Yogurt - More Fat Less Sugar Please

As a nutritionist, I am appalled with our yogurt choices. Most yogurts are nonfat with over 20 grams of sugar making this healthy snack more like a dessert. Folks, fat is not the enemy. Sugar is stored as fat when consumed in excess. Non-fat choices typically have more sugar to maintain desired tastiness. Reading nutrition labels is a great way to get a feel for healthy choices.

For adults, I recommend a low-fat yogurt with 13 grams or less of sugar. If you want to add a little protein greek yogurts are a good choice. My go to yogurt is Dannon All Natural Plain Lowfat Yogurt. While I was pregnant I ate Chobani Lowfat Plain Yogurt for a little extra protein. Plain yogurts afford you the option to add toppings of your choice. And they make a great base for smoothies.

For children under the age of 2, picking a yogurt with low sugar and whole fat milk is the obvious choice. YoBaby by Stonyfield Farm has several whole milk flavors with 13 grams or less of sugar. My daughter especially likes blueberry and banana. For a high protein option Chobani now has a kids line that is low-fat called Chobani Champions. I recommend the Very Berry or Orange Vanilla flavors.

Note: Consult your doctor, dietitian, or pediatrician for dietary recommendations. My thoughts, expressed here, are based on recommendations by my family's health care providers.