Added sugar "The healthiest yoghurt choice is low- or no-fat plain yoghurt," says Kate Gudorf, an accredited practising dietitian and spokesperson for the Dietitians Association of Australia. If you're buying flavoured yoghurt, Gudorf recommends trying to find one with less than 12g of sugars per 100g.
Greek yogurt, in particular, is great for weight loss due to its high protein content. Eating protein-rich Greek yogurt helps to control appetite, which leads to consuming fewer calories later on, according to a study published in Nutrition Journal. Yogurt is one of the best probiotic foods.
If you purchase authentic Greek yogurt made with quality ingredients, you're buying a very nutritious food. It's not only typically lower in sugar than regular yogurt, it also usually contains roughly twice as much protein.
Low-fat, and fat-free dairy foods like Chobani® yogurt are part of a recommended healthy eating pattern that provides an excellent source of protein, a balance of good fats, and a host of naturally occurring essential vitamins and minerals.
Pick plain when you can
Plain yoghurt without added sugar is my first choice, such as a natural or Greek-style yoghurt. However, flavoured or fruit yoghurt can be nutritious, too. It still provides the benefits of calcium, protein, B-group vitamins and probiotics.
Australian yogurt, though, has a longer culture and cooking process, which gives it a much thicker, creamier consistency compared to regular yogurt (via Wallaby).
Chobani sells thick, Greek yogurt with a higher protein content than traditional yogurt and is one of the main companies to popularize this style of yogurt in the US. The company has also expanded to non-dairy, plant-based products such as dairy-free vegan yogurt and oat milk.
Consuming one to two cups of lowfat Greek yogurt daily can be a healthy addition to your diet without making it difficult to maintain your weight.
The higher protein and lower sugar content in Greek yogurt come from the straining process. The high protein content can help you feel fuller for longer, and also makes the strained yogurt a good source of protein for vegetarians. It's also packed with probiotics, which help with digestion.
With the four recommended times mentioned above, the best options to consume yogurt are in the morning or on an empty stomach. This is because the good bacteria or probiotics in yogurt must reach the large intestine alive to maintain digestive efficiency and health.
According to Noosa's website, Australian yogurt is Greek-style yogurt that's sweetened with honey, giving it a "sweet tart tang" and "velvety texture."
A home-grown Aussie yoghurt, Jalna is a full fat yoghurt but one with minimum additives and just 4g of added sugars per serve.
Weakened immune system: There is some concern live bacteria in yogurt might reproduce unchecked, causing illness in people with weakened immune systems, such as people with HIV/AIDS or organ transplant recipients. Lactobacillus in yogurt has caused disease, but rarely, in people with weakened immune systems.
Plain Yogurt Nutrition. The USDA's MyPlate dietary guidelines recommend that adults include 3 cups of dairy products, such as low-fat or fat-free yogurt, as part of a nutritious daily diet.
Best Probiotic Yogurt in Australia
Danone Activia is an excellent choice for those with easily upset stomachs and includes the most probiotics out of all the yoghurts I've analysed. Vaalia is another fantastic option, containing three different probiotics in every 150g serving.
If your diet consists of about 1,800 calories a day, then a 6-ounce container of fat-free Greek yogurt is going to be a great high-protein, low-carb snack. But if you eat more calories (about 2,200 to 2,400 calories a day), full-fat Greek yogurt (vs. nonfat) might be a better option for you.
“Yogurt is associated with decreased inflammation, decreased insulin resistance and it may prevent type 2 diabetes,” Dr. Hu says. Nutrition researchers believe yogurt's anti-inflammatory power comes from the probiotics it contains, but that has yet to be confirmed with rigorous trials, he says.
"Regular intake of healthy bacteria, such as the kind from yogurt, has been shown to have positive effects on weight management and the GI tract," says Morgyn Clair, RD. "Eating yogurt daily can help you reach a healthy weight while still providing a satisfying snack."