Where To Look For Instant Red Flags On The Yogurt You're Buying

While breakfast was not always considered a necessary meal, today many people cannot start their mornings without it. There are tons of iconic options, but yogurt has long been a staple, often seen as an alternative to sugary breakfast foods like cereal and pastries. However, the tub of yogurt you pick up at the supermarket may not be as healthy as you'd think, which is why you should always check nutritional labels.

Even yogurt that advertises itself as "healthy" can contain large amounts of sugar, both natural and added. For example, Chobani Flip Lemon Meringue Pie Low-Fat Greek Yogurt markets itself as a reduced fat product made with natural ingredients, but its nutrition facts outline that it contains 13 grams of added sugars, which accounts for 26% of the recommended daily amount for an adult. But, this isn't an anomaly. Despite branding itself "light," Yoplait Whips Reduced Fat Cherry Cheesecake Yogurt Mousse contains 22 grams of sugar; 18 of which are from added sugars.

While these types of yogurts aren't technically falsely advertised, consumers may mistakenly believe they're a healthier option without considering how much sugar they contain. There's nothing wrong with enjoying sweet yogurt, but it is important to know what you're buying, especially if you're following a special or low-sugar diet. Hence, why it's essential to consult both the nutrition facts and the ingredients list. If sugar, sucrose, or high fructose corn syrup are high up on the ingredients list, you may want to look elsewhere.

Love yogurt but want to limit your sugar intake? Fear not as some brands are better than others when it comes to sugar content. For instance, Oikos Triple Zero Greek Yogurts have 5 grams of natural sugar and 0 grams of added sugar thanks to being sweetened with stevia. Another great option is Siggi's Plain Icelandic Style Yogurt, which has less natural sugar (5 grams) than other brands thanks to its particular straining process. That said, you'll notice when looking at the labels on these options that neither include sugar in the ingredients list – Oikos contains less than 1 percent of stevia leaf extract and Siggi's includes only cultured pasteurized skim milk and active cultures.

For those who don't consume dairy, there are also great low-sugar and plant-based yogurts out there. For instance, Silk's Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk Yogurt Alternative has less than 1 gram of natural sugar. However, it doesn't contain as much protein as a typical yogurt as it contains only six grams. For a higher protein option, consider :ratio Protein Greek Yogurt Cultured Dairy Snack, which is made with coconut milk and has 25 grams of protein and only 3 grams of sugar. Of course, there are other options, too. Just be sure to carefully read the nutritional labels and ingredients list of whichever yogurt you buy so you know exactly what (and much sugar!) you're getting.