Yogurt: A sugar trap!…or a healthy choice?

September 21 2018 by , medical review by in Dairy, New study, Sugar/fructose

Plastic cup with yogurt on white background

We are often told that yogurt is healthy, filled with probiotics, vitamins and minerals. But what kind of yogurt are we talking about? In a new study, we get full disclosure of what the various types of yogurt in the grocery store actually contain.

BBC: Yoghurts (even organic ones) ‘full of sugar’

The Times: ‘Healthy’ organic yoghurts are packed full of sugar

ABC News: Yogurt: A good source of vitamins, minerals…and sugar

After studying nearly 900 kinds of yogurt in the UK, the researchers found that an alarming number of brands were really high in sugar. Yogurt desserts contained the most sugar — an average of 16.4 g per 100 g. One might be fooled by a yogurt labelled organic, but the research actually found that organic yogurts were among the most sugary – containing more sugar per 100 g than cola.

The only yogurt that had an acceptable amount of sugar, with under 5 g per 100 g, is plain Greek yogurt, which also contains more protein.

Yogurt is healthy for most people, but instead of choosing a sugary one, look for plain Greek yogurt or check the label closely to make sure sugar is under 5 g per 100 g. That way, rather than buying yogurt with added sugars, you can enjoy a natural full-fat yogurt and add delicious toppings yourself! Why not add some fresh strawberries and how about some homemade granola to add that extra crunchiness? Check out the recipe below and enjoy your full-fat yogurt!

Golden low-carb granola

Low-carb breakfasts

Low-carb breakfasts come in all shapes. Here are some of our most popular options.

Earlier

“Tons of sugar and limited nutrients” – why juice is not healthy

Could full-fat dairy products help you live longer?

New study: US toddlers consume too much sugar

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27 comments

Top comments

Barbara
September 21 2018 5
I use my Instant Pot to make my own Greek yogurt. I keep it going for 24 hours (breaks down the Lactose better) and then I strain it for a long, long time. The result is full fat & protein. Most of the carby whey is strained out. Add cinnamon and a hint of vanilla. No sweetener needed.

Replies: #8, #25, #26

Read more →
ANGELA VOSE
September 21 2018 5
I love full fat greek yogurt, with crushed pecan nuts, cinnamon and raspberries, so creamy and delicious

Read more →

All comments

1
Dan Waldron
September 21 2018 4
Kite Hill almond milk yogurt
Very low carb
2
Cheryl
September 21 2018 1
What do you consider "full fat"? The highest I can find it 10%.
3
Kathy
September 21 2018 2
Cheryl, full fat is considered to be that made from whole milk, which is around 4% (in Canada anyway). Your 10% yogurt is even better!
4
Heather
September 21 2018 1
I have always made my own yogurt. What milk or cream(?) should I be trying?
5
Barbara
September 21 2018 5
I use my Instant Pot to make my own Greek yogurt. I keep it going for 24 hours (breaks down the Lactose better) and then I strain it for a long, long time. The result is full fat & protein. Most of the carby whey is strained out. Add cinnamon and a hint of vanilla. No sweetener needed.

Replies: #8, #25, #26
6
ANGELA VOSE
September 21 2018 5
I love full fat greek yogurt, with crushed pecan nuts, cinnamon and raspberries, so creamy and delicious
7
Clg
September 21 2018 3
Coconut yogurt is the best. Heaps of it in New Zealand but I couldn't find it on holiday in the states. Plain coconut yogurt is very low carb and high fat add in some berries and you are set.
8
Reply to comment #5 by Barbara
Mary L
September 22 2018
Do you use heavy cream or whole milk?
1 comment removed
10
Brian
September 26 2018 1
Please share a list of brands / product line that's low carb (5gm or less) and high fat like you describe, that I can buy at a typical grocery store like Walmart, Kroger's, Schnucks, or Hy-vee. I have YET to see any. They ALL look to have horribly high in sugar when I've checked labels. I won't buy them now because I can't find any like this.

Reply: #15
11
Jane
September 26 2018
Having started to make my own yoghurt, I now realise how very different it is from commercial brands, which have removed the acid, slightly sour taste and replace it with sweet. Many brands beef up the sweetness by adding extra milk/whey powder which makes the yoghurt so creamy that it isn’t yoghurt anymore.
12
Eva Schonveld
September 26 2018
My favourate Woodlands sheeps' milk yog: 4.8 - phew!
13
Anita
September 26 2018
Anita

Buffala milk yoghurt is sugar free and tastes exactly like full fat Greek yogurt. Good quality sour cream has 20%fat and no sugar and tastes similar to Greek yogurt(ELWest Brand) Skyr Icelandic Style plain yogurt= 4% fat, 19g protein and only 2g of sugrr
14
Melissa
September 26 2018
Chobani "Hint of" yogurts are pretty good as far as carb count (and taste great) - they run about 5g of net carbs per 75g of yogurt, so not quite as low as suggested here. But you can just buy plain Greek yogurt and smash up some strawberries and/or add a little artificial sweetener to mix in and that should meet the suggestion of <5g of carbs per 100g. Here's info on the Chobani yogurt: https://www.chobani.com/products/greek/a-hint-of-flavor/wild-blueberry/
15
Reply to comment #10 by Brian
Gentiann
September 26 2018
It's not a problem to find full fat plain unflavored yogurt in supermarkets, but it's sold only in 32oz containers (at least in the United States).
If they don't have the full fat version, I just add some sour cream.

Reply: #17
16
Verito
September 27 2018
If the fat content in cow milk is max.4% and yougurt made from cow milk yogurt has 10% fat...
It means it is yougurt with added fat,I think it will be cheap vegetable oil.
17
Reply to comment #15 by Gentiann
MerryKate
September 27 2018 1
Fage and Chobani both sell single-serving plain greek yogurts in the US. For Fage, look for the 5% version - it has the best nutrition profile for keto. However, they really jack up the price for individual servings - $1.50 for a single-serving cup of Fage where I live (northwest US), as opposed to $5.99 for an 8-serving container. That's half the price per serving, so if you have the fridge space you're better off buying in bulk and using glass containers to take it with you.
18
MerryKate
September 27 2018 1
Yogurt can be higher in fat than milk because greek-style yogurt is strained. Since the whey contains the carbs, the ratio of nutrients changes. It's the same reason you get 100% fat butter from 4% milk.
19
Ralitza
September 27 2018
From the yogurt point of view I'm a blessed one, being Bulgarian. We have yogurt made from cow, sheep or buffalo milk. They sell it in a 0.5 liter or 1 liter pots, and it's 5% and above in terms of fat
20
Katherine
September 27 2018 2
I make my own with either half and half, full fat cream, or a mixture. It is ridiculously easy once you get the hang of it and the yogurt is much better than anything you can buy.
21
Emily
September 27 2018 1
Try Bulgarian yogurt. It is amazing, because has probiotics and it is very healthy. watch the video of Thomas DeLaeur : Greek yogurt vs Bulgarian Yogurt.
22
Kelly
September 28 2018
Katherine !!!! Details !!! Details !!!! Please tell us the method you came up with after you got the hang of it !!! I'd love to make a greek yogurt with full fat cream or even half and half if the macros etc are good.... I have a Cuisinart Yogurt maker that I'd love to start using again.... I love to make Tzatziki Sauce and to make it with my own HWC Yogurt would be KETOlicious !! Please help a fellow yogurt lover out !!!! :)
23
Bruce
April 8 2019
I added some skim milk powder to my Greek yogurt to make it thicker but it seems slightly sweeter now. Is skim milk powder loaded with lactose?

Reply: #24
24
Reply to comment #23 by Bruce
Kristin Parker Team Diet Doctor
April 8 2019

I added some skim milk powder to my Greek yogurt to make it thicker but it seems slightly sweeter now. Is skim milk powder loaded with lactose?

Skim milk powder is approximatelhy 50% lactose. This would not be a good option.
http://www.milkingredients.ca/index-eng.php?id=192
25
Reply to comment #5 by Barbara
Dee
January 31 2020
Recipe for yogurt please.
26
Reply to comment #5 by Barbara
Daniel
April 30 2020
I too make my own Greek yogurt and strain the whey out , it’s absolutely delish. I add a little sugar-free maple syrup on Occasion.
27
ioanna_vasilis
May 19 2020
Greek yogurt is the only one with name. All the other is product of milk.
28
Maureen
August 19 2020
Read an article that claimed that the carb count for plain yogurt is less than what it says on the label because the test method required by the FDA for labels counts lactic acid as a carb because it was sugar, before it was converted. Lol, I'd LIKE that to be true.