With its gut-supporting probiotics, calcium, and protein, yogurt is a go-to healthy snack. However, not all store-bought brands are as nutritious as others, and some have sugar levels that can rival a jelly donut. While a Dunkin' Jelly Donut has 13 grams of sugar, certain unhealthy yogurts surpass that, adding a hefty dose of sweetness to what's otherwise marketed as a nutritious choice.
Although dairy naturally contains a small amount of sugar from lactose, these brands go above and beyond, packing in added sugars that can quickly turn your snack into a dessert. Excess added sugar has been linked to health risks like heart disease, diabetes, and inflammation, with the American Heart Associationadvising a daily cap of 25 grams for women and 36 grams for men. Shockingly, some yogurts come close to—or exceed—this limit in a single serving.
n buy.
Dannon Fruit at the Bottom Cherry
Sugar per serving: 15 grams (11 grams added sugar)
With 15 grams of sugar per carton, Dannon Fruit On The Bottom is more like a dessert than a healthy snack. If you're craving some fruity flavors, try plain Greek yogurt with some fresh berries instead.
So Delicious Coconutmilk Yogurt Key Lime Pie
Sugar per serving: 16 grams (15 grams added sugar)
Just because something is non-dairy doesn't guarantee that it is healthy, especially because oftentimes dairy alternatives are made with added sugar to help create more flavor. The SO Delicious Key Lime Coconutmilk Yogurt is a good example, with 16 grams of sugar in one carton–15 of which are added sugars.
Silk Dark Chocolate Coconut
Sugar per serving: 16 grams (16 grams added sugar)
This almond milk yogurt from Silk is another example of a high-sugar product. There are no milk sugars or natural sugars found in here, so all 16 grams of sugar are added. Instead of buying the Dark Chocolate Coconut, try Silk's Plain Almond Yogurt, which has only 6 grams of sugar.
Oui by Yoplait Peach
Sugar per serving: 19 grams (14 grams added sugar)
Out is Yoplait's French-style yogurt line. These yogurts are thicker and creamier than Yoplait's original products, but a lot of the choices are loaded with sugars. Their Peach Fruit On The Bottom has 19 grams of sugar per 5-ounce container, with 14 grams of those being added.
Yo Crunch M&M's
Sugar per serving: 19 grams (15 grams added sugar)
If you're eating this M&M-filled yogurt by Yo Crunch, you may want to save it for dessert instead of a mid-afternoon snack. It has a hefty 15 grams of added sugar per container and only 4 grams of protein, so it definitely won't leave you satiated.
Chobani Flip Coffee Brownie Bliss
Sugar per serving: 19 grams (14 grams added sugar)
Chobani Flips are a tasty pre-portioned dessert with yogurt and pieces of cookies, chocolate, or fruit, but because of its high sugar count, you're better off saving these as a once-in-a-while treat.
Yoplait French Vanilla
Sugar per serving: 19 grams (14 grams added sugar)
The original Yoplait is a classic yogurt, but be careful before dipping into the nostalgia. A small 6-ounce container of their French Vanilla flavor has 14 grams of added sugar and 19 grams of total sugar. Yes, you'll get a boost of calcium as they advertise, but you can get calcium with unsweetened yogurt instead.
Cabot Triple Cream Vanilla Bean Greek Yogurt
Sugar per serving: 21 grams (18 grams added sugar)
Cabot Triple Cream Vanilla Bean Greek Yogurt stands out as one of the worst offenders on our list, with the highest sugar content of any Greek yogurt we reviewed. In addition to the sugar, it packs 13 grams of fat, including 8 grams of saturated fat. Consuming too much saturated fat can elevate cholesterol levels, potentially raising your risk for heart disease and stroke. For a healthier choice, you may want to skip this indulgent option.
Noosa Lemon Yoghurt
Sugar per serving: 21 grams (14 grams added sugar)
With a substantial 21 grams of sugar per serving—14 of which are added—Noosa Lemon Yoghurt leans heavily into sweetness. The added sugars come from a blend of cane sugar, wildflower honey, and fruit purée, making it one of the higher-sugar options on the shelf. For those mindful of added sugars, this yogurt may be best reserved as an occasional treat rather than a daily snack.
Yoplait Whips! Key Lime Pie
Sugar per serving: 22 grams (18 grams added sugar)
Yoplait Whips! is marketed as a "light & fluffy" yogurt option, but there's nothing light about its sugar content. With 18 grams of added sugar in just one container, you'll get close to your recommended daily limit with just one snack break.
LALA Blended Yogurt Mango
Sugar per serving: 22 grams (17 grams added)
Anytime you see "low-fat" on a yogurt container, you may want to check the nutrition label for added sugars. It isn't always the case, but oftentimes companies will market a yogurt as healthy because it's lower in fat, but they'll add in more sugar to maintain the flavor and compensate for the lack of fat. This seems to be the case with LALA's Mango yogurt, which rivals the sugar of Dunkin's Chocolate Frosted Cake Donut.
Yoplait Cherry With Chocolate Shavings
Sugar per serving: 22 grams (18 grams added sugar)
We are continuing on the Yoplait train with their newest line of flavors—their "Made with real chocolate shavings" trio. Whether you choose the Cherry, Strawberry, or Raspberry, you'll be getting around 22 grams of sugar in each carton, thanks to the extra chocolate pieces.
Greek Gods Yogurt Strawberry With Honey
Sugar per serving: 23 grams (15 grams added sugar)
As mentioned earlier, Greek yogurts are often naturally lower in sugar and can therefore be a healthier choice at times. However, be careful to still read the nutrition label because some varieties load up on added sugars, like this Strawberry with Honey Greek "Style" Yogurt from The Greek Gods. You might think this one is healthy at first, but out of the nine ingredients listed, five are some form of sugar, which explains the 23 grams you'll get in each serving.
Noosa Delights Brownie Batter
Sugar per serving: 24 grams (18 grams added sugar)
This yogurt is marketed straightforwardly as a dessert—and it should be. With 24 grams of sugar per serving, Noosa Delights Brownie Batter Yoghurt rivals the sugar content of a serving of Haagen-Dazs Vanilla Ice Cream. While it does contain probiotics and a boost of 6 grams of protein from pea protein, it also includes 5 grams of saturated fat, reaching 25% of the daily value.
Noosa Mates Coconut Chocolate Almond
Sugar per serving: 26 grams (17 grams added sugar)
Remember how we said that some of the yogurts on our list have more sugar than a serving of ice cream? This is the case with this Noosa yogurt, which has pieces of toasted coconut, almonds, and chocolate chips at the top. You'll still get 9 grams of protein and live active cultures for your gut, but just know that this yogurt is more of a dessert than anything.
LALA Frusion Yogurt Smoothie Banana Berry
Sugar per serving: 27 grams
Don't be fooled by the marketing for this LALA Frusion yogurt. It's advertised as a "Fruit yogurt smoothie" and the brand highlights the fact that you'll be getting vitamins A, C, and D, so it may have people thinking it's a healthy choice. But with 27 grams of sugar and absolutely zero fiber, this one is better left on the shelf.
The Highest-Sugar Yogurt: La Yogurt Probiotic Pumpkin Pie
Sugar per serving: 29 grams
The number one spot on our list of highest-sugar goes to La Yogurt's Probiotic Pumpkin Pie Yogurt. Another example of tricky marketing, this one is touted as low-fat and good for immune support and digestive health. However, even though it offers natural probiotics, with nearly 30 grams of sugar in each carton, you're much better off finding these probiotics in a lower-sugar yogurt.
No comments:
Post a Comment