Oh, how the times have changed in yoghurt land. Just a few years ago, low-fat yoghurts were all the rage—so much so that at least one leading yoghurt manufacturer discontinued its whole milk product line. Now, demand is surging for fatty, whole milk yoghurts. Why have US consumers done an about-face? One theory is that the sudden popularity of Greek yoghurt a few years ago, which is richer and more protein-laden than low-fat yoghurt, helped change consumers’ palettes and primed them for a fattier yoghurt experience. Another explanation may be that the whole milk yoghurt trend is part of a larger movement towards natural, minimally processed foods. For example, sales of other related items like whole milk itself and butter are doing well too; whole milk sales—although still a fraction of total sales—rose by about 5% over the last year, while skimmed milk sales dropped by about 3%. A third hypothesis is that fat is no longer the villain of the nutrition world that it once was. In fact, research seems to indicate that some fats, such as those found in nuts and olive oil, are actually good for you. While it may not be clear whether the fat in yoghurt is similarly healthy, one thing is clear—consumers are not waiting for a final verdict on the subject, but are instead indulging in whole milk yoghurt like never before. And there does seem to be at least one possible health benefit from eating a fattier yoghurt—you may feel fuller and may therefore be less likely to binge on sweets or other unhealthy snacks an hour or two later.

Source: Wall Street Journal