In this experiment, participants were presented with different types of yogurt, with varying levels of sugar and fat content. Even after seeing this information on the list of ingredients, the volunteers did not immediately choose the yogurt that was lowest in calories. This choice was observed most among those individuals who do not eat a balanced diet.
However, both unhealthy and healthy eaters said taste was the main factor in their decision as to which yogurt to select, and it could not be overcome by providing them with nutritional information, according to the study published recently in the Journal of Public Policy & Marketing. Unhealthy is widely associated with being tasty, and taste remains the main driver of food decisions.
According to the authors, the challenge is therefore to make healthy foods more attractive by working on the emotional side of how we taste and reinforcing the message that a healthy diet can be synonymous with gastronomy and enjoying our food.
Yogurt never tasted so good
Thankfully, there are now yogurts available for just about everyone! Smooth and creamy, yogurt is available in so many flavors and consistencies that we can choose based on our personal preferences and taste: stirred, set, drinkable, with fruit, flavored, made of whole, semi-skimmed or skimmed milk, with or without added sugar.
Furthermore, yogurt can be eaten at any meal of the day, making it a versatile pleasure and a habit that can easily be integrated into our daily lives. Finally, yogurt is an accessible pleasure for many because it is an easy way to digest milk, and is the only dairy product that is gentle enough for the lactose intolerant.
