The Healthiest Brands Of Yogurt You Can Eat
Used in spreads, smoothies, and in so many other ways (via Today), yogurt is a healthy, versatile food that's long been a mainstay in diets around the world. There's Icelandic-style skyr, traditional whole milk types, strained Greek yogurts, and a growing list of nondairy options made with coconut, almonds, cashews, or oats. The best yogurts are the ones that taste good to you, have a short list of quality ingredients, and are minimal on added sugar or additives, Healthline advises.
As a fermented dairy product, yogurt also helps your gut by bringing balance to the good and bad bacteria in your microbiome, reports The New York Times. Science already knows that when our gut bacteria is imbalanced, it may lead to the development of diseases. An unhealthy gut also contributes to sleep issues, fatigue, and low mood, per Piedmont Healthcare. So it's not a stretch to learn that a recent review published in the Saudi Journal of Biological Sciences even suggested that yogurt may help ward off the worst outcomes of COVID-19.
Now, this doesn't mean that just any ol' yogurt will do. Some are loaded with sugar, artificial sweeteners, and other fillers, making them pretty terrible for health (via Healthline). We've done the work for you and rounded up the best of the bunch. So read on, and let's talk yogurt!
Icelandic Provisions Skyr
A diet staple in Iceland, skyr (pronounced skeer) is a protein-rich, creamy food that looks and tastes like yogurt (and is sold in the yogurt section of supermarkets), according to USA Today. But in Iceland, skyr is considered a soured milk cheese (via Positively Probiotic). It's made with skim milk and combined with rennet (an enzyme), which is what technically makes skyr a type of cheese. Iceland's long tradition of making this dairy food traces back over a thousand years to when Nordic settlers first arrived in the area.
Icelandic Provisions claims to use only certified Icelandic heirloom skyr cultures and an authentic recipe to make its product. Skyr is an excellent source of protein and calcium, as well as being naturally low in fat and carbs (via Healthline). Dense and creamy, a bowl of skyr will keep you feeling full for longer than a traditional yogurt. Icelandic Provisions makes its skyr in a range of flavors including coconut, plain, key lime, and vanilla, plus some enticing unusual combinations like strawberry and lingonberry, and peach and cloudberry.
Cocojune Organic Cultured Coconut Yogurt
Coconut-based yogurts like Cocojune make an ideal plant-based alternative to traditional yogurt, especially if you're following a vegan or paleo diet, are sensitive to dairy, or just want to try something new. Probiotic-rich coconut yogurt is made from fermented coconut milk, starch, and live bacteria cultures, so it's a perfect food to support gut health and your immune system, according to Livestrong.
Organic, creamy, and with a yummy tangy taste, Cocojune offers a lineup of enticing flavors such as unsweetened pure coconut, zesty lemon elderflower, and a summery strawberry rhubarb. And if you're looking for an alternative yogurt that's low in sugar, registered dietitian Meredith Rofheart of Culina Health recommends Cocojune (via Women's Health). It has a silky texture and a short list of natural ingredients — coconut, cassava root, and probiotics — which is exactly what you want in a healthy vegan yogurt, according to The Beet.
Chobani Greek Yogurt
With its low sugar content and high protein, Chobani's plain nonfat Greek yogurt offers all the plusses and none of the minuses of some of its traditional yogurt counterparts. Triple-strained and extra smooth, it's a fantastic go-to for weight management too at just 80 calories per serving (via Eat This, Not That!).
What makes Greek yogurts different from regular yogurt? The liquid whey protein gets strained off after the curdling process, and along with it a lot of the lactose and sugar, according to Shape. This extra step makes the texture of Greek yogurts super creamy and loaded in protein — and of course, an excellent choice if you have a lactose sensitivity.
"Skip the extra sugar calories found in most yogurts and pump up the protein by choosing Greek yogurt," says registered dietitian Judith Rodriguez to WebMD. She also adds that the high protein content "is great for weight control because it keeps you feeling full longer."
Trader Joe's Organic Creamy Cashew Yogurt
Trader Joe's makes a lot of beloved products, and that includes some entries in the nondairy category. One, in particular, is a yogurt made with crushed organic cashews mixed with filtered water and a smidgeon of coconut cream. If you're aiming for a healthy snack — and, honestly, who isn't? — this creamy cashew alternative yogurt comes in at only 140 calories and is ready for you to dress it up with some fresh berries or enjoy on its own.
An advantage to making yogurt with the nutritious cashew — and here's a fun fact: It's not actually a nut, but rather the drupe seed of a tropical evergreen plant (per Iowa State University) — is that it has a texture with a natural creaminess, according to WebMD. The cashew's taste is likewise fairly neutral, so it's an easy substitute flavor-wise for dairy. "Cashews have a very mild flavor similar to the taste of dairy," reveals e-commerce wellness retailer iHerb. "Like dairy-based yogurts, nut-based yogurts are an ideal source of fats and protein."
Nancy's Probiotic Oat Milk Yogurt
A great plant-based alternative to cow's milk, oat milk is quickly becoming a popular base for dairy-free yogurts. Oak milk's silky consistency is so similar, in fact, that most people would be hard-pressed to tell the difference (via Eat This, Not That!).
For over 50 years, yogurt has been the focus of Nancy's, an Oregon-based company that's family owned and operated. In 2019, Nancy's added oat milk yogurts to its product lineup (via Nancy's Probiotic Foods). They come in some one-of-a-kind flavor combos like strawberry hibiscus and passionfruit banana, as well as more traditional single-flavor tastes such as blueberry, vanilla, and plain. All are certified glyphosate-free, have no gluten, and offer 6 grams of plant-based protein in every serving.
"Nancy's cultured oat milk yogurt alternative is packed with probiotic benefits," says Kelly Jones, a registered dietitian and board-certified specialist in sports dietetics (per Women's Health). "Their plain flavor is tasty and on-trend with the oat milk craze."
Fage Greek Yogurt
The Greek brand Fage (pronounced "fa-yeh") has been making and selling yogurt since it was founded in 1926 as a humble family business in Athens. The company began exporting its luscious Greek yogurt in the 1980s, and by the '90s it arrived in the U.S. and became a staple on supermarket shelves.
What exactly makes Greek yogurt so different? The process starts off more or less the same as regular yogurt. But then it's strained after fermentation — basically draining off the liquid whey (via Healthline). The result is yogurt that's thicker and has twice as much protein as the traditional stuff.
Marketed as Fage Total in the U.S., the brand's variety of flavors includes cherry, peach, and strawberry, as well as the ever-popular plain with no added sugar. And there's also the brand's whole-milk 5% milkfat version, which packs 18 grams of protein. "Don't be afraid of full-fat yogurt," says Meredith Rofheart, a registered dietitian at Culina Health, to Women's Health. "Fat is a necessary nutrient that balances out the effects of carbs and helps to keep you full and satisfied."
Siggi's Icelandic-Style Skyr
Siggi's launched in Whole Foods supermarkets in 2008 (per the Dairy Reporter).The brand was founded by Siggi Hilmarsson, an Iceland native living in New York City. Wanting to indulge in some childhood tastes of home, Siggi started making skyr in his own kitchen from his mother's recipe because he couldn't find skyr in any American grocery stores. A lightbulb went off in the entrepreneur's head, and what started as just a little comfort food for himself eventually led to a brand-new career.
The milk used in Siggi's skyr all comes from grass-fed cows in upstate New York and Wisconsin. Nothing artificial is added: no artificial sweeteners or artificial flavors, or preservatives. It's super protein-rich and you can now get it in low fat, whole fat, and triple cream versions. There's also a new plant-based coconut blend. And Siggi's gets a nod from dietitians too. "I love Siggi's yogurt because it is very high in protein, but low in calories," says registered dietitian Tiana Glover of Taste It with Tia to Parade. "The yogurts range from 15-16 grams of protein and are only 90-120 calories."
Two Good Greek Yogurt
Two Good Greek yogurt goes through a slow-straining process that removes sugar from the milk. This leaves just 2 grams of total sugar per serving, which the company says is 80% less sugar than many other Greek yogurts. "I always recommend opting for ones with as little added sugar as possible — so an unsweetened yogurt," says Amy Gorin, a registered dietitian nutritionist and owner of Amy Gorin Nutrition in New York City to Well+Good. "As with any yogurt, you can add your own sweetness with fruit and spices like cinnamon and nutmeg."
There's a huge array of standard and more imaginative flavors in the Two Good product line, including pumpkin, mandarin orange, and mango hibiscus. Eat This, Not That! says that each thick and delicious spoonful is super satisfying and there really wasn't anything to knock — or as they said, the combination of low sugar, low calories, and full flavor was almost "'two' good to be true."
Stonyfield Organic Yogurt
New Hampshire-based Stonyfield was founded in 1983 on a small organic farm with just seven cows. All of the brand's products to this day are organic, made with live, active cultures, and are free from artificial hormones and antibiotics (via Eat This, Not That!). In addition to their regular Greek yogurts, Stonyfield also offers 100% grass-fed Greek yogurt — to date only available in vanilla and plain flavors — in which they use milk from pasture-raised cows. "Grass-fed yogurt contains more omega-3s and conjugated linoleic acids, both of which help prevent heart disease, inflammation, diabetes, and various cancers," says Stephanie Middleberg, a certified dietitian nutritionist and founder of Middleberg Nutrition in New York City (via Eat This, Not That!). Indeed, in a review published in The British Journal of Nutrition, researchers compared 170 studies on the nutrient content of organic and conventional cow's milk, and the results showed that omega-3 levels are significantly higher in organic milk.
Oikos Triple Zero Nonfat Greek Yogurt
With so many Greek yogurts to choose from, what makes Oikos Triple Zero a standout? The answer is it tastes pretty good, says Delish, despite the fact it has no fat or added sugar, no artificial sweeteners, and is low in calories. It also gets points for being made with live cultures that help keep your gut microbiome nice and balanced. And since Triple Zero is a Greek yogurt — meaning it goes through a straining process after fermentation — it's also packed with 15 grams of protein in each serving. Protein will keep you feeling full longer, boost your metabolism, and build muscle, says Medical News Today.
"Greek yogurt is a great source of nutrients for our bodies, like calcium and protein," says Kristen Carli, a registered dietitian nutritionist and owner of Camelback Nutrition & Wellness, to Eat This, Not That!. "Regular plain Greek yogurt contains less sugar and double the amount of protein compared to low-fat yogurts."
You'll never lack for variety with Triple Zero's flavors — there are 13 of them, including banana crème, salted caramel, and lemon tart. This yogurt's sweetness is enhanced with chicory root fiber (a plant in the dandelion family, explains Food Dive) that's paired with stevia leaf — a zero-calorie plant that's "hundreds of times sweeter than sugar," says Consumer Reports. Stevia is considered a natural sweetener instead of an artificial one.
Maple Hill Organic Yogurt
What began as a conventional dairy farm on 250 acres in 2003, then struggled through the Great Recession, is today the quintessential American success story. Maple Hill Farms is a prominent operation now that sources its cow's milk from over 150 organic farms in New York State. Using only the milk from pasture-raised, grass-fed cows is a source of pride for the company, as it makes for a healthier, happy animal that produces quality milk for us to consume. "When cows are fed grass and legume-based forages as they were evolved to do so, they'll produce milk with a healthier mix of fats and other nutrients," explains dairy researcher Dr. Charles Benbrook, co-author of a related research review published in The British Journal of Nutrition (via Good Housekeeping).
Though Maple Hill Farm's flavors are limited to plain and vanilla, they are inarguably solid choices. The bottom line is that the brand delivers well-crafted Greek yogurt and whole milk cream-on-top varieties that Eat This, Not That! describes as rich-tasting and balanced.
Kite Hill Almond Milk Yogurt
With a range of fresh flavors from peach to strawberry and a no-nonsense plain unsweetened, Kite Hill almond milk yogurt is a solid contender in the nondairy sphere. The company uses locally sourced almonds grown in California's San Joaquin Valley, then custom blends the nuts to a creamy consistency.
With a decent fiber and protein content in its plain unsweetened variety, Kite Hill is a nutritious dairy-free option for anyone wanting to try an alternative yogurt. While the staff at The Beet says it pairs especially well with granola and berries to mask a bit of a gritty texture, just giving it a stir before eating is really all this yogurt needs in order to shine with the best of them. "Kite Hill's Plain Unsweetened Yogurt is my go-to because it contains no artificial flavors or preservatives and provides five grams of protein for just one gram of sugar per serving," says registered dietitian Kelli McGrane with the weight loss app "Lose It!" (via Women's Health).
Wallaby Organic Aussie Greek-Style Yogurt
If you're wondering what makes Aussie-style organic yogurt a standout from its competitors, Wallaby says it's their slow culturing process that creates a distinctively smooth texture and a mild taste. Family-owned and operated from its base in Northern California, Wallaby's line of yogurts is inspired by a trip its founders spent journeying across Australia.
Wallaby sources its product from organic farms and prioritizes operating in an environmentally responsible manner, says Healthline. The brand offers low-fat, whole milk, and fat-free varieties in a range of flavors that are solid choices, such as strawberry, vanilla bean, peach, and the always-popular plain. You'll also find a couple of no-added-sugar styles, too. "[The] fat-free, low sugar, low sodium [plain unsweetened] option is a fine choice, largely because it's less tart than many Greek yogurts and will readily meld into the other ingredients you're using," according to Eat This, Not That!.
Forager Project Organic Probiotic Cashew Milk Yogurt
Forager Project blends coconut cream with organic cashews to bump up the velvety mouthfeel of its yogurt. Though this plant-based alternative has a slightly thinner consistency than some of its counterparts (via Good Housekeeping), the pleasing texture keeps its fans coming back for more. Every batch of this cashew yogurt is also fermented using live and active cultures — the good bacteria — so this stuff helps support your digestive health, too. "Forager Project Cashew Milk Yogurt is one of my favorite summertime superfoods," says registered dietitian Jenna Gorham to The Beet. "[It] tastes great in smoothies, fresh berry parfaits, and summer dips and sauces."
Cashew milk is loaded with magnesium, heart-healthy unsaturated fats, vitamins, and antioxidants like zinc and copper (via Healthline). The family-owned California brand that makes Forager Project yogurt sources its cashews from farmers in Vietnam and the Ivory Coast who've made a commitment to sustainable farming.