• Why does Yoptimal^TM contain 2.9% milk fat?
• According to the Nutrition Facts Table, 100 g of Yoptimal^TM contains 14 g of total carbohydrates (13 g of sugars). What does this mean?
• How many calories does a 100-g serving of Yoptimal^TM contain?
• A 100-g serving of Yoptimal^TM contains 10% of the recommended daily amount of calcium. Is this a lot?
• What cultures are used as the basis of yogourt?
• What does "active probiotic culture" mean?
• Is it dangerous to eat too much yogourt that contains active probiotic cultures?
• How much Yoptimal^TM do I need to eat in order to benefit from its positive effects on the tract flora?
• Can we eat Yoptimal^TM at any age?
• Why are cultures called "active"?
• Is the use of probiotics recent?
• What are the genus, species and strains of the different bacteria used in this product?
• Are there any potential interactions between Yoptimal^TM and medication?
• Are there any potential interactions between Yoptimal^TM yogourt and other natural foods?
• Is Yoptimal^TM contraindicated in any pre-existing health problems?
• Do the probiotic cultures BB-12^® Bifidobacterium lactis and LA-5^® Lactobacillus acidophilus have other demonstrated effects on health?
• Can pregnant women eat Yoptimal^TM?
• Is it possible to compare the amount of bacteria contained in a 100-g container of Yoptimal^TM to the amount contained in capsule supplements?
• What are the advantages of eating active probiotic cultures in yogourt over taking them in capsule form?
• Would you recommend that travellers eat Yoptimal^TM before leaving on a trip in order to protect themselves from traveller's diarrhea?
• What kind of testing did Yoptimal^TM undergo before being put on the market?
• Can BB-12^® Bifidobacterium lactis and LA-5^® Lactobacillus acidophilus bacteria colonize the intestinal tract?

The fat content gives the yogourt its texture and richness and therefore contributes to its great taste.

Research indicates that 75% of consumers find the fat content of Yoptimal^TM to be acceptable.

For consumers looking for a yogourt with health benefits, fat content is a secondary concern.

The term "carbohydrates" refers to all types of sugar contained in the yogourt. Carbohydrates include: 

• lactose (natural milk sugar) 
• fructose (natural fruit sugar)
• sucrose (added sugar)
• fibre (only in foods of plant origin); 0 g in Yoptimal^TM

The term ­­"sugars" includes all sugars except starch. That is why the amount of "sugars" is only 13 g (the extra 1 g comes from starch, since 14 g - 13 g = 1 g). This value does not appear in the Nutrition Facts Table (in compliance with the provisions of the Guide to Food Labelling and Advertising).

These two yogourts are very similar in terms of the calories (energy) they provide.

Dairy products - the main source of dietary calcium - are not consumed enough. Canadians consume less than the recommended number of servings for their different age groups (from the Web site Change Your Perceptions, Dairy Farmers of Canada, February 2006).

Yoptimal^TM fulfills 10% of our calcium needs (for people 2 years of age and older).  This product therefore brings us one step closer to getting the amount of calcium recommended by the Canadian Food Guide.

100 g of Yoplait Creamy = 10% of the daily value
100 g of Yoplait Source = 10% of the daily value

The cultures that form the basis of yogourt are:

• Streptococcus thermophilus
• Lactobacillus bulgaricus

In addition to help creating flavour, the cultures that form the basis of yogourt also preserve the milk and give the yogourt its unique texture. However, they cannot survive the passage through the stomach and are therefore not present in the intestine in order to combat bad bacteria.

Probiotics are living micro-organisms that, when consumed in adequate amounts, have a benefit on human health.

Active probiotic cultures = friendly bacteria

The active probiotic cultures contained in Yoptimal^TM are:

BB-12^® (Bifidobacterium)
LA-5^® (Lactobacillus acidophilus)

Each 100-g serving of Yoptimal^TM contains more than 1 billion probiotics of each BB-12^® Bifidobacterium lactis and LA-5^® Lactobacillus acidophilus cultures that contribute to a healthy tract floral.

t is the only yogourt in Canada to contain these two cultures.

It seems that at least 100 million to 1 billion living probiotic bacteria must be present per 100-g serving of a product for a clinical effect to be observed. Each 100-g serving of Yoptimal^TM contains more than 1 billion probiotics of each BB-12^® Bifidobacterium lactis and LA-5^® Lactobacillus acidophilus cultures that contribute to a healthy tract flora. Since probiotics do not remain in the digestive tube, you must consume the probiotics of Yoptimal^TM each day to benefit from their positive effect on the tract flora.

Yes. People from all age groups - children, adults and seniors - can consume Yoptimal^TM.

They are called "active" because they are alive at the time the product is consumed.

Each 100-g serving of Yoptimal^TM contains more than 1 billion probiotics of each BB-12^® Bifidobacterium lactis and LA-5^® Lactobacillus acidophilus cultures that contribute to a healthy tract flora.

Yes.

Another known impact of the BB-12^® Bifidobacterium lactis and LA-5^® Lactobacillus acidophilus combination is:
            a decrease in the frequency of diarrhea linked to antibiotic use (for example, C. difficile)

The other known impacts of BB-12^® Bifidobacterium lactis alone:
            decrease in rotavirus diarrhea
            decrease in traveller's diarrhea
            decrease in allergies (atopic dermatitis)

This data was taken from Health effects of probiotics and culture-containing dairy products in humans by A.C. Ouwehand et al., International Dairy Federation, 2003.

Yes. In fact, they should consume this yogourt on a regular basis in order to pass on the active probiotic cultures to their babies during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

 Yogourt is an excellent vehicle for probiotics:

1.      It protects the bacteria from the hostile environment of the intestinal tract (for example, the  low pH in the stomach and the high concentration of bile in the small intestine);

2.      Refrigeration helps stabilize them;

3.      The bacteria in capsules are dehydrated or freeze dried, which damages them. The bacteria in yogourt are already active and therefore living.

Yogourt also provides many other healthy nutrients, in particular calcium and protein.

Yogourt is also less expensive than capsules.

Yes. The BB-12^® Bifidobacterium lactis strain in particular attenuates traveller's diarrhea.

This data was taken from Health effects of probiotics and culture-containing dairy products in humans by A.C. Ouwehand et al., International Dairy Federation, 2003.

The product was tested at different stages of its lifespan (from the date it was made up until the expiration date).

Active probiotic bacterial count:

In order to validate how many probiotic bacteria are still active on the product's expiration date, bacterial counts were performed at Yoplait's laboratories. These tests confirmed of each BB-12^® Bifidobacterium lactis and LA-5^® Lactobacillus acidophilus cultures in each 100-g serving of Yoptimal^TM contributing to a healthy tract flora.