Fresh colour, fruity promise, tidy calories. The sweet story has layers.
A respected French consumer magazine has trained its lens on a supermarket favourite: a fat‑free strawberry yoghurt that leans on intense sweeteners and cosmetic colour to deliver its appeal. The case raises a bigger question for shoppers: what does 0% actually mean when the label says “light” but the taste still shouts “sweet”?
A household brand under the microscope
60 Millions de Consommateurs points to a Danone Light & Free 0% strawberry yoghurt widely sold in France. The pot lists strawberries at 7.5%. It also includes an added flavour and a plant concentrate from black carrot to deepen the pink hue. The sweetness comes not only from fruit sugars and lactose, but also from two high‑intensity sweeteners: acesulfame‑K and sucralose.
Two additives carry most of the sweetness burden, not the 7.5% fruit. That is the magazine’s central concern.
The publication argues that the flavour listed without a “natural” qualifier points to an artificial origin. It also notes the colour aid. Both are legal in the EU. The debate is less about legality and more about whether a “light” badge nudges buyers towards ultra‑processed shortcuts they would otherwise avoid.
What the science says about the two sweeteners
Acesulfame‑K is roughly 200 times sweeter than sugar. Sucralose is about 600 times sweeter. Both provide sweetness with negligible calories. That makes them popular in “no fat” or “reduced sugar” recipes.
Research keeps probing long‑term effects. A large French cohort study run by teams at Inserm, INRAE, Université Sorbonne Paris Nord and the Cnam reported higher overall cancer incidence among high consumers of some artificial sweeteners, especially aspartame and acesulfame‑K, compared with non‑consumers. The data are observational, so they show association, not proof of causation. Yet they feed a cautious stance on routine, high‑dose use.
Other studies examine metabolic responses and the gut microbiome. Results vary by compound and by individual. Some trials link certain sweeteners with shifts in glucose tolerance or gut bacteria. Others find neutral effects within typical exposure limits. Regulators still uphold current safety limits, set with wide margins.
| Additive | Relative sweetness vs sugar | EU/JECFA ADI (mg/kg bw/day) | Heat stability | Common uses |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Acesulfame‑K | ~200x | 15 | High | Diet drinks, yoghurts, baked goods |
| Sucralose | ~600x | 5 | High | Tabletop sachets, desserts, flavoured dairy |
Cancer risk signals and the limits of the data
The French cohort’s cancer link drew headlines. The participants reported diet via detailed online diaries, then researchers tracked outcomes. Stronger associations appeared for aspartame and acesulfame‑K. Confounding remains possible. People choosing “diet” products often differ from others in weight, medical history, and health behaviours. The authors adjusted for many factors, but residual differences can persist. Still, the findings justify scrutiny and a prudent approach to non‑nutritive sweetener load across the day.
Association is not proof, yet it is enough to make frequent users pause and check where sweetness comes from.
Why 0% fat can mislead shoppers
“0%” here signals zero fat. It does not promise “no sugar” or “no sweeteners”. Removing milk fat trims energy slightly, but it is not a free pass. A dietician quoted by French media notes that shifting from whole‑milk yoghurt to fat‑free often removes at most about 3 g of fat per 100 g. That is a modest saving for a 125 g pot. Meanwhile, recipe engineers may lift sweet taste with additives to keep the product indulgent.
Strawberries at 7.5% give flavour and some natural sugar. The rest of the sweetness comes from lactose plus acesulfame‑K and sucralose. The result tastes punchy with very few calories, which can suit some goals. The trade‑off is more additives and a flavour profile that trains the palate to expect a strong hit of sweet.
0% means fat‑free. It does not mean sugar‑free, sweetener‑free, or low‑additive.
How to read a fruit yoghurt label in 20 seconds
- Scan the ingredient list length. Shorter usually means less engineered.
- Look for “sweeteners” or named compounds like acesulfame‑K, sucralose, aspartame, stevia glycosides.
- Check the fruit percentage. Higher fruit often equals more natural flavour.
- Spot flavour wording. “Natural strawberry flavour” differs from “flavour” without the “natural”.
- Colour cues can come from concentrates like black carrot or beetroot. These are allowed and common.
- Compare sugar per 100 g. Fat‑free does not lock in low sugars.
Portion maths: what ADI means for you
Regulators set acceptable daily intakes (ADI) with large safety buffers. For acesulfame‑K the ADI is 15 mg per kg of body weight per day. For sucralose it is 5 mg/kg/day. A 70 kg adult’s daily ADI would be about 1,050 mg for acesulfame‑K and 350 mg for sucralose. A 25 kg child’s daily ADI would be 375 mg and 125 mg, respectively.
Manufacturers rarely disclose exact sweetener quantities per pot. Exposure adds up across drinks, chewing gum, desserts, and “sugar‑free” snacks. That makes it hard to track personal intake. People who consume several “diet” items daily can approach ADIs without noticing. Others remain far below them. If you care to minimise additive load, focus on the total pattern, not a single yoghurt.
What this means for your next shop
The magazine’s criticism does not claim the product breaks rules. It challenges the health halo that “light” can create. A fat‑free label simplifies one part of nutrition. It says nothing about sweetness architecture, processing level, or how often you eat similar items.
Yoghurts sit on a spectrum. At one end: plain natural yoghurt with live cultures, no added flavour, and sugar from milk alone. In the middle: fruit‑on‑the‑bottom pots that add sugar or puree. At the engineered end: fat‑free, high‑intensity sweetened options with colour aids and flavourings. Each has a place depending on taste, budget, and goals. The trick is to match the choice to the claim, not the marketing gloss.
Practical swaps and small experiments
If you want fewer additives without losing pleasure, try a plain yoghurt with chopped strawberries and a teaspoon of honey. You control the sweetness. If you like convenience, seek pots that state “no added sweeteners” and list fruit higher up. If calories drive your decision, alternate: one day a simple yoghurt, another day a “light” pot, then review how satisfied you feel and how often you reach for other sweet snacks.
Black carrot concentrate deserves a note. It is a plant‑derived colour source used to standardise the pink tone. It changes appearance, not nutrition. Flavour labels matter too. In EU labelling, “natural strawberry flavour” signals flavour substances derived mainly from strawberry. “Flavour” or “aroma” without “natural” can include synthetic components. That detail helps you judge how close a product sits to the fruit it features on the lid.
