Yogurt has some impressive health benefits. This simple natural drink is rich in various important nutrients and proteins that the body needs. 

Next to that yogurt is a great tool to use to strengthen your immune system, support heart health, and promote weight management. 

You have probably noticed that the yogurt section in stores offers dozens of different yogurt brands. So, how do you choose the best one? 

Every yogurt is ok if you want that creamy taste, but if you want to get the best yogurt to support your health, you need to choose wisely. 

Here is how to choose the best yogurt for your health in only three steps. 

Always Check the Label

Labels are important. Every yogurt comes with labels – which guarantee that the product is safe to consume. Plus, labels show ingredients, and as such is the only way for you to know what’s really in your food. 

Important: All yogurts start as plain yogurt, but end up with a completely different structure. 

Yogurt often contains added ingredients, such as sugar, dyes, artificial flavors, preservatives, and even stabilizers. 

This is why you should always choose yogurt with minimal additional ingredients. Or at least choose the one with more scattered ingredients. 

Ingredients are listed by weight, so if you see the ‘sugar’ on the top skip that yogurt. Sugar is in almost everything, and high amounts of it, lead to:

  • Low energy 
  • Insomnia
  • Bloating
  • Weight gain 
  • Constant cravings 

So, whenever possible choose yogurt with minimum sugar or eat fruit if you have a sugar craving. 

Choose A Healthy Flavored Yogurt 

Milk and natural source ingredients are the best way to create a 100% tasteful and healthy yogurt. 

This kind of yogurt you can eat plain, mix with fruit, or use to make fast and healthy home-made treats. 

Healthy yogurt is all about low sugar, low fat, and no fat.

So, if you love creamy yogurts with flavor, choose wisely. If you want to add flavored yogurt to your breakfast first read the label and get familiar with nutritional facts – if you see a low level of saturated fat and trans fat you are good to go; in that case healthy vanilla yogurt or plain yogurt are identical: both are healthy, great to use for breakfast, smoothies, overnight oats, or even as moist muffins and cakes. 

Search For Live Cultures

Healthy probiotic bacteria are used to make yogurt. This bacteria is great for your gut and overall health. They turn milk into sugar, otherwise known as lactose, into acid, which gives that famous sour yogurt taste. 

These bacteria are known as ‘live cultures’ in yogurt, and you shouldn’t avoid them. 

They come with many benefits, including:

  • Stimulating the immune system 
  • Reducing symptoms of depression 
  • Reducing the risk of diarrhea

So, to get the most from yogurt, choose one with the most probiotics. 

The Bottom Line

Yogurt is a healthy, diet-friendly, and healthy-supporting food, however, not all yogurts are the same. 

Learn as much as you can about reading and understanding product labels. 

This way you will easily see which brand fits you the most, and how often you can drink this creamy and delicious yogurt with extra flavor.