Recently our nutrition team, Florence Seabright and Abby Attenborough, were asked to share some advice on what to look for when buying yoghurt by Sheerluxe Magazine. You can see the Sheerluxe article here and our full article below. Happy reading!

 

What should you be looking for when buying yoghurt in the supermarket – ingredients to look out for, avoid?

From a nutritional point of view, yoghurt can be a fantastic source of protein, fat and other vitamins and minerals such as calcium so it’s a great addition to a healthy balanced diet. When choosing a yoghurt, understanding the implications of different quantities of protein or fat can be useful to make sure you get something that aligns best with what you need. As a general rule of thumb, we advise clients to opt for yoghurts with lots of natural ingredients and lower levels of added sugars.

When buying yoghurt in the supermarket, try to opt for something that is most in line with your personal needs and wants - such as high protein, dairy free, or low sugar. Think about how it will fit into your current diet: are you looking for a snack that will bump your protein intake without significantly increasing your calorie intake for the day? Choosing a high protein, low fat option will keep you feeling satisfied, while decreasing the fat content, which will reduce the overall calorie content. On the other hand, you might be looking for an all-round breakfast option that will keep you feeling satisfied and provide a slightly more balanced meal. If this is the case, don’t be scared of the full fat varieties!

 

When reading the label on yoghurts – are there any numbers you should be looking out for? For example, a certain amount of carbs/protein per 100g?

The main areas we usually advise clients to be most aware of when choosing a yoghurt are the protein, calorie and sugar contents. Although most packaging will share these contents per 100g, remember to consider what your usual portion size would actually look like. A ‘real life’ serving of yoghurt could be anywhere between 150-200g so make sure to factor that in. For example, the brand Fage sells single servings of yoghurt which are 170g. 

If you are looking for a yoghurt that will provide a high source of protein, an intake of around 20g per serving is ideal. That would mean looking for yoghurt with approximately 10g protein per 100g. When looking at carbohydrates, you want to see how much is made up from sugar. Ideally anything below 5g or less per 100g counts as low in sugar, and anything with 3g or less of fat per 100g constitutes as low in fat. You can see a comparison of these nutrients in the table below. 

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Are yoghurts that contain live cultures (e.g. Activia) really better for you? If so, are there certain strains to be looking out for?

They are not necessarily ‘better’ but they might be useful for gut health. Yoghurts with live cultures are thought to be an important part of our diet because they can be rich in both prebiotics and probiotics, of which consumption can confer positive benefits to the gut microbiome. However it's important to consider that most alleged benefits are mainly based on animal studies, and there is only a small handful of studies on humans showing that probiotic yogurts are generally more effective than conventional yogurts for improving various health outcomes. So more research needs to be done as the clinical evidence for fermented foods, or yoghurts with live cultures  is currently pretty limited.

 

Of all the plant-based yoghurts, which is healthiest in your opinion? Soya versus coconut yoghurt, for example? Are there pros and cons to some over others?

Each has benefits and drawbacks, depending on what you’re looking for. Soya is higher in protein than almond and coconut-milk yoghurt, and it contains a useful source of plant nutrients called isoflavones, which studies show can have a hormone-regulating effect. This yogurt is also relatively low in fat and is a useful source of calcium. On the other hand, coconut is rich in fibre, vitamins C, E, B1, B3, B5 and B6 and minerals including iron, selenium, sodium, calcium, magnesium and phosphorous. Coconut does, however, contain 19g of fat per 100g, of which 17g is saturated fat, putting women very close to their recommended daily limit of 20g. Almond yoghurt also tends to be lower in calorie content if it isn't sweetened.

 

If you are dairy-free, how to find a healthy yoghurt that isn’t loaded with unnecessary ingredients?

As you can see above, each type of dairy-free yoghurt will have its own particular pros and cons so it’s important to understand what you are personally looking for. Similar guidelines will apply to dairy-free alternatives though and we still recommend our clients to opt for products with lots of natural ingredients and lower levels of added sugars - everything else is up to you and your specific goal!

 

Are there some yoghurts marketed as ‘healthy’ which really aren’t healthy at all?

There are certainly some yoghurts that are not as nutritionally dense with higher levels of added sugars but no one food can make or break a healthy diet!

 

When buying Greek yoghurt, is it better to get fat free or full fat?

It’s all about what’s going to be best for you and your goals. Full fat variations are nothing to be afraid of, in fact we need to consume fat in order to have a healthy balanced diet! If you are managing to achieve a healthy intake of fats across the course of your day and are conscious of your overall calorie intake, then a fat free option might work well for you. If, however, you are struggling to achieve a sufficient intake of fats elsewhere or are looking to increase your calories from nutrient-dense whole foods, then a full fat option could do the trick!

 

What are some of your favourite healthy yoghurt brands?

This will depend on the client but some of the yoghurts that we recommend most frequently are Fage and Skyr. The reason for this is that they tend to have higher protein contents than other yoghurts and that tends to be an area where a lot of our clients struggle to achieve the correct intake. Plus, although they are virtually fat-free (0.2g of fat per 100g in Skyr, 0g in 0% Fage), they are thicker, creamier and higher in protein than any other yogurt.

 

What are some of your favourite healthy yoghurt toppings?

Our favourite yoghurt toppings are fresh and frozen fruit, crumbled nuts and seeds, and maybe even a sprinkle of chia seeds for added crunch and soluble fibre (will help keep things flowing in the morning!). For extra sweetness, add a tsp or two of natural honey, or scoop out the inside of a passion fruit over the top - it will transport you to that sunny beach! 

Please can you give your nutritional opinion on the following yoghurts….

Fage 0% Fat Greek Yoghurt:

This is one of our favourite yoghurts to recommend to our clients! It’s low in sugar and fat but high in protein. As a result, it’s a great option for those who are aware of their overall calorie intake but want to increase their protein intake throughout the day.

 

Coconut Collaborative Natural Coconut Yoghurt:

This is a tasty option for those that need a dairy or gluten free option as it ticks both those boxes and is also low in sugar! However, this yoghurt is also low in protein and high in fat so wouldn’t be advisable if increasing protein intake is your key concern. 

 

Alpro Plain with Almond:

This is another plant-based option for those that need something dairy and gluten free. It’s also low in sugar and low in fat and, as a result, is ideal for those who need to be aware of their calorie intake throughout the day. This yoghurt will also provide a good source of calcium. 

 

Activia Prune Fusions: 

This option focuses on live cultures and improving gut health although, as we’ve seen earlier, this is an area where more research needs to be done. This yoghurt wouldn’t be classified as low in fat or high in protein but does provide a source of calcium as well.

 

Oykos Greek Style Strawberry: 

Although this yoghurt can’t be classified as low in fat or high in protein, it does provide a very tasty source of calcium. This option isn’t particularly geared towards a certain set of nutritional targets but might be a delicious addition to your day nonetheless!

 

Lindahls Kvarg Vanilla: 

This yoghurt provides a high protein option, very low in fat and with moderate levels of sugar and, as a result, has a relatively low caloric intake per 100g. It would therefore be useful for those looking to increase protein intake throughout the day, without significantly increasing their caloric intake.

 

The Collective Mango Yoghurt:

 The Collective Mango Yoghurt is a delicious, gluten-free option containing a moderate amount of sugar, fat and protein. A yummy option but not one that is particularly geared towards a specific goal!

 

Yoghurt  Nutrition values per 100g	Fage 0% Fat Greek Yoghurt	Coconut Collaborative Natural Coconut Yoghurt	Alpro Plain with Almond	Activia Prune Fusions	Oykos Greek Style Strawberry	Lindahls Kvarg Vanilla	The Collective Mango Yoghurt
Fats	0g	10g	2.8g	3.4g	8.2g	0.2g	5.3g
Carbohydrates	3g	6.8g	2.3g	12.9g	14.8g	0.1g	13.2g
of which sugars	3g	1.6g	2.2g	12g	14.2g	3.5g	13.2g
Protein	10.3g	1.2g	3.9g	3.4g	2.7g	10g	5.4g
Salt	0.10g	0.06g	0.25g	0.12g	0.13g	0.10g	0.13g
Calcium %NRV*	120mg -15%	n/a	120mg -15%	121mg – 15%	n/a	n/a	n/a
Nutritionist comment:	Low in sugar, low in fat, plus high in protein	Low in sugar, but low in protein, and high in fat – but tastes great for those that need to go dairy and gluten free!	Low in sugar and low in fat, not high in protein but a source of calcium	Not low in fat or high in protein but a source of calcium	Not low in fat or high in protein but a source of calcium	Low in fat, moderate amount of sugar, and high in protein	Not low in fat, moderate amount of sugar, but a source of protein

*Nutrient Reference Values 

 

Written by the Nutrition Team at FBF Collective: Florence Seabright & Abby Attenborough