It’s a popular, versatile staple that goes with both sweet and savoury dishes – but it might be worth taking a closer look at the yoghurts labelled ‘Greek’ or ‘Greek style’.
The major difference between the two options comes down to their processing methods. Traditional Greek yoghurt is made by straining to remove whey, resulting in a thicker, protein-rich consistency.
Greek-style alternatives, on the other hand, usually contain additives like thickeners (gelatin), gum and milk solids to mimic the thick, creamy texture of Greek yoghurt without going through the lengthy straining process.
Dr Karl Kruszelnicki pointed out that Greek-style yoghurts contain emulsifiers – additives used to keep ingredients blended without separating – which could potentially do more harm than good to our health.
In his podcast Shirtloads of Science, Dr Karl asked Professor Clare Collins, an Australian dietitian and Professor of Nutrition and Dietetics at the University of Newcastle, what emulsifiers in Greek-style yoghurts could do to our bodies.
Breaking down the science behind it, she explained how emulsifiers in some processed foods have been found to affect the gut bacteria, known as microbiota.
‘There’s been an assumption that with these food additives, your body doesn’t absorb them, so what’s the problem?’ she told Dr Karl.
‘But now there’s more recognition that some of these food additives can go through the loops all the way down to the large intestine, get to the very last section of the colon where all the bugs live, and the microbiota can have a field day with them.
‘While the emulsifiers are of concern, they can disrupt the bugs, but they can go straight for the gut wall, break down the mucus layer, and potentially create little holes, which is referred to as a leaky gut.’
When the gut wall becomes ‘leaky’, she said unhealthy bacteria can slip through, potentially leading to symptoms such as allergies, an increased risk of inflammatory bowel conditions or diarrhea.
Professor Clare explained how emulsifiers are like dishwashing liquid. Just like dish soap breaks down grease on a dirty dish, emulsifiers can break down fats and affect the gut wall.
‘You have a dirty baking dish. If you squirt that on, what it does is it can really break down all of those fats, and that’s kind of the same effect on your intestinal wall,’ she said.
‘When the emulsifiers get all the way to the colon, it’s kind of now presented like a dirty dish, so to speak, and can actually attack your colonic wall.’
If you want to avoid emulsifiers, she said the additives may be listed on the label under chemical names – such as ‘soy lecithin’ or ‘polysorbate 80’ – or they may appear as numbers, often in the 400 range.
However, Professor Clare urged shoppers not to worry.
‘Don’t panic,’ she said repeatedly.
‘Go to Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) and download the food additives list. I think it’s worth it, save it to your phone, so you know what numbers and words you’re looking for.’
Dr Karl’s segment has been viewed more than 430,000 times – with some saying they had no idea they needed to be ‘wary’ of Greek-style yoghurts.
Earlier this year, longevity doctor Poonam Desai, from New York, revealed the surprising reason why she recommends her patients with no dietary restrictions drink regular cow’s milk instead of the skim alternative.
‘Here’s why I prefer whole milk over skim milk. I choose whole milk because the fat helps with better absorption of fat-soluble vitamins like A and D (which are often added back into milk),’ she explained.
‘The fat also helps slow down glucose spikes, making it a more blood sugar-friendly option.’
Dr Desai explained how the process of making skim milk can result in the loss of natural health benefits – including vitamins.
Most skim milk is typically made by spinning full cream milk in a centrifuge at high speed, forcing the fat to separate from the liquid.
‘To make skim milk, manufacturers take out the fat content. But with it, they also take out the healthy stuff like vitamins A and D. They then add them back in as an additive,’ she said.
‘I don’t know about you but I prefer to get my nutrients in its most natural form. Not only that, vitamins A and D are fat soluble vitamins.’
‘What that means is they need fat for optimal absorption so skim milk has less fat, then it has vitamin A and D as an additive but it’s not even absorbed as well as the vitamins in whole milk.’
In Australia, skim milk, also known as fat-free milk, contains the lowest amount of fat and calories compared to other dairy milks, with no more than 0.15 per cent fat per 100g.
Despite offering less fat and fewer calories, Dr Desai explained why she avoids skim milk at all cost.
‘Skim milk is not good for your metabolic health because it causes a faster rise in glucose levels,’ she said.
‘Milk naturally has lactose, which is a carbohydrate and carbohydrates will spike your blood sugar but they will spike it even faster without fat content.
‘Fat content in whole milk helps curb that sugar high that comes when you have carbohydrates.
‘So if you ask me, I prefer to drink whole milk over skim milk because it provides better nutrient absorption and less of a glucose spike.’
