The Dirty Side of Yogurt

If it's hot in natural health news, Dr. Ginger is on the case.

In this edition of "Healthy Steps with Dr. Ginger," she discusses what's happening in the world of natural health.


Think Yogurt is a Healthy Snack?

Think Again.

For years, yogurt has been marketed as a healthy option for breakfast or a quick snack.

But traditional yogurts are far from healthy.

Even yogurts that are marketed as "all natural" contain tons of unhealthy ingredients. Remember, "all natural" is a completely unregulated term.

What you really need to look for is the ingredients. Does your yogurt contain Aspartame or any artificial sweeteners? What about Red Dye #40, Blue Dye #1, Yellow Dye #6? Here's one you may not have heard of: Carmine, which is an insect-based food dye/coloring that is extracted from ground-up beetles.

That's right. Ground-up beetles.

At one point Starbucks was in hot water for using carmine in their frappuccinos, and recently Dannon yogurt was scolded for using it in their strawberry yogurt. It may "seem" natural due to the fact it comes from insects, but carmine can often cause allergic reactions, even anaphylactic shock.

And, don't be fooled by terms like "sugar-free" or "fat-free." Neither equates to healthy.

If you don't see "USDA Organic" on the label, your yogurt likely comes from cows that were treated with antibiotics and hormones and fed with GMO corn.

So, what are some of your options if you want to get the benefits of yogurt, including the live and active cultures (probiotics)?

Dr. Ginger breaks it down into three categories:

WORST kind of yogurt is the ones with chemicals, preservatives, dyes, artificial sweeteners, etc.

A BETTER choice is USDA Organic certified yogurt that comes from grass-fed cows.

But your BEST choice would be to make yogurt or similar foods yourself, including dairy-free options.


Yoga Mat Chemical Found in 10 Other Restaurant's Breads

Remember the Subway fiasco where it was discovered that their bread contained that chemical used in yoga mats (among other things like shoe rubber)?

Now, it's been identified that 10 other companies using this in their bread as well.

The chemical was approved by the FDA and USDA but has been linked to cancer and other health concerns.

What's frustrating is when these chains promote a "healthier" menu, but if you're consuming any of the options they serve on the chemical-laden bread, it completely defeats the purpose.

And, the chemical is banned in Europe, but allowed in the U.S. So, a McDonald's in London won't allow the chemical, but in the U.S., it's fair game.

Join Dr. Ginger and Lisa as they share more information on the latest in the world of natural health.