Low-fat vanilla yogurt is any yogurt made with low-fat or non-fat milk that has been flavored with vanilla. Low-fat yogurt is made by a variety of dairies and commercial manufacturers, and there is a wide range of what each one contains and how it is made. The term “low-fat” refers to the type of milk used in almost all cases. Even low-fat yogurts contain a lot of sugar or sugar-like artificial sweeteners to keep the calorie count down. Low-fat foods are usually healthier than regular or full-fat alternatives, but this isn’t always the case with flavored yogurts.
Making yogurt is a relatively simple process. Milk and yogurt cultures, usually in the form of enzymes, are all that is required. The milk must first be heated before the cultures can be added. Warm milk activates the cultures, which “sets” the liquid into a custard-like solid when the right proportions are added. Low-fat yogurt is made with low-fat milk, and vanilla often adds sweetness as well as flavor.
Low-fat milk is made from milk that has had some or all of its natural fat removed. Milk fat floats to the top of the liquid during pasteurization and can be skimmed off. Although milk fat contains calories, it is not as harmful as other more processed fats. It also contains a variety of vitamins and minerals that aid in the body’s absorption and utilization of the high calcium content of milk.
Once the processing is complete, commercial yogurt manufacturers will frequently add synthetic vitamins back in to artificially boost the nutrient count of low-fat snacks. At this point, flavoring is usually added. Vanilla yogurt can be spiced up in a variety of ways. Adding vanilla beans to the milk as it sets is the most traditional method.
Simmering a vanilla bean adds a depth of flavor that is difficult to duplicate. However, this method is costly and time-consuming. Using pure vanilla extract or artificial imitation vanilla flavor is a more popular option.
Manufacturers frequently add sugars or other sweeteners to low-fat vanilla yogurt to make it more appealing to a wider audience. Vanilla bean yogurt is often naturally sweet, but not sweet enough to meet modern consumer expectations. To be palatable to most target audiences, low-fat vanilla yogurt made with imitation vanilla almost always requires sweeteners.
The most natural and organic way to add sweetness is with raw sugar. Sugar, on the other hand, is often high in calories and goes against many of the low-fat diet’s tenets. People who eat low-fat frequently also eat low-sugar, which means they will seek out yogurts that are either sugar free or low in sugar, as well as low in fat.
Natural sugar substitutes such as agave and cane juice are expensive, but they are generally uncontroversial. Chemical sweeteners are causing more concern, especially among health and medical professionals. It claims to be a low-fat vanilla yogurt that is full of chemical sweeteners and synthetic vitamins, but that does not mean it is necessarily healthier than regular vanilla yogurt.
Of course, you can make a low-fat vanilla yogurt that is completely organic and natural. Finding low-fat products in this category usually necessitates careful label reading and a thorough understanding of what to look for. On the whole, a low-fat vanilla yogurt with only three or four ingredients is more nutritious than one with eleven or twelve.