt products available in the United States.
The authors found that almond yogurts had the highest nutrient density out of all the examined products based on the index scoring system they used.
The nutritional value of yogurts — both plant-based and dairy options — varies greatly. For this study, researchers wanted to look at key macro- and micronutrients of several plant-based and dairy yogurt options to compare nutritional values.
Study author Prof. Alissa A. Nolden explained to Medical News Today:
“The goals of the research were to identify whether plant-based yogurts that were already on the market in the U.S. are nutritionally equivalent to traditional dairy yogurts as oftentimes, consumers are substituting animal products for alternative options. There should be a greater focus on ensuring the nutritional profile are similar or better to ensure consumers do not become deficient or overconsume different nutrients.”
First, researchers collected data on yogurt products using a source called the Mintel Global New Products Database. Based on specific inclusion and exclusion criteria, researchers included 1,074 dairy-based yogurts and 150 plant-based yogurts in their…
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