These 7 popular yogurts contain surprisingly high amounts of added sugar.
When I was a child, I truly believed that yogurt was a health food. What I’ve learned as a food and nutrition writer is that some yogurts are essentially desserts in disguise, loaded with hidden sugar. However, it’s important to distinguish between total sugar and added sugar in yogurt, says Tara Collingwood, MS, RDN, CSSD, LD/N, ACSM-CPT, certified sports dietitian and co-author of the Flat stomach recipe book for dummies. “Yogurt naturally contains lactose, so the sugar number on the label is not just added sugar. Some flavored yogurts may be high in added sugar, but they also provide protein and important nutrients. They are not nutritionally equivalent to something like a donut.” This means that if you see a yogurt label saying 18 to 22 grams of sugar, that doesn’t mean it’s all added sugar. “Most plain yogurts contain 10 to 12 g of natural lactose per cup, and flavored yogurts often contain extra sugar,” she says. Here are 7 yogurts that are much higher in sugar than you think, some of which aren’t as unhealthy as you might think.
Dannon Low Fat Vanilla
Dannon Low-Fat Vanilla Yogurt has been a popular grocery store staple for decades. Each small cup contains 140 calories, 20 of which come from fat, 7g of protein and 21g of sugar. Of these, 12 grams are added sugar.
Yoplait Raspberry Mousse Whips
Who didn’t grow up eating these creamy and delicious containers of Yoplait? One popular type, Yoplait Raspberry Mousse Whips, has a dessert texture for a reason. There are 22 g of sugar including 18 of added sugar! This equates to about 36% of your recommended daily intake of added sugar.
Vanilla Silk Soy Milk Alternative
There was a time when people believed that anything soy-based was healthier than dairy. This is not the case. “The silk and soy yogurt alternative is lower in protein and may contain added sugars,” says Collingwood.
Chobani “Flip” Cookie Dough
What do you get when you combine Greek yogurt and candy? Basically, dessert. “Chobani Flip includes mix-ins, so the sugar is higher, but that’s to be expected given that it’s partly toppings and more of a dessert product,” says Collingwood. There are 19 grams of sugar, but of those, 14 are added.
Stonyfield Organic Strawberry
Stonyfield Organic Strawberry Yogurt may seem like a much healthier option in the yogurt aisle because it’s organic. However, each serving contains 16 grams of sugar, 11 of which are added.
Noosa Blueberry Yogurt
“Noosa is indeed higher in sugar (often ~25-30g per container), but it is also a larger serving (often 8oz) and includes both lactose and added sugar,” says Collingwood.
Yo Crunch
My daughter’s favorite yogurt? Yo Crunch, a low-fat yogurt accompanied by candy. But be careful! The M&Ms version has 26g of sugar, and all but six of them are added. And there’s only 5g of protein per serving.
Lea Groth
Leah Groth is an experienced editor and reporter for Best Life and Eat This, Not That! bringing readers the best new finds, trends and deals every week. Learn more about Léa
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