Best yogurt for weight loss

I love sitting down to a bowl of rich, creamy Greek yogurt. It’s so satisfying for my stomach and I love the way its velvety texture feels on my tongue. Yum! 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 types. Not all yogurt is good for weight loss since a lot of them are loaded with added sugars.

There are 7 brands that stand out among the rest, and I’m happy to share them with you today!

Here’s what we’ll talk about in this post.

• Why it’s a myth that yogurt is good for losing weight – unless you use this one type
• Which brands and kinds of yogurt are the best for weight loss (including an infographic of the best 7 brands!)
• How many grams of sugar your yogurt should NOT go over so you shrink your waist and not expand it
• What flavors of yogurt to look for, which ones to AVOID, and a NON-DAIRY option

Best yogurt for weight loss

Generally, I advise people to cut back on or eliminate dairy when trying to lose weight. This is because dairy does have lactose, which is a form of sugar.

It can be easy to have too many low-fat dairy products. This happens when you have them on all sorts of food that work against weight loss (think pizza or grilled cheese), or just when you add unnecessary calories to healthy food with low-fat cheese or sour cream. (1)

Some people are more sensitive to dairy than others, and it could cause skin breakouts or make it harder to lose weight. But it’s not true for everyone. (2)

However, I think yogurt is a dairy product worth keeping in your rotation if it agrees with you because the benefits are so good and especially if you are vegetarian because it can be an excellent source of natural vegetarian protein.

Greek yogurt is the only dairy yogurt that I recommend since it’s so rich in protein. Non-dairy yogurt doesn’t have as much protein, but it still has some and it has gut-healthy probiotics.

Greek dairy yogurt is thicker, lower in lactose, and has double the protein of regular dairy yogurt because the liquid whey is strained out. (3)

I like Greek yogurt as a vegetarian source of protein and a quick grab and go option. It helps you lose weight with healthy protein and probiotics that support gut health and healthy digestion.

It also has calcium and Vitamin D to support healthy bones and healthy fats. (4)

Can yogurt help you lose belly fat?

Yes! But to get the belly fat-burning results, you need to be picky when choosing your yogurt.

• 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.) (5)
• 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. (5)
• 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.  

• 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. (5)
• 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.

Healthiest yogurt brands 2019

Plain flavor is the best yogurt for weight loss because it has fewer extra ingredients and no added sweeteners. You can use vanilla flavor for a little sweetness using the brands I show below. Non-dairy yogurts usually don’t have as much protein as dairy yogurt and tend to have more fillers and sweeteners; however, Cocoyo Living Coconut Yogurt is a good option because it’s unsweetened but still creamy.

Have you found any yogurt brands that have dreamy texture and flavor, and are low sugar, high protein? Please share in the comments!