Yogurt 101: How to Choose the Best One for Gut Health & Nutrition
With endless yogurt options—Greek, regular, dairy, plant-based—it’s hard to know which one is best. As a nutritionist, I’m here to help.
There are so many kinds of yogurt now! How do I choose?
Boy, you are not kidding! There are markets with what seems like entire aisles devoted to yogurt and yogurt-like products. The variety is incredible too—dairy (milk- and cream-based), veggie-based (soy, coconut, cashew), drinkable (kefir, kombucha), Icelandic, Australian French-style, frozen, and even pickled! And they all offer superior nutritional benefits, so deciding which one to buy can be overwhelming. As a nutritionist, I’m here to help! For this discussion, I’ll stick with the (not frozen) dairy offerings: regular and Greek.
Why dairy yogurt’s good for your body.
Let’s start here. Both of these fermented products are good dairy options in your diet. I choose Greek over regular yogurt; you’ll see why in a minute. Where they’re on the same page:
- Both support gut health. The probiotics, or good bacteria, in most yogurt help maintain vital balance in your gut microbiome.
- Both are rich sources of protein. Enough said—I’ve talked about protein often in this newsletter.
- Both support bone health. Greek has less calcium than regular, but both have excellent numbers.
- Both may be more suitable for the lactose-intolerant. In addition to yogurt’s lower natural lactose content, its probiotics aid in lactose digestion.
- Both may improve high blood pressure and cholesterol. Consuming fermented dairy products is associated with a lower risk of plaque buildup and artery stiffness, risk factors for high blood pressure, while yogurt’s probiotics may help lower cholesterol levels by inhibiting the production of certain enzymes.
- Both can help with weight loss efforts. Consuming protein keeps you feeling satisfied longer, which helps reduce overeating. Yogurt consumption is also linked to a lower body mass index (BMI) and body weight and a reduced risk of an increased waist circumference.
Greek v. regular: What’s the difference?
The difference between regular yogurt and Greek yogurt lies in their texture, taste, and nutrient content.
Regular yogurt has a light and smooth consistency and can vary in thickness. Also known as concentrated or strained yogurt, the Greek style is created by eliminating whey (the fluid part of milk) and other liquids before it’s packaged. This gives it a thicker, creamier mouthfeel and a subtly tangier taste than regular.
Where Greek yogurt really shines is in the nutrition department: It contains about half the carbs and sugar as regular yogurt while packing almost twice as much protein. It might have a bit more fat and a bit less calcium, but that hefty protein shot is why the Greek style is my choice. By the numbers:
My best advice: Read labels!
This practice is critical for optimal nutrition anyway, and it will help narrow down your yogurt selection process. Specifically:
- Check ingredient lists. Any that are not milk, live active cultures, or (sometimes) cream are mostly likely added for sweetness or flavor. Add your own natural sweetness to plain yogurt with fresh or frozen fruit, honey, or cinnamon.
- Know the fat content. Whether you choose full-, low-, or no-fat yogurt depends on your personal health goals. If you’re looking for a substantial healthy snack, the full-fat versions are more satisfying; for weight loss, select a nonfat version.
- Hunt down added sugar. Even fat-free versions can hide lots of it. Opt for brands that have less than 10 g of sugar and just 4 g of added sugar) and no more than 15 g of carbs.
- Look for the gut health seal. The Live & Active Cultures (LAC) seal indicates that a product was made with at least 100 million healthy bacteria cultures per gram of yogurt. And that’s a good thing.
