I thought I was smart !

[nhs2015]

I like yoghurt so now and again I will buy some as a treat. I always check the label and pick the one with the lowest sugar content. I feel quite smug about my careful choices.

This time, there was a special that caught my eyes: "Nestle Soleil yoghurt" .

The front of the 1kg tub was catching : no fat, no added sugar, peach & mango (yum), five start rating ( our government initiative) , only 65 calories per 150g serve.

I checked the back and it said : Sugar : 4.4 per 100g which I therefore assumed would be from the peach, mango and milk.

I was proud to have found something so "healthy".

When we finished it, while admiring the packaging, I read the list of ingredients. (Small print, not eye catching). It said "sweetener 951 and 950" . What's this ? I wondered, so on to Google and, horror 😱 it is ASPARTAME, the toxic sweetener, a very dangerous excitotoxine, a deadly poison. 💀💀

So not matter how hard you try to be healthy there will always be businesses who will stoop at nothing to get your money even if it kills you in the process. 👿 🤑

One of the Nestle motto is "put your wellbeing first". Ironic isn't it ?

The Health rating system of stars here is based I understand on fat and sugar content, however Aspartame as a poison does not count. This beg the question : if they put arsenic or ratsak in it, would it be classified as five stars and good for your health?

Some of the Health star rating system deciding board members are the retail industry, the food industry and beverage industry. All promoting their packaged process food and drinks. A joke really.

This was a good lesson for me. I can assure you I will be much more careful in future.

I am off my soap box now, have a good weekend all.

[asics]

Yes Nestle...those who are accused of "aggressively marketing baby foods around the world in breach of international marketing standards". I don't think they have a very good reputation for putting human health first, even from birth.

You are right about the health scoring. How can corporate companies, with a vested interest in sales of such products, genuinely contribute to such a scheme?

Thank you for the heads up. Will be taking my glasses next time I go shopping, clearly this small print needs careful scrutiny!

[Fran182716]

It's so frustrating isn't it? The level of aspartame in your yoghurt would have been under the limit deemed "safe" but that doesn't make it healthy. My sons don't like coming shopping with me now because I spend ages getting out my reading glasses, reading labels, and putting stuff back on shelves! ☀️

[asics in reply to Fran182716]

That will be me next week!!

[Activity2004 Visitor in reply to Fran182716]

You have to read labels to make sure of what's in the product. I read labels for carb counting, if it has gluten/wheat and how much fat and protein the item may contain.

[nhs2015 in reply to Activity2004]

Yes, you are right Activity2004.

I do read the labels but looked mainly at the sugar content and kl/calories per 100g. Now I will also read the actual content. Gosh, you would think we need a degree to buy basic food!

[Activity2004 Visitor in reply to nhs2015]

Exactly right!

[JaySeeSkinny]

I only eat plain yoghurts after all the horror stories I've read and programmes I've seen. The "fruit" they use is all flavouring (or maximum half a strawberry), some of it produced by fungi (mushroom yoghurt!), all of it artificial. Full of sugar, or sweeteners. Saw a video once of Dr. Robert Lustig telling children "yoghurt is meant to be sour, it's made of sour milk". If I need it sweetened I'll add my own real fruit (raspberries or blueberries - yummy)

[Maxine5555]

I'm obviously living in a small and tiny bubble. Aspartame is really bad for you? Just looked at the ingredients for my chewing gum and it has that in. I'm going to have to go google it. And read every ingredient in future. Shopping is going to take HOURS!