10
2015
How to Understand a Yogurt Label
Plain, unflavored, unsweetened yogurt starts off with 7 grams of sugar per ~6oz. This is due to the naturally occurring milk sugar, NOT added sugar.
If you venture into sweetened/ flavored yogurts, every additional 4 grams of sugar (above 7g) translates to 1 teaspoon of “added sugar.”
That means if you pick a (6oz) sweetened/flavored yogurt with 11 g sugar, 7 grams are naturally occurring sugar and 4 g (1 tsp) are added sugars. If you pick a yogurt with 15 g sugar, 7 grams are naturally occurring sugar and 8 g (2 tsp) are added sugars, etc.
You can also determine if there is added sugar when you read the ingredient list. And you SHOULD read the ingredient list. If sugar in any form is listed in the top 3 in the list of ingredients, PUT IT BACK!
What to do?
- Stick with yogurts that have only ~7g sugar.
2. Check the calorie to protein ratio too. The calories should not be more than 10x the protein grams.
Examples:
- 18g protein, 100 calories is OK
- 15 g protein, 120 calories is OK
- 5 g protein, 90 calories is NOT OK
Some current favorites that fit the bill:
- Chobani plain nonfat Greek yogurt
- Chobani Simply 100 yogurt
- Dannon Oikos Triple Zero yogurt
- Elli Quark (creamy German style yogurt)