7 Best Yogurts for Weight Loss in 2023
Nagina Abdullah
MOLECULAR & CELL
BIOLOGY, UC BERKELEY
Originally Published February 25, 2019
Updated March 14, 2023
It’s 2023, and I still love sitting down to a bowl of rich, creamy Greek yogurt. After all these years, it’s one of the best snacks I have at my fingertips - it’s satisfying with a velvety texture that’s luxurious to eat. Best of all, it can help with weight loss.
But which is the best yogurt for weight loss?
Yogurt is usually perceived as healthy, but that’s actually a myth unless you choose the right type. Not all yogurt is good for weight loss since many are loaded with added sugars.
I’ve updated my popular post to include some new yogurt additions that I deem helpful for weight loss. You may be surprised to see who didn’t make the list. Read on to see my 7 picks for yogurt that will help with weight loss.
| Fage 2% Greek Yogurt (plain) | 5.3oz | 100 | 5g | 0g | 5g | 15g | 180mg | Low carb |
| Oikos Triple Zero Greek Nonfat Yogurt (vanilla) | 5.3oz | 90 | 7g | 0g | 5g | 15g | 150mg | Vanilla flavor |
| Stonyfield Organic Greek Yogurt (plain) | 6oz | 150 | 7g | 0g | 5g | 16g | 170mg | Altruism |
| 365 Whole Foods Organic Greek Nonfat Yogurt (plain) | 6oz | 100 | 7g | 0g | 5g | 16g | 190 mg | Most Calcium |
| Green Mountain Creamery Organic Greek Yogurt (plain) | 6oz | 120 | 7g | 0g | 6g | 16g | 160 mg | Non-GMO milk sourced from farmer partners |
| Kirkland Organic Greek Nonfat Yogurt (plain) | 8oz | 130 | 10g | 1g | 7g | 23g | 170 mg | Most Protein |
| Kite Hill Greek style Almond Yogurt (plain) | 5.3 oz | 120 | 4g | 1g | 0g | 15g | 49mg | Veganism & sugar free |
How to choose the best Greek yogurt
1) Ingredients
The best Greek yogurt should only have two ingredients.
The first one is milk, and the second ingredient is live cultures. These are bacteria that help transform milk into yogurt. The moment you see pectin, gum, thickeners, artificial colors, gelatin, carrageenan, and stabilizers in the ingredients list of your yogurt, run!
2) Type
Plain Greek yogurt is the best. The percentage of fat (2% or 0%) isn’t really a metric of determining whether it’s the best or not. If you are looking to lose weight, you definitely want healthy fat and protein in your Greek yogurt in order to stay satiated longer.
Plain is also better than flavored because the sugar quantity is much lower. When fruits are added in yogurt, most of the time they’re laced in preservatives, starch, syrup or extra sugar. This can at times affect the efficacy of live cultures which are supposed to improve your gut health in the first place.
If you need fruit in Greek yogurt, my advice is to add fresh (low glycemic index) fruits, nuts, seeds or herbs in the comfort of your home. Nothing beats fresh. For instance, you can add a pinch of cinnamon, a pinch of organic stevia and some pecans to spice up your breakfast. A second option might be adding about 19g of raspberries (0.8g sugar and 1.2g dietary fiber) and some chia seeds to make a tasty and healthy snack.
To learn more about sweetness and healthy fat options, check out my article on what to put in Greek yogurt for weight loss.
3) Sugar quantity
The last thing you want to be more cautious about is sugar. From my personal experience, the best plain Greek yogurt should have a maximum of about 8g sugar (2 tsp) per serving (5 to 6 oz.).
Best yogurt for weight loss
1. Fage 2% Greek yogurt plain
| 5.3oz | 100 | 5g | 0g | 5g | 15g | 180mg |
Fage Greek yogurt has a rich creamy texture and is packed with lots of healthy goodness. For starters, milk used in making the plain yogurt is sourced from cows that only consume non-GMO feeds. The yogurt is vegetarian friendly and gluten free. Best of all, no artificial ingredients, thickeners, preservatives or gums are used in making their extraordinarily delicious Greek yogurt. See dietary facts here.
Ingredients
Milk:Grade A Pasteurized Skimmed Milk and Cream
Live Active Yogurt Cultures: (L. Bulgaricus, S. Thermophilus, L. Acidophilus, Bifidus, L. Casei)
2. Oikos triple zero Greek nonfat yogurt - vanilla
| 5.3oz | 90 | 7g | 0g | 5g | 15g | 150mg |
My second best Greek yogurt is Oikos Triple Zero. To craft their signature creamy taste, a unique and scientifically tested blend of probiotic cultures are used. Each batch is then carefully monitored to ensure the right creaminess and texture is achieved.
3. Stonyfield, 100% Grassfed Greek Plain
| 6oz | 150 | 7g | 0g | 5g | 16g | 170mg |
Stonyfield is my third best option and is USDA organic certified. Organic milk has a more balanced fatty acid profile than factory farm milk. Cows are not given growth hormones nor are they treated with antibiotics, neither are GMO feeds permitted. See dietary facts here.
Stonyfield started out as a nonprofit organic farming school way back in 1983, and later became yogurt makers. One of their main goals was and still is to make products that are not only good for Mother Nature, but also good for your health and taste buds. Stonyfield is gluten free, toxins free and pesticides free.
What do Stonyfield cows eat?
Most of the cows’ diet comes from grazing on pasture during the grazing season. Alternatively, they feed on hay and other organic feeds.
Ingredients
Milk: Cultured Pasteurized Grassfed Organic Whole Milk
Live Active Cultures: S. thermophilus, L. bulgaricus, L. acidophilus, Bifidus, L. paracasei, and L. rhamnosus.
4. 365 Whole Foods Organic Greek plain nonfat yogurt
| 6oz | 100 | 7g | 0g | 5g | 16g | 190 mg |
High standards and quality products are what set apart 365 by Whole Foods Market from competition. Their recipes remain simple and natural. In fact, the folks over at 365 strain milk the old fashioned Greek way. No gelatin, pectin or thickeners are added. 365 Greek yogurt is gluten free, USDA organic certified and vegetarian friendly. See dietary facts here.
Ingredients
Milk: Cultured Pasteurized Organic Nonfat Milk
Live and active cultures: (S. Thermophilus, L. Bulgaricus, L. Acidophilus, Bifidus, L. Paracasei)
5. Green Mountain Creamery Greek Yogurt organic plain
| 6oz | 120 | 7g | 0g | 6g | 16g | 160 mg |
Vermont born, Green Mountain Creamery also takes quality pretty seriously. High quality non-GMO milk is sourced from farmer partners. Their Greek yogurt stands out not only because of the high quality milk used, but also because of the incubation process and care given during the entire process. This gives Green Mountain Greek yogurt a distinctive, creamy, and authentic taste. No artificial ingredients, stabilizers, coloring agents or thickeners used.
Ingredients
Cultured Pasteurized Organic Nonfat Milk, Organic Cream.
Contains the following live cultures: S. thermophilus, L. bulgaricus, L. acidophilus, Bifidus, and L. paracasei.
6. Kirkland Signature Plain Greek nonfat yogurt
| 8oz | 130 | 10g | 1g | 7g | 23g | 170 mg |
Kirkland signature Greek yogurt is diligently crafted from farm-fresh high quality local milk. For that extra gram of protein, Kirkland is definitely an excellent and healthy source. A good combination of protein and healthy fats reduce stomach emptying, making you crave less and eat less. Kirkland products contain no growth hormone or GMO. See dietary facts here.
Best non dairy yogurt for weight loss
7. Kite Hill Greek style plant based yogurt (almonds)
| 5.3 oz | 120 | 4g | 1g | 0g | 15g | 49mg |
Kite Hill is just splendid for vegetarians and vegans. After testing over 20 varieties, only a select few - high quality non-GMO Almond varieties are sourced from San Joaquin Valley. The almond nuts are then transformed and custom blended into the creamy almond milk that we all love. During the process, no sweeteners, colors or preservatives are added. The resulting product is a delicious and thick Greek style plant based yogurt. See dietary facts here.
Can yogurt help you lose belly fat?
Yes! Combined with regular physical activities, Greek yogurt containing at least 13 grams of protein can help you lose belly fat. Opt for whole milk plain yogurt instead of nonfat options.
- Look for Greek yogurt that is higher in protein (at least 10 grams per serving) and healthy fat, low in sugar (no higher than 6 grams) and has fewer ingredients (avoid extra fillers and definitely artificial sweeteners and sugars.)
- One surprising thing about the best yogurt for weight loss is that you want fat! Dairy high in the fatty acids found in full-fat dairy helps control hunger and shift the metabolism in healthy ways according to recent studies.
- As far as flavors, plain is always best because it’s unsweetened. The creaminess and luxurious texture and flavor will satisfy you alone. Of course, you can always add in fresh berries or a small amount of other fresh fruit.
- If you want to add crunch or other flavors you can add unsweetened almonds, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, or even 80% or higher dark chocolate.
- Healthy fats in dark chocolate, nuts, and seeds can help you feel full and boost metabolism, helping you lose belly fat.
- Avoid “fruit on the bottom” or any flavors with added chocolate, cookies, etc. This is because the fruit that comes in the yogurt cups is usually canned and covered in sugary syrup and preservatives.
- Some brands are low enough in sugar that vanilla is okay, but watch the sugar! You want sugar below 6 grams or else your weight-loss will be slowed. Too much sugar means it’s not the best yogurt for weight loss.
- If you can afford it, spring for grass-fed once in a while since it has high Omega 3s.
Have you found any yogurt brands that have dreamy texture and flavor, and are low sugar, high protein? Please share in the comments! And here are some more yogurt related articles you may be interested in!
15 Best Foods to Put in Greek Yogurt
Put These 5 Top Belly Fat Burning Foods and Drinks Into Action Today!
If you are interested in Masala Body’s online weight loss coaching programs, check out my 8-Week Personal Weight Loss Coaching program. If you’re ready to start losing weight right now, then take action and book a call with me!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Nagina Abdullah is a health coach for middle-aged women and professionals. She coaches women to boost their metabolism naturally, shed pounds and keep them off. Her work with weight loss clients led to the creation of Masala Body, an online weight loss platform that provides an easy and accessible system that helps women sustainably lose weight. She has helped over 1200 women successfully lose from 10-80 lbs and create a sustainable lifestyle change. Nagina earned her degree in Molecular and Cell Biology from UC Berkeley. Read More…
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