Healthy Yogurts That Taste Great Too

Which should you choose? The three types vary not just in fat levels but also in other nutrients, as well as in texture and flavor.

In general, whole-milk yogurt has a few more calories and is higher in fat and saturated fat than low-fat and nonfat yogurts. It’s also lower in protein and calcium. For example, a cup of traditional whole-milk plain yogurt has about 8 grams of protein and 300 mg of calcium vs. about 11 grams of protein and 400 mg of calcium in a cup of traditional plain nonfat.

A majority of the fat in whole-milk yogurt is saturated, which experts caution against overconsuming. But some research suggests that dairy fat, such as in yogurt and cheese, might not have the same artery-clogging effect as the saturated fat in red meat, processed meat, and some baked goods. While it still may be important to keep your overall saturated fat intake in check, there’s little difference in the way nonfat, low-fat, or whole-milk yogurts affect your risk of chronic diseases, says Mark Haub, PhD, a professor of food and health sciences at Kansas State University in Manhattan. So it’s fine to choose the type you like best from the following.

Whole-Milk Yogurt
This yogurt has a creamy, velvety texture because of the full-fat milk it’s made from. It also has the most saturated fat (about 5 grams per cup for plain yogurt). In our tests, all of the whole-milk strawberry yogurts rated highly for taste. But some people might find whole-milk yogurt too rich for their liking.

Low-Fat Yogurt
This yogurt falls in between whole-milk and nonfat versions in terms of texture and nutrition. Plain low-fat yogurt will usually have about half the saturated fat of whole-milk yogurt. The amount of protein is about 30 percent higher, while calcium levels are about 35 percent higher.

Nonfat Yogurt
This yogurt has a thinner texture and may be slightly watery, although Greek and Icelandic versions can still be pretty thick. Plain nonfat yogurt can taste more tart than whole-milk yogurt. Nonfat traditional has about 30 percent more protein and 40 percent more calcium than traditional whole-milk yogurt.

Traditional yogurt was for many years the only type on the market in the U.S. Even today, if a yogurt label doesn’t specify otherwise, this is probably what you’re getting. Traditional, or "unstrained," yogurt is creamy and has a looser texture than some other types. It comes in nonfat, low-fat, and whole-milk forms, and in general, the higher the fat content, the creamier the yogurt. It has about half the protein of Greek or Icelandic varieties but is the highest in calcium.

Greek Yogurt
This yogurt is noticeably thicker than traditional styles because it’s strained to remove the liquid whey (a protein in milk). Whole-milk versions are quite dense, but even a nonfat Greek yogurt can be thick and firm. It also tends to have a tangier flavor than traditional yogurt, especially the plain varieties. The higher concentration of milk solids means that Greek yogurt has about twice the protein. But it also has more calories than a traditional yogurt with the same fat level. The biggest difference is between the whole-milk yogurts: Plain Greek has about 215 calories per cup, and plain traditional has about 150 calories. And Greek has less calcium. For instance, low-fat traditional plain yogurt has about 390 mg per cup while low-fat Greek has about 265 mg.

Icelandic Yogurt
Also known as skyr, Icelandic yogurt ferments longer than other types and is strained several times. It’s generally thicker than Greek yogurt and tangier tasting, too. Though it varies by brand, Icelandic yogurt tends to have slightly more protein than Greek yogurt but less calcium than traditional yogurt. Like traditional and Greek yogurt, it comes in nonfat, low-fat, and whole-milk forms.

French Yogurt
Most yogurts are produced in huge vats and then put into individual containers for sale. French yogurt is "pot set," which means it’s made and sold in individual glass or clay jars. It’s on the denser, creamier side for an unstrained yogurt because it’s typically made with whole milk. French-style yogurt is similar to traditional whole-milk yogurt in calories, saturated fat, protein, and calcium. Plain French tends to taste less sweet than other styles.

Almond or Cashew Milk
Like dairy yogurt, these nut-milk yogurts contain live active cultures and probiotics. They’re also low in saturated fat. Protein in the ones in our tests ranged from 3 to 5 grams per container. The dairy yogurts we tested had 4 to 15 grams. Nut-milk yogurts that have more protein may contain isolated sources of protein such as soy protein. These may not be as good for you as the protein naturally in foods. Nut milks have little natural calcium, so you’ll want to look for a yogurt that’s fortified with the mineral. Even so, they’re not necessarily brimming with calcium. Those in our tests had 2 to 10 percent of the daily value, while the dairy-milk yogurts had 10 to 20 percent.

Coconut Milk
This kind of yogurt has the creamiest texture of the plant-milk yogurts. It contains live active cultures but little calcium or protein (unless they’re added) and often significantly more saturated fat than whole-milk dairy or other plant-milk yogurts. You may have heard that coconut’s saturated fat doesn’t increase cholesterol, but a 2020 analysis of 16 studies published in the journal Circulation found that coconut oil raised LDL ("bad") cholesterol by more than 10 points.

Oat Milk
The slightly sweet taste of oat milk sometimes comes through in yogurts made from it. They contain good-for-you live cultures, and some have added protein. Like other plant-milk yogurts, they’re low in calcium unless the mineral is added.

Drinkable yogurt is yogurt—it’s simply been diluted a bit with water or produced in a way that gives it a lighter consistency than the spoonable stuff. Some have a very thin texture, while others are as thick as buttermilk or heavy cream. It depends on the style of yogurt used to make it (Greek is on the thicker side; traditional is thinner), the type of milk it contains (dairy or plant), and its fat content.