Yogurt is a delicious, nutrition-rich snack that is high in protein and healthy fats. But since it’s primarily made of dairy milk, which also has a high sugar content and isn’t keto-friendly, can you still eat yogurt while on the keto diet?
The sugars or lactose in dairy milk are consumed by the probiotic bacteria in yogurt, which makes yogurt keto-friendly. However, the sugar content of yogurt varies by flavor and brand. Consuming yogurt with under 10 grams of carbs in each serving is ideal to stay in ketosis.
There are several things to understand about the many types of yogurt and the keto diet. Read on below to learn more.
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What Yogurt Is Keto Friendly?
The keto diet is a popular and efficient weight loss eating plan that involves consuming a high fat, low carbohydrate diet.
This usually means consuming no more than 30 grams of net carbs a day in order to stay in ketosis, since the lactose in yogurt still converts into sugar in your body. However, given that most yogurt is made from cow’s milk which is notorious for its high sugar content, can you still eat yogurt on a keto diet?
Is Yogurt Keto-friendly?
The sugar (lactose) content in milk is consumed by its probiotic bacteria as part of the fermentation process. Because of this, many yogurt varieties can be eaten on a keto diet.
Keep in mind that the sugar content of yogurt varies greatly depending on the flavor, brand, or kind of yogurt. It’s always wise to read the nutrition label of yogurt before consuming.
Unflavored, full-fat yogurt that makes use of no fruits, added sugars or sweeteners are the best yogurt for keto. Generally speaking, a 200g serving of plain yogurt typically contains 8-10 grams of carbohydrates, which ensures you’re still in ketosis as long as you keep your carbohydrate intake low for the rest of the day.
However, there are keto-friendly yogurt brands that make use of sugar alternatives to sweeten it. Specific keto-friendly yogurts are definitely ideal for keto.
Is Greek Yogurt Keto Friendly?
Greek yogurt can be keto friendly depending on its sugar content. Store-bought unflavored and full-fat Greek yogurt contains anywhere from 4 to 10 grams of carbs in each cup while also being high in protein, making this a suitable snack for the keto diet.
However, some Greek yogurt brands are high in carbs: they can contain as much as 16 grams in one cup. Vanilla and other types of flavored Greek yogurt are not keto friendly. The best way to be sure if a specific Greek yogurt is keto is to read its nutrition label.
Is Coconut Yogurt Keto?
Coconuts milk is one of the most nutritious high-fat and plant-based dairy sources on the keto diet. Because of this, coconut yogurt is one of the safest choices for keto as long as it doesn’t have added sugars and the carb content is under 10 grams in each serving.
What Is the Best Yogurt on Keto?
If you enjoy eating yogurt but are on the keto diet, the good news is that you can still eat it while keeping your carb intake low for the day. Shopping around for keto-friendly yogurt can be intimidating, but below is a list of common yogurt brands and varieties that you can eat.
Best Yogurt Brands for Keto
Check out these popular yogurt brands that have keto-friendly options:
- Yoplait is an American yogurt brand that boasts of a wide array of options to choose from. From Greek to lactose-free yogurt, fans of this fermented dairy can’t go wrong no matter what your diet is. The Yoplait YQ Yogurt was specially designed to cater to low-carb diets, with just 1 gram of sugar in each serving.
- Chobani is a famous dairy brand that specializes in delicious Greek yogurt. Their whole-milk plain Greek yogurt choices are an excellent staple for the keto diet because it only contains 7 grams of carbs in each serving. Their Greek yogurt is ideal not just as a snack but also to use in keto-friendly dressings and sauces.
- Ratio is a brand of keto-friendly snacks and yogurt. They offer tasty, flavored yogurt cups such as strawberry, mango, vanilla, and coconut yogurt that are just 2 grams of carbs in each serving. For guaranteed delicious and keto-friendly yogurt, you can’t go wrong with Ratio.
Best Yogurt Varieties for Keto
There are dozens of yogurt types out there. If you are looking for keto-friendly yogurt, consider these criteria:
Low Carb Milk Sources:
Yogurt Varieties:
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Activia yogurt keto-friendly?
Activia is one of the most popular yogurt brands. However, Activia yogurt contains high amounts of net carbs in each serving. On average, it contains around 13 grams of net carbs for every 100-gram serving.
Consuming Activia yogurt as long as you restrict your carb intake for the rest of the day can still be keto-friendly.
Conclusion
Low carb yogurt is a great keto-friendly snack. As long as you are selective with the type of yogurt you eat by reading nutrition labels, you can enjoy delicious yogurt and still stay in ketosis.
