Vegan yogurt alternatives – what they promise and what they deliver

Other reasons, such as allergies or environmental awareness, also lead consumers to choose vegan yoghurt alternatives. The Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania Consumer Center took two random samples of the substitute ingredients oats and coconut to see what was behind the promises on the packaging.

The most important thing about vegan yogurt alternatives in brief

• The fact that vegan yogurt alternatives resemble yogurt products in terms of consistency and variety is achieved through the fermentation process, through more ingredients and possibly through the addition of additives.
• Since the term yogurt cannot be used for vegan products, manufacturers must use descriptive product names and descriptions. These are not always clear. The substitute ingredient used cannot be clearly identified in all cases.
• In terms of calorie content and nutrients, plant-based yogurt alternatives have no advantages over yogurt, except for specific needs such as lactose intolerance.
• The products vary greatly in price and have not yet been able to compete with yoghurt made from cow's milk.

How was it tested?

34 products based on coconut and oats in the natural and fruit versions from different manufacturers were examined. It is not always clear at first glance that it is a plant-based yogurt alternative. Since the term “yoghurt” cannot be used for vegan products, manufacturers use descriptions as a reference, such as “…jogu”, “O`gurt”, etc. The replacement ingredient is also not always clearly identifiable on the front. The product name, usually above the list of ingredients, provides clarity with terms such as “fermented oat product” or “fermented coconut preparation”.

Much more ingredients

In order for the plant-based alternatives to resemble cow's milk yogurt in taste and consistency, consumers have to accept up to 17 ingredients. In addition to the substitute ingredient, we found water, starch, sugar, various cultures and salt in the ingredient list. Almost all products contained additives such as locust bean flour, guar gum or pectins as thickeners or as stabilizers. Only five of 34 products did not contain any additives.

Significantly more calories

The calorie content of oat and coconut yoghurt alternatives is significantly higher compared to yoghurt products.

While the natural variants contain on average less sugar than natural yoghurt, the fruit variants sometimes contain three times the amount of sugar (including fructose) compared to the natural variants. Some manufacturers used various advertising claims “no added sugar” or “no sugar” or “low sugar” for their products. These statements are nutritional information. Consumers should take a closer look here and compare with other products.

Vegan products based on coconut have the highest fat content. In one product we found a fat content of 12.2g fat/100g.

And what about vitamins and minerals?

There are hardly any vitamins and minerals added to the products. Four out of 34 products contained calcium. These companies advertised this enrichment. Two products were also enriched with vitamin B12. They each contain 0.38 µg vitamin B12 per 100g. This is important information for people who want to avoid animal products.

Only in three products was there any information about the origin of the substitute ingredient. The MV consumer advice center would like more transparency.

price comparison

The vegan yogurt alternatives we examined are more expensive than the animal products. The cheapest vegan product was €3.63/kg, the most expensive was €9.93/kg. It helps to take a look at the basic price for comparison.

Conclusion

For people who avoid animal products and for people with allergies or intolerances, vegan yogurt alternatives can be a good substitute for the animal product. In addition, the products hardly show any advantages over the animal version.

Source:

Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania Consumer Center

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