Danone Activia yoghurt (UK) review
Here we will give a hands-on, taste-tested review of Danone Activia yoghurt. We’ll look into the benefits, ingredients, nutrition, use and flavour of this yoghurt. And we’ll compare a few nutritional factors against other yoghurt.
For this review we have tested the rhubarb version from the UK. (Activia is actually a different product in other countries like Australia).
This yoghurt is available in many supermarkets in the UK.
You might also be interested in reading our article on the best probiotics in the UK if you want to add more healthy microbes to your diet.
Ingredients of Danone Activia yoghurt
This is not a simple yoghurt and it contains many more ingredients than most yoghurt we review.
The ingredients are yogurt, rhubarb, sugar, modified maize starch, natural flavourings, colour (plain caramel), milk minerals, stabiliser (pectin) and live cultures.
So as well as the ‘yoghurt’ (which is just made from milk and live cultures) there are various additives including:
modified maize starch – a starch taken from corn that has been processed to improve its thickening and stabilising properties. It thickens yoghurt and helps prevent separation
milk minerals – concentrated minerals extracted from milk (mainly calcium and phosphorus, plus some potassium and magnesium) added to boost the yoghurt’s mineral content and help stabilise acidity
Pectin – a natural fibre from fruit cell walls used as a gelling and thickening agent to create a smooth, cohesive texture
And there is also added natural flavourings and colourings. Most concerning though is the added sugar which takes the sugar content way beyond other yoghurt we have reviewed. More on this below.
So while no ingredient is downright nasty, there are a lot of additives which means this is not a simple, traditional or authentic yoghurt.
Our favourite gut health products in the UK
YourBiology Gut+ probiotic not only offers 10 strains of probiotics, but also includes two types of prebiotics, three digestive enzymes and vitamin D for gut health support. All this means it offers a lot more benefits for gut health and general health than most probiotic supplements do
Healthpath gut health test is the UK’s most comprehensive gut health test. It tests over 100 biomarkers, checks your digestion and immune response, analyses leaky gut and provides a clear and understandable report on your microbiome
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Read more about the best gut health products in the UK.
Benefits of Danone Activia yoghurt
For context, we’ll compare a few key factors against Yeo Valley natural yoghurt - which is a popular yoghurt in the UK.
Live cultures
Danone Activia yoghurt includes five types of live cultures including Bifidobacterium lactis (the specific strain is marketed as Bifidus ActiRegularis), Streptococcus thermophilus, Lactococcus lactis and two strains of Lactobacillus bulgaricus.
Most interesting is the specific strain of Bifidobacterium lactis used which is Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis CNCM I-2494 aka Bifidus ActiRegularis. Danone makes various claims about the health benefits of this strain including that it can survive the entire GI tract and also helps balance the intestinal microbiota and promotes healthy digestion. You can read more about these health claims on their website.
For comparison, Yeo Valley state they include Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus acidophilus and Streptococcus thermophilus.
In terms of the amount of actual live cultures present (ie colony forming units), no specific information is provided by either brand. Danone Activia just state there are ‘billions of live cultures’.
Postbiotics
Postbiotics are beneficial substances produced by live cultures during fermentation. In yoghurt, these can include small amounts of organic acids, peptides and other fermentation by-products.
Nutrients
Danone Activia yoghurt compares variably against Yeo Valley natural yoghurt in terms of key health measures. The disparity in sugar content stands out most.
Protein: It has moderate protein levels at 3.9% - which is below Yeo Valley at 4.2%
Fat: This yoghurt is fairly low in fat with 2.8% fat - which is under Yeo Valley’s level of 3.8%.
Sugar: The sugar content is extremely high compared to traditional yoghurt at 12% - which is more than double Yeo Valley’s level of 4.9%.
Calcium: Danone Activia has good levels of calcium with 156mg per 100g. Yeo Valley has slightly more at 166mg per 100g.
Appearance
As the picture below shows, it has a pinkish colour and sinks to the bottom of the bowl.
Texture
The texture is quite runny, but the thickeners contribute to a thicker mouthfeel (even if this feels a bit unnatural). It has a moderate level of creaminess.
Flavour
The aroma is simply of rhubarb.
The taste is quite sweet and again, largely just of rhubarb with little complexity. It has a moderate acidity.
Overall, the taste is okay - just don’t expect it to taste like a traditional yoghurt or have the same texture or creaminess. It certainly doesn’t come across as clean and natural as traditional yoghurt often does - because it simply isn’t a simple yoghurt, it is a manufactured product with many additives.
Use
This flavoured yoghurt could be had on its own or added to cereal or smoothies.
Needless to say it wouldn’t be good in dressings or marinades.
Cost of Danone Activia yoghurt
You can buy 4 x 115g tubs from Sainsbury’s for £2.50.
Review summary
Rating: 3.75 stars out of 5.
Verdict: Danone Activia yoghurt includes strains of live cultures with some evidence behind them. Otherwise, it’s a heavily processed product with a lot of additives, very high sugar content and underwhelming texture and creaminess.
Pros
some evidence behind the live cultures
fairly low in fat
good calcium content
Cons
many additives
very high sugar content
not great texture or creaminess
no specific information on the actual amount of live cultures it contains (ie colony forming units)
Now read our article about the best yoghurt in the UK!
Health benefits of yoghurt
Aside from the specific benefits listed above, especially related to probiotics and postbiotics, yoghurt has some other important health benefits.
Vitamins and minerals
Yoghurt is a source of various vitamins and minerals including:
calcium - which helps digestion and supports bone and teeth health
magnesium - which supports bone health, muscle function and energy production
phosphorus - which is important for bone and teeth health and energy metabolism
potassium - which supports heart, muscle, nerve and kidney health
vitamins B2 and B12 - which support immunity, energy production and cell and nerve function
vitamin A - supports vision, immune function, cell growth and healthy skin
Satiety and weight management
The high protein and low carbohydrate content in yogurt, especially Greek style yogurt, helps you feel fuller for longer which can help control your appetite. Greek yoghurt is often recommended by dietitians for this reason.
Reduced lactose
Compared to unfermented dairy products such as milk, yoghurt has lower levels of lactose as this is partially consumed by bacteria during the fermentation process. This makes it more digestible for people who have some degree of lactose intolerance.
Factors we consider in our ratings
The factors we consider when doing a review (and the weightings of each of these) may vary depending on the product we are testing, but here are the key general factors we consider when we settle on a rating for a product.
Health benefits
We find out how the product will be good for your health and outline the benefits for you in simple language. This often involves doing research so you don’t have to. We often link to scientific studies or articles summarising scientific findings so you can dig deeper if you want to.
Things detrimental to health
We want to highlight where a product might include something bad for your health - even if the product might be good for you in another way. This could include such things as pointing out certain additives it contains or high sugar levels.
How it’s made
This will vary depending on the product, but we want to see a quality process for making it and quality ingredients. For example, we want to see a kombucha traditionally fermented with lots of different microbial strains and we want to see a yoghurt made with fresh milk and not milk powders.
Price
While we expect quality products to be more expensive, they still have to be priced within reason. On the other side of things, a product which is priced very competitively will get a ratings boost based on the value it provides.
Flavour
For some products flavour won’t be a factor (eg probiotic tablets), but for others, like yoghurt or kimchi, flavour is a key aspect because these products are made to be enjoyed as well as being healthy! We will try to be as subjective as possible and describe the flavour in detail so you can get an idea of whether you would like it or not.
Our favourite gut health products in the UK
YourBiology Gut+ probiotic not only offers 10 strains of probiotics, but also includes two types of prebiotics, three digestive enzymes and vitamin D for gut health support. All this means it offers a lot more benefits for gut health and general health than most probiotic supplements do
Healthpath gut health test is the UK’s most comprehensive gut health test. It tests over 100 biomarkers, checks your digestion and immune response, analyses leaky gut and provides a clear and understandable report on your microbiome
YourBiology SuperGreens+ is a superfood and greens supplement which makes it very easy to get a huge amount of nutrition - vitamins, minerals, amino acids, fibre, polyphenols and more - in one glass. Great for supporting gut health, skin health, energy, mental clarity and immunity.
Read more about the best gut health products in the UK.
Your reviewer
This review was written by Travis, founder of Hello Gut Health.
A long-time gut health writer and advocate with over ten years of experience exploring the science of the microbiome and fermentation.
He combines careful research with practical testing to help readers make informed, trustworthy choices.
He has reviewed over 150 gut health products.
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