Drinking yogurt Activia. Activia drinking yogurt Activia product composition

According to the official statement from representatives of the Danon brand, the main beneficial component of Activia is live bacteria. They are specially bred in the company’s laboratories. But what do experts in the field say about this?

Although the product itself is called and looks like yogurt, its composition differs from most similar products on the market.

The manufacturer claims that their product helps you lose weight and maintain natural balance in the digestive system.

Is it really? Let's take a look at the product's composition and analyze the effects of each ingredient on humans.

The constituent ingredients of the Activia product are:

  • cream
  • skimmed milk powder
  • yogurt starter
  • special bifidobacteria
  • sugar and syrup
  • caramel
  • pectin
  • citric acid
  • sodium citrate
  • dye
  • flavoring
  • starch

A detailed study of the composition leaves exactly the opposite impression than the manufacturer’s statement. That's why:

  • a large amount of water has been added to the product, which reduces the value of the yoghurt component
  • for a product that is supposed to promote weight loss, contains too much
  • Artificial flavors and aromas raise suspicions that the product is harmful to the body
  • It has been reliably established that starch and milk powder contribute to digestive disorders

In addition, natural yoghurt retains its main beneficial qualities only for a week from the moment of fermentation. And the manufacturer has set a shelf life for this product of one month. A dubious statement about the ability to keep yogurt healthy longer does not convince otherwise.

So don’t flatter yourself with empty hopes that regular use of Activia will bring any benefit to your body. You may not get harm either, but food products containing chemicals still bring a certain extra burden.

Is it really so? The main characteristics that nutritionists give to this product are as follows:

  • Activia, when consumed in the first week after fermentation, does not give a greater effect than regular
  • declared bifidobacteria have the same properties as bacteria in any other fermented milk product

That is, nutritionists are unanimous in the opinion that these products are no different from ordinary fermented milk products, with the exception of the presence of a large number of chemical additives.

In addition, a small part of nutritionists are simply confident that consuming products like Activia does more harm to digestion than good. So, such products help the process, like any fermented milk product.

At the same time, constant assistance to the body in the form of filling it with necessary bacteria from the outside eventually displaces the natural bacteria of the stomach. That is, over time, the stomach gets used to receiving help from yogurt and stops producing its own substances.

So it is better to isolate yourself from regularly consuming such products. Of course, on difficult days, when digestion is not in the best condition, it is worth rewarding yourself with some amount of this product, but experts do not recommend using it constantly.

Benefits of Activia

Today in this section I am looking at drinking yogurt. The store has a large selection, so we'll find something familiar. The Danone company was in my hands. We have already looked at. At that time, we concluded that the product deserves our trust, despite the dubious slogans on the packaging. Let's see how our expectations are met this time.

Join the discussion:

(c) Maria Verchenova

If you liked the note, save it to your wall and share it with friends in popular channels:

Want to know more about how to choose the right products and avoid being fooled by marketers? I invite you to online training “Basics of proper nutrition”.

#ReadLabels

Discussion:

Let's read the composition:

Normalized milk, reconstituted milk from powdered milk, filler (sugar syrup, apple, concentrated apple juice, rye and wheat bran, muesli powder (wheat, oats), corn starch, concentrated lemon juice, cinnamon, thickener - pectin, natural flavoring); sugar, yogurt starter, bifidobacteria ActiRegularis.

Normalized milk

An obvious component in a fermented milk drink, it does not raise any questions. Let me just clarify what normalized milk is.

As you know, milk has fat content. We are used to seeing the inscription 3.2% on packages and distinguishing it from the inscription 2.5%. In nature, not a single cow will give you milk with an exact fat content. This will depend on the breed, the feed, the weather, and even the mood of the cow. Typically, the fat content ranges between 3 and 6%. When the milk arrives at the dairy, it is normalized, i.e. either some of the fat is removed (separated), or, conversely, added. This is done to ensure that the final product always meets the specified standards. Judging by the fact that the fat content of the yogurt is 2.5%, in this case the milk was separated to remove excess cream.

Milk is a healthy and nutritious product, rich in amino acids and vitamins. But now we won’t talk about that, because... We are talking about a fermented milk product. While lactic acid bacteria were making yogurt from milk, they had already processed both casein and lactose and added their benefits.

Reconstituted milk from milk powder

This component is already alarming me. What it means: First there was milk. It was normalized, dried, and a powder was obtained. Anti-caking components may have been added. Then this powder was brought somewhere and diluted with water.

The process is clear, but I don't like it when food takes so long to process. It becomes too refined and, if I may use a non-scientific term, “dead.” In addition, such milk is saturated with simple sugars - as it dries, everything that was useful in the milk is converted into lactose or its derivatives. And when the powder is diluted with water, the properties of the original products are no longer restored.

So, the first sign is that this yogurt is not as healthy as we would like. But maybe lactic acid bacteria will make something living and necessary from milk powder? While it’s hard to say, let’s study the label further.

Filler

Now we will specifically analyze each component of this filler, but for now let’s pay attention - it is in third place on the list. This means that there is less of it than any type of milk, but more than lactic acid bacteria.

For comparison: if you make homemade yogurt, then put 2-3 tablespoons of starter per liter of milk. And then you can put about the same amount of jam on the resulting volume of yogurt. Those. In principle, the volume of filler and the volume of starter are generally comparable.

Sugar syrup (filler component)

It is mentioned first in this list, which means that the basis of the filler is not fruit, but sugar syrup.

For comparison: Homemade jam is based on berries. Sugar can be almost the same or even a third of the volume of berries.

And a signal sounds for us: in this yogurt, the components in second and third place are sources of fast carbohydrates. Not proteins, as one would expect from fermented milk products, and not complex carbohydrates, as one might assume from the inscription “apple and cereals,” but fast carbohydrates. The very ones about which we were taught that because of them, ice cream and cake are harmful to the figure.

Apple (filler component)

It's funny that apple is mentioned in the singular J Well, okay, these are the difficulties of nomenclature and translation. Let's assume that there is not just one apple, but just enough so that there is less sugar, but more than apple juice.

However, apple pieces are not visible in the yogurt (see photo). This means that it was very much crushed when preparing the filler. This in turn means that most of the vitamins in the apple have been destroyed. All we'll be left with is the taste and a little more fiber.

Click the picture to enlarge the image

Concentrated apple juice (filler component)

What is concentrated juice: it is made in order to be able to transport raw materials over long distances. Juice is squeezed out of apples/lemon, pasteurized and transported. Sometimes it can be evaporated to increase the concentration and not carry too much water. But if you have seen natural juices, they are already very concentrated in themselves. There's not much to evaporate there. On the contrary, if you squeeze juices from fresh fruits, they must be diluted with water so as not to burn your stomach.

It should be noted that this component does not get along well with both milk and yogurt bacteria. From here it becomes obvious why all these berries are put into yogurt after it is ripe. And they put it in the form of a filler, that is, if we draw an analogy with our everyday life, in the form of jam. Adding juice to jam is, in general, an interesting practice. And we understand that the yogurt itself no longer contains juice, but jam based on juice.

Rye and wheat bran (filler component)

Oh great! Just what the doctor ordered. They promised cereals on the labels, and they actually put cereals.

True, not into yogurt, but into jam, which will then be added to yogurt. And here it turns out to be a little nonsense: the bran in this yogurt is boiled. Those. fiber is no longer as coarse as we expect; due to heat treatment, it has passed into an easily digestible form, and together with the prebiotic we received a small set of complex carbohydrates. With vitamins, which comforts.

In the photo above, where I tried to find an apple in yogurt, also see that there doesn’t seem to be much bran. Plus they are boiled.

In essence, it turns out that the bran promised on the label does not bring us any benefit in this case. It’s easier to buy any yogurt you like, don’t bother with the “with grains” label, and add a spoonful of bran yourself. Fortunately, everything mixes easily in such a bottle.

Muesli powder (wheat, oats) (filler component)

Please note - not muesli, but muesli powder. I translate: flour from wheat and oats.

But we chose a fermented milk product, hoping for a healthy snack, but now we end up with a flour product...

Corn starch (filler component)

But on the other hand, we are talking about filler components, and if you have taken yogurt with factory-made jam, you need to understand that some amount of starch will be present in the factory-made jam. In principle, there is no need to be too alarmed.

Another question is that I don’t like the idea of ​​drinking starch with yogurt. I refuse Turkish delight because of this starch, but here they put it in yogurt, and even season it with the slogan “healthy!”

Cinnamon (filler component)

Here it is, the magic component of yogurt for weight loss! We need more! “Cinnamon has the ability to speed up your metabolism, and just half a teaspoon a day can help you lose about a kilogram in a month.”- this is how they usually write in glossy magazines, without going into much detail about the mechanism of such an ability.

Of course, against the background of sugar and starch, cinnamon will not give any effect. And the dose is far from half a teaspoon. It is added solely to improve taste.

Thickener – pectins (filler component)

The same case applies here as with starch. It’s a completely expected component in factory-made jam. There is nothing scary about them; they are extracted from apples (especially after the juice has been squeezed out) and citrus fruits. Pectin is also easy to obtain at home, so you can then make homemade marmalade or other goodies. The well-known apple marshmallow has its elastic properties precisely due to the high pectin content in the baked apple puree.

Pectins are often called “vegetable protein.” But we must understand that this is an allegory. Pectins are complex carbohydrates that perform a structural function in plants, i.e. give rigidity and shape. In our body, the structural function is performed by proteins, hence the analogy.

Natural flavoring (filler component)

This yogurt truly tastes like apple. Even too appley. Since I am used to eating natural food, I can smell such flavorings and they are unpleasant to me because of their harshness. A live apple, or even jam, has a subtler, but also more intense taste. However, these are just my feelings. For the purposes of this note, they should not influence our overall impression of the label.

We're done with the filler. Read on.

Sugar

If you read my blog, then most likely you are making sure that your nutrition is healthy. And so that there is less sugar in it. Therefore, this component will probably confuse you as much as it did me. But I will say more about its presence. Let's remember: first we made jam, then yogurt, and then we put jam in the yogurt. And now we see that after jam, sugar was also added to the fermented milk product.

Can you imagine this? Pour a glass of kefir at home, put a spoonful of homemade jam in it, and then another spoonful of sugar.

I think this is called "absurdity".

Yogurt starter

An obvious component that should be present in “natural bio-yogurt”. There is little to comment here. And at the same time I will return to sugar. Remember, at the beginning we said: sourdough and jam are approximately the same. Judging by the way the filler, sugar and starter are placed in the list of ingredients, there is almost as much sugar in this yogurt as there is filler.

I also note that sugar is not particularly needed for yogurt starter. Lactose milk sugar is sufficient for lactic acid bacteria. Moreover, excess carbohydrates can have a depressing effect on sourdough and stimulate the development of pathogenic microflora.

Bifidobacterium ActiRegularis

Not a single Danone yogurt can do without this component, it just so happens. I wrote a more detailed story about ActiRegularis, so I won’t dwell on it now. If for some reason you haven't seen it yet, be sure to read it.

So, an interim summary based on component analysis. There are two good and correct ones: milk and yogurt starter. There are components that we basically do not need: sugar, milk powder and the famous ActiRegularis. Although the filler itself is difficult to classify as a useful product, in general it does not cause concern - we understand that we are taking kefir with jam. We also note that the mention of an apple and cereals does not mean that these products are in a form that will benefit us. It's just a taste option. I will say more, if you remove apples, bran and muesli powder, then nothing will happen to yogurt and its properties (including taste).

Nutritional and energy value

  • Proteins 2.9 g
  • Fat 2.2 g
  • Carbohydrates 12 g, incl. sucrose 6.6 g
  • Kcal 79 kcal

All this is given per 100 g. Most of us, having bought such a bottle for a summer snack, will drink it completely. Bottle 290 g, i.e. we get 229 kcal at a time, and more than half of these calories will come from fast carbohydrates.

Let's also pay attention to how little protein there is. It's comparable to broccoli! Those. This product definitely cannot be considered a high-protein snack, although the product seems to be a dairy product.

*In fairness, it must be said that milk and sour milk should not be considered products that are rich in protein. They contain approximately equal amounts of protein and carbohydrates.

For comparison:

I made this comparison to make a point: when choosing the yogurt we are discussing for a snack, do not think that this is the best and healthiest option. If you want to cool down and eat something sweet, don’t deny yourself a good ice cream - it’s lower in calories.

If you need a quick fix and you know you're looming for protein throughout the day, a hamburger will be more beneficial for you.

The calculation for the hamburger is given according to the recipe McDonald's . A homemade version on a grain bun can be increased to 180 kcal, increase the amount of fiber and reduce the amount of fat.

Yogurt is a good option only if you really want it and you really like the taste. More than the taste of ice cream and chocolate. But treat it not as healthy kefir, but as a sweet dessert - remember that sugar in it is approximately 2/3 of the volume.J

Let's summarize

  1. Yogurt contains only two good and correct ingredients: milk and yogurt culture. A significant part of it consists of components that we, in principle, do not need: sugar, milk powder and bifidobacteria ActiRegularis. The filler that is used to add apple flavor, although difficult to classify as a healthy product, generally does not cause concern - we understand that we are taking kefir with jam.
  2. The grains and apples advertised in large print on the packaging are not in a form that provides health benefits.
  3. In terms of nutritional value, the product loses significantly, because... 2/3 consists of fast carbohydrates. In terms of calories, one bottle of yogurt is comparable to a fast food hamburger.
  4. The packaging uses attractive slogans that mislead us and create wrong expectations. Following these expectations can lead to bad health consequences.
  5. Pros: a convenient bottle that is pleasant to hold in your hands. Can be washed and used at home to make cocktails.

In continuation of the topic, I am attaching a video.

General overview of “How yoghurts are made”

Roskontrol checks the properties of yoghurts

This concludes the review of drinking "Activia natural bio-yogurt with apples and cereals". If you are interested in me reviewing any product in this section, please send your wishes.

Activia is a low-calorie probiotic yogurt containing live bacteria. According to the manufacturer, when consumed twice a day for two weeks and following a balanced, healthy diet, it can reduce discomfort in the digestive tract.

As a dairy product, it is a good source of calcium, helping to build and maintain a strong bone system.

What is Activia yogurt?

As stated on the company’s website, yogurt contains billions of live bacteria and active probiotics. It has an exceptional taste and a delicate smooth texture.

It takes care of our digestion every day and helps maintain intestinal microflora. An imbalance of beneficial and pathogenic bacteria can cause bloating, gas, and rumbling in the intestines.

The company first introduced a line of fermented milk products under the Activia brand to Western consumers in 1987. At that time, propaganda for a healthy lifestyle was just beginning. Therefore, the product quickly won the sympathy of people and the market.

We started selling this yogurt only at the very beginning of the 21st century - in 2001. It is now sold in 70 countries around the world.

History of creation

At the beginning of the last century, our Russian scientist, who was working in France at that time, scientifically proved the benefits of fermented dairy products on human health.

11 years later, in 1919, Isaac Carasso, having heard about Mechnikov’s research, founded his own small production of yoghurts with enzymes.

Since the 1980s, company scientists began working on developing a new yogurt with bifidobacteria.

In 1985, they obtained strains of bacteria that could survive and grow in milk. They named them Bifidus ActiRegularis.

Their probiotic strain consists of:

One strain of Streptococcus thermophilus

Two strains of Lactobacillus bulgaricus

One strain of Lactococcus lactis.

Now the probiotic complex includes strains of 5 bacteria, which is stored in a special jar and only a few people have access to it.

In 1986, a process was developed to produce a fermented dairy product in which these bacteria not only survive, but also grow in large numbers.

Passing through the stomach, they retain their viability.

In 1987, Danone began industrial production of its products under the name Activia.

Is Activia yogurt healthy?

Before answering the question, you need to know about the role of bifidobacteria on the digestive process.

Our bodies are home to 100 trillion bacteria, numbering about 1,000 species. 95 percent of them live in the intestines. All these bacteria, together with other microorganisms, are called intestinal microflora. They play an important role in maintaining his health, digesting food and obtaining energy from it.

The intestinal environment is unique to each person, like DNA. Not by the type of bacteria, but by its presence. Diet, lifestyle, environment - all have an impact.

Drastic changes in diet, stressful situations or changes in health can affect the composition of the intestinal flora. This can lead to dysbiosis - an imbalance of microbes that increases the number of harmful bacteria compared to beneficial ones.

Dysbacteriosis is accompanied by many symptoms, including:

Bloating;

Problems with stool;

Impaired absorption of nutrients;

Rumbling in the stomach;

Abdominal discomfort

and others.

Probiotic products can minimize these symptoms and improve the functioning of the digestive system.

Activia lactic acid products are not medicine. They only help improve the growth of microflora. As the company itself writes on its website, one 125 gram jar contains 4.4 billion Bifidus ActiRegularis, which survive in the acidic environment of the entire gastrointestinal tract and remain viable. Once in the intestines, they stimulate the growth of beneficial microflora.

Range

The entire range of yoghurts can be divided into two main types:

Drinking;

Drinking yogurt has the consistency of kefir. The line includes natural, i.e. does not contain any flavoring additives, and with additives, including high protein.

The line of thick yogurt includes:

Natural yogurt (without additives);

Thermostatic;

Flavored (with fruits and berries);

With grains and seeds.

Composition and calorie content

All products are united by the presence of a patented complex of live Actiregularis bacteria.

Composition of drinking natural yoghurt

Normalized milk;

Yogurt starter.

It contains no sugar or artificial flavors, colors or preservatives. May contain traces of gluten.

Drinking yogurt with additives

Normalized milk;

Reconstituted milk from milk powder;

Filler;

Stabilizer pectin;

Natural flavor;

Yogurt starter.

The filler is a sugar syrup made from the juice of fruits or berries, thickened with corn starch. In addition to syrup, it contains a component called yogurt.

Flavoring: concentrated black carrot juice.

Natural thick yogurt

Normalized milk;

Reconstituted milk from powder;

Yogurt starter.

Flavored yogurt differs from natural yogurt in the presence of:

Filler (sugar syrup thickened with corn starch);

Lemon juice.

Depending on the type, it contains pieces of berries or fruits, seeds, and cereals.

Thermostatic yogurt

Normalized milk;

Yogurt starter.

The nutritional value varies between types and depends on the composition of the particular yogurt.

In drinking natural yoghurt:

Protein – 3.5 grams;

Fat – 2.4 grams;

Carbohydrates – 5.5 grams.

Calorie content per 100 grams is 56 kcal.

High-protein yogurt has higher protein content (4 grams), less fat (1.2 grams) and a whopping 8.8 grams of carbohydrates. Calorie content – ​​62 kcal.

Natural thick yogurt:

Fat – 3.5 grams;

Protein – 4.8 grams;

Carbohydrates – 6.8 grams.

Calorie content per 100 grams – 78 kcal.

In thermostatic yogurt:

Fat -3.5 grams;

Protein – 3.5 grams;

Carbohydrates – 4.7 grams.

Calorie content of 100 grams – 64 kcal.

The nutritional value of flavored products containing seeds, grains or nuts will be higher and depend on the filling. It is fully indicated on each package.

Benefits and harms

Fermented foods, including dairy products, are beneficial for the human body. These properties were noticed by man many hundreds of years ago. It’s not for nothing that they are found in every national cuisine.

Lactic acid bacteria:

Suppress the growth of pathogenic microflora;

Promote the growth of beneficial flora;

Normalizes digestion.

As for the specific product discussed in this article, its low calorie content is of interest to people who are overweight and obese.

Natural products that do not contain sugar can be consumed by people with diabetes.

They are not contraindicated for small children over 3 years of age. But these limitations are associated with the still imperfect children's digestive system. Although many children suffering from disorders of the gastrointestinal tract can include them in their diet. Just be sure to check with your pediatrician first.

On many sites you can find assurances that it has medicinal properties. No, this is not a medicine, but just a food product. It cannot cure diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.

The company itself went through legal proceedings when it positioned its yoghurts as medicinal in advertising. She admitted her guilt and agreed that it did not possess any miraculous properties.

Their benefit is a healthy product that does not contain any artificial additives.

There is no harm either. An exception may be people with gluten intolerance. But the manufacturer honestly warns about its possible presence.

Pectin is a natural component obtained from fruits (mainly apples or lemons).

You may be allergic to cornstarch or a specific filler.

Storage conditions

The shelf life without loss of nutritional quality is 30 days. It is slightly higher for thick natural yogurt and flavored drinking yogurt.

Storage temperature should not exceed 4 degrees. At lower temperatures, living bacteria simply die.

Once opened it should be eaten immediately. Cannot be stored.

We can easily recognize the yogurt of this brand by its green packaging. The original shape, especially the drinking one, made in the form of a slender figure with a clear waistline, attracts buyers.

The price for it in comparison with other brands is not much different. There are often sales on it. Already in the second half of the shelf life, many retail outlets gradually reduce the price.

Therefore, we can say that it is accessible to the majority. After all, we do not store such products for months, but usually eat them on the day of purchase.

Of course, the choice is always up to the buyer: buy regular kefir or drinking Activia.

Today in this section I am looking at drinking yogurt. The store has a large selection, so we'll find something familiar. The Danone company was in my hands. We have already looked at. At that time, we concluded that the product deserves our trust, despite the dubious slogans on the packaging. Let's see how our expectations are met this time.

Join the discussion:

(c) Maria Verchenova

If you liked the note, save it to your wall and share it with friends in popular channels:

Want to know more about how to choose the right products and avoid being fooled by marketers? I invite you to online training “Basics of proper nutrition”.

#ReadLabels

Discussion:

Let's read the composition:

Normalized milk, reconstituted milk from powdered milk, filler (sugar syrup, apple, concentrated apple juice, rye and wheat bran, muesli powder (wheat, oats), corn starch, concentrated lemon juice, cinnamon, thickener - pectin, natural flavoring); sugar, yogurt starter, bifidobacteria ActiRegularis.

Normalized milk

An obvious component in a fermented milk drink, it does not raise any questions. Let me just clarify what normalized milk is.

As you know, milk has fat content. We are used to seeing the inscription 3.2% on packages and distinguishing it from the inscription 2.5%. In nature, not a single cow will give you milk with an exact fat content. This will depend on the breed, the feed, the weather, and even the mood of the cow. Typically, the fat content ranges between 3 and 6%. When the milk arrives at the dairy, it is normalized, i.e. either some of the fat is removed (separated), or, conversely, added. This is done to ensure that the final product always meets the specified standards. Judging by the fact that the fat content of the yogurt is 2.5%, in this case the milk was separated to remove excess cream.

Milk is a healthy and nutritious product, rich in amino acids and vitamins. But now we won’t talk about that, because... We are talking about a fermented milk product. While lactic acid bacteria were making yogurt from milk, they had already processed both casein and lactose and added their benefits.

Reconstituted milk from milk powder

This component is already alarming me. What it means: First there was milk. It was normalized, dried, and a powder was obtained. Anti-caking components may have been added. Then this powder was brought somewhere and diluted with water.

The process is clear, but I don't like it when food takes so long to process. It becomes too refined and, if I may use a non-scientific term, “dead.” In addition, such milk is saturated with simple sugars - as it dries, everything that was useful in the milk is converted into lactose or its derivatives. And when the powder is diluted with water, the properties of the original products are no longer restored.

So, the first sign is that this yogurt is not as healthy as we would like. But maybe lactic acid bacteria will make something living and necessary from milk powder? While it’s hard to say, let’s study the label further.

Filler

Now we will specifically analyze each component of this filler, but for now let’s pay attention - it is in third place on the list. This means that there is less of it than any type of milk, but more than lactic acid bacteria.

For comparison: if you make homemade yogurt, then put 2-3 tablespoons of starter per liter of milk. And then you can put about the same amount of jam on the resulting volume of yogurt. Those. In principle, the volume of filler and the volume of starter are generally comparable.

Sugar syrup (filler component)

It is mentioned first in this list, which means that the basis of the filler is not fruit, but sugar syrup.

For comparison: Homemade jam is based on berries. Sugar can be almost the same or even a third of the volume of berries.

And a signal sounds for us: in this yogurt, the components in second and third place are sources of fast carbohydrates. Not proteins, as one would expect from fermented milk products, and not complex carbohydrates, as one might assume from the inscription “apple and cereals,” but fast carbohydrates. The very ones about which we were taught that because of them, ice cream and cake are harmful to the figure.

Apple (filler component)

It's funny that apple is mentioned in the singular J Well, okay, these are the difficulties of nomenclature and translation. Let's assume that there is not just one apple, but just enough so that there is less sugar, but more than apple juice.

However, apple pieces are not visible in the yogurt (see photo). This means that it was very much crushed when preparing the filler. This in turn means that most of the vitamins in the apple have been destroyed. All we'll be left with is the taste and a little more fiber.

Click the picture to enlarge the image

Concentrated apple juice (filler component)

What is concentrated juice: it is made in order to be able to transport raw materials over long distances. Juice is squeezed out of apples/lemon, pasteurized and transported. Sometimes it can be evaporated to increase the concentration and not carry too much water. But if you have seen natural juices, they are already very concentrated in themselves. There's not much to evaporate there. On the contrary, if you squeeze juices from fresh fruits, they must be diluted with water so as not to burn your stomach.

It should be noted that this component does not get along well with both milk and yogurt bacteria. From here it becomes obvious why all these berries are put into yogurt after it is ripe. And they put it in the form of a filler, that is, if we draw an analogy with our everyday life, in the form of jam. Adding juice to jam is, in general, an interesting practice. And we understand that the yogurt itself no longer contains juice, but jam based on juice.

Rye and wheat bran (filler component)

Oh great! Just what the doctor ordered. They promised cereals on the labels, and they actually put cereals.

True, not into yogurt, but into jam, which will then be added to yogurt. And here it turns out to be a little nonsense: the bran in this yogurt is boiled. Those. fiber is no longer as coarse as we expect; due to heat treatment, it has passed into an easily digestible form, and together with the prebiotic we received a small set of complex carbohydrates. With vitamins, which comforts.

In the photo above, where I tried to find an apple in yogurt, also see that there doesn’t seem to be much bran. Plus they are boiled.

In essence, it turns out that the bran promised on the label does not bring us any benefit in this case. It’s easier to buy any yogurt you like, don’t bother with the “with grains” label, and add a spoonful of bran yourself. Fortunately, everything mixes easily in such a bottle.

Muesli powder (wheat, oats) (filler component)

Please note - not muesli, but muesli powder. I translate: flour from wheat and oats.

But we chose a fermented milk product, hoping for a healthy snack, but now we end up with a flour product...

Corn starch (filler component)

But on the other hand, we are talking about filler components, and if you have taken yogurt with factory-made jam, you need to understand that some amount of starch will be present in the factory-made jam. In principle, there is no need to be too alarmed.

Another question is that I don’t like the idea of ​​drinking starch with yogurt. I refuse Turkish delight because of this starch, but here they put it in yogurt, and even season it with the slogan “healthy!”

Cinnamon (filler component)

Here it is, the magic component of yogurt for weight loss! We need more! “Cinnamon has the ability to speed up your metabolism, and just half a teaspoon a day can help you lose about a kilogram in a month.”- this is how they usually write in glossy magazines, without going into much detail about the mechanism of such an ability.

Of course, against the background of sugar and starch, cinnamon will not give any effect. And the dose is far from half a teaspoon. It is added solely to improve taste.

Thickener – pectins (filler component)

The same case applies here as with starch. It’s a completely expected component in factory-made jam. There is nothing scary about them; they are extracted from apples (especially after the juice has been squeezed out) and citrus fruits. Pectin is also easy to obtain at home, so you can then make homemade marmalade or other goodies. The well-known apple marshmallow has its elastic properties precisely due to the high pectin content in the baked apple puree.

Pectins are often called “vegetable protein.” But we must understand that this is an allegory. Pectins are complex carbohydrates that perform a structural function in plants, i.e. give rigidity and shape. In our body, the structural function is performed by proteins, hence the analogy.

Natural flavoring (filler component)

This yogurt truly tastes like apple. Even too appley. Since I am used to eating natural food, I can smell such flavorings and they are unpleasant to me because of their harshness. A live apple, or even jam, has a subtler, but also more intense taste. However, these are just my feelings. For the purposes of this note, they should not influence our overall impression of the label.

We're done with the filler. Read on.

Sugar

If you read my blog, then most likely you are making sure that your nutrition is healthy. And so that there is less sugar in it. Therefore, this component will probably confuse you as much as it did me. But I will say more about its presence. Let's remember: first we made jam, then yogurt, and then we put jam in the yogurt. And now we see that after jam, sugar was also added to the fermented milk product.

Can you imagine this? Pour a glass of kefir at home, put a spoonful of homemade jam in it, and then another spoonful of sugar.

I think this is called "absurdity".

Yogurt starter

An obvious component that should be present in “natural bio-yogurt”. There is little to comment here. And at the same time I will return to sugar. Remember, at the beginning we said: sourdough and jam are approximately the same. Judging by the way the filler, sugar and starter are placed in the list of ingredients, there is almost as much sugar in this yogurt as there is filler.

I also note that sugar is not particularly needed for yogurt starter. Lactose milk sugar is sufficient for lactic acid bacteria. Moreover, excess carbohydrates can have a depressing effect on sourdough and stimulate the development of pathogenic microflora.

Bifidobacterium ActiRegularis

Not a single Danone yogurt can do without this component, it just so happens. I wrote a more detailed story about ActiRegularis, so I won’t dwell on it now. If for some reason you haven't seen it yet, be sure to read it.

So, an interim summary based on component analysis. There are two good and correct ones: milk and yogurt starter. There are components that we basically do not need: sugar, milk powder and the famous ActiRegularis. Although the filler itself is difficult to classify as a useful product, in general it does not cause concern - we understand that we are taking kefir with jam. We also note that the mention of an apple and cereals does not mean that these products are in a form that will benefit us. It's just a taste option. I will say more, if you remove apples, bran and muesli powder, then nothing will happen to yogurt and its properties (including taste).

Nutritional and energy value

  • Proteins 2.9 g
  • Fat 2.2 g
  • Carbohydrates 12 g, incl. sucrose 6.6 g
  • Kcal 79 kcal

All this is given per 100 g. Most of us, having bought such a bottle for a summer snack, will drink it completely. Bottle 290 g, i.e. we get 229 kcal at a time, and more than half of these calories will come from fast carbohydrates.

Let's also pay attention to how little protein there is. It's comparable to broccoli! Those. This product definitely cannot be considered a high-protein snack, although the product seems to be a dairy product.

*In fairness, it must be said that milk and sour milk should not be considered products that are rich in protein. They contain approximately equal amounts of protein and carbohydrates.

For comparison:

I made this comparison to make a point: when choosing the yogurt we are discussing for a snack, do not think that this is the best and healthiest option. If you want to cool down and eat something sweet, don’t deny yourself a good ice cream - it’s lower in calories.

If you need a quick fix and you know you're looming for protein throughout the day, a hamburger will be more beneficial for you.

The calculation for the hamburger is given according to the recipe McDonald's . A homemade version on a grain bun can be increased to 180 kcal, increase the amount of fiber and reduce the amount of fat.

Yogurt is a good option only if you really want it and you really like the taste. More than the taste of ice cream and chocolate. But treat it not as healthy kefir, but as a sweet dessert - remember that sugar in it is approximately 2/3 of the volume.J

Let's summarize

  1. Yogurt contains only two good and correct ingredients: milk and yogurt culture. A significant part of it consists of components that we, in principle, do not need: sugar, milk powder and bifidobacteria ActiRegularis. The filler that is used to add apple flavor, although difficult to classify as a healthy product, generally does not cause concern - we understand that we are taking kefir with jam.
  2. The grains and apples advertised in large print on the packaging are not in a form that provides health benefits.
  3. In terms of nutritional value, the product loses significantly, because... 2/3 consists of fast carbohydrates. In terms of calories, one bottle of yogurt is comparable to a fast food hamburger.
  4. The packaging uses attractive slogans that mislead us and create wrong expectations. Following these expectations can lead to bad health consequences.
  5. Pros: a convenient bottle that is pleasant to hold in your hands. Can be washed and used at home to make cocktails.

In continuation of the topic, I am attaching a video.

General overview of “How yoghurts are made”

Roskontrol checks the properties of yoghurts

This concludes the review of drinking "Activia natural bio-yogurt with apples and cereals". If you are interested in me reviewing any product in this section, please send your wishes.

In 1987, the world-famous Danon brand released a new series of fermented milk products, Activia. Healthy and tasty yoghurts quickly won the sympathy of people leading a healthy lifestyle. Today Activia is represented in 70 countries, including Russia.

What is Activia?

"Activia" is a series or brand containing probiotic bifidobacteria Bifidus Actiregularis. The microorganism strains were developed at one of Danon's research centers and patented for exclusive use in Activia products.

The main difference from other fermented milk products presented on the Russian market is that Activia yogurt also contains probiotics. When they enter the gastrointestinal tract, they retain their viability and participate in the digestion process.

How does Activia work?

Most people on the planet have digestive problems. Poor environment, low-quality products, poor nutrition have a negative impact on the health of the entire body. Activia yogurt helps relieve such unpleasant symptoms as bloating, increased gas formation, rumbling and abdominal discomfort. It contains probiotics, which are vital for people with digestive problems. How does Activia work?

Most probiotic microorganisms do not enter the large intestine, but die in the acidic environment of the stomach. Bifidobacterium Actiregularis remains viable much longer. They increase the number of beneficial intestinal flora, thereby improving its functioning. In total, a 150 ml jar of Activia yogurt contains more than 10 billion bifidobacteria Bifidus Actiregularis. It has been clinically proven that by consuming this healthy product twice a day, you can get rid of unpleasant abdominal symptoms in just 4 weeks.

Yogurt "Activia": product composition

The Danone company, the manufacturer of Activia yoghurts, assures that it does not add preservatives, stabilizers or flavor enhancers to its products. This is confirmed by the data indicated on the label. The composition of natural classic yogurt with bifidobacteria Actiregularis with a fat content of 3.5% is as follows:

  • dry;
  • live yoghurt cultures;
  • live bifidobacteria Actiregularis.

To improve the taste, various fillers are added to Activia fermented milk products. Activia yogurt with prunes or strawberries is no less healthy and contains the same amount of bifidobacteria. But the composition of such a product will be less natural: sugar syrup, prunes, corn starch, thickener - pectin, lemon juice, sugar.

Nutritional value and calorie content

It is a source of proteins, fats and carbohydrates. They are vital for the body to function properly. 100 grams of Activia yogurt contain 4 grams of protein and fat and 6 grams of carbohydrates. This means that eating such a fermented milk product will be beneficial for everyone. Other Activia products have similar nutritional value.

Which is only 75 kcal, it must be present in the diet of those losing weight. With its help you can become slim and attractive without harm to your health.

Benefits of Activia yogurt for the body

The benefits of natural yoghurt have been known for a long time, because the history of this fermented milk product goes back 8 thousand years. The benefits of Activia for the body are undeniable and proven by clinical studies.

  • Bifidobacteria Actiregularis in yogurt destroys pathogenic microbes and microorganisms in the large intestine and promotes the colonization and proliferation of beneficial bacteria in it.
  • The feeling of heaviness and other unpleasant symptoms in the abdomen disappear: bloating, pain, increased gas formation, painful bowel movements.
  • Activia yogurt helps to establish stable bowel function and get rid of constipation.

  • Natural fermented milk product promotes stable weight loss due to improved intestinal motility.
  • Activia is not a drug, but the effect of its use remains even after stopping use.
  • Bifidobacteria in yogurt remain alive until the end of the product's shelf life. This was achieved thanks to the use of the latest technologies in its production.
  • Restores and normalizes metabolism in the body.

Despite all the beneficial properties of Activia, we should not forget that it is not a baby food product, and therefore yoghurts and other fermented milk products in this series should not be consumed by children under 3 years of age.

Assortment of fermented milk products "Activia"

One of the important advantages of Activia fermented milk products is their wide range. At the same time, the quality and quantity of bifidobacteria remains at the same high level. The range of fermented milk products includes the following types:

  • "Activia" curd has a light and delicate cream structure. Contains even more proteins and is a source of calcium for the body. In addition to the traditional natural taste, curd mass with the taste of baked apple or peach with the addition of three cereals and flaxseeds is also available.
  • "Activia" thermostat "consists of only 3 ingredients: milk, starter culture and bifidobacteria Actiregularis. It is fermented right in the jar, so it retains even more benefits.
  • Yogurt. In addition to natural, it is presented in a whole variety of flavors: wild berries, prunes, cherries, muesli, bran and cereals, strawberries and others. There are more than 10 species in total.
  • "Activia" drinking is a delicate yogurt enriched with bifidobacteria Actiregularis. It is distinguished not only by its useful composition, but also by its convenient packaging. Only 52 kcal is contained in a bottle of this fermented milk drink "Activia". Drinking yogurt is available in the following assortment of flavors: prunes, cereals, pineapple, figs, mango and others.

  • "Activia" kefir contains all the benefits of lactic acid bacteria. This product is lower in calories compared to others: from 31 to 39 kcal, depending on the fat content - 0% or 1%. "Activia" drinking kefir is sold in a convenient bottle of 450 or 870 grams.

All fermented milk products contain one mandatory, most important ingredient - bifidobacteria Actiregularis.

Activia yogurt series: customer reviews

Most buyers appreciated Activia fermented milk products. Their positive reviews confirm that the presented yogurt is tasty and healthy, it really improves intestinal function and helps get rid of constipation.

And yet, not all buyers are satisfied with the quality of the products. Activia sometimes receives negative reviews. Buyers are not satisfied that yogurt with filler contains unnatural ingredients, dyes and other “chemicals”.

In general, “Activia” is a useful and necessary product in the diet, with regular use of which the functioning of the intestines becomes stable and harmonious.