Myth 3
Yoghurt that contains starch is unhealthy and fattening
Recently, a woman did a betadine test on various yoghurt brands for starch comparisons. Some turned dark purple, while some turned slightly yellow. “It’s your choice,” read the caption under the picture.
Netizens went crazy and flagged the brands whose yoghurt turned purple as the bad guys. Many weight watchers said they would steer clear from brands with high starch content, as the carbohydrate would make them fat.
Cherdsak Methathanaiswan, Asia Pacific technical manager at National Starch and Chemical, said that it is unclear why the woman did that test without any background knowledge about the food industry.
“The starch put in yoghurt is special and not similar to cooking starch. It is widely used in the food industry to improve texture. It also makes the content blend together without separating,” he said.
Industrial yoghurt needs stabilisers, otherwise it will separate and look unappealing. This type of modified starch is safe to eat and nutrition-wise, it does not make much of a difference.
“Our body needs carbohydrates, so why are you worried about it? Is it really that bad? Do you refrain from eating rice and noodles? Those things have a much higher carbohydrate content than a cup of yoghurt,” Cherdsak explained...
(For more health myths, read the original article here)