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Today, you'll see as many dairy-free yogurts, milk, and cheeses line the dairy aisle shelves as their cow's milk counterparts. As plant-based diets become more popular, people are looking to ditch dairy for a variety of reasons.
Whether you’re skipping cow’s milk because it sends you straight to the bathroom or you want to cut back on saturated fat from animal products, dairy-free yogurts can make a great substitute. But choosing dairy-free yogurt that lives up to the nutritional benefits of cow's milk varieties can be challenging.
“Dairy-free yogurt is a great option if you are looking for a dairy alternative due to personal preference or lactose intolerance—they are lactose-free but still contain a decent amount of healthy fats,” says Angel Planells, RDN, a Seattle-based registered dietitian nutritionist and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. “It is important to look at these yogurts as a satisfying snack, with the key things to focus on being calories, fiber, sugar (especially added sugars), protein, and fat.” Let’s decode what exactly to look for on the label.
How to buy the best dairy-free yogurt
“Comparing food labels among non-dairy yogurts can be very challenging, because nutrients widely vary,” says Kristen Smith, RD, Atlanta-based dietitian, founder of 360 Family Nutrition and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. That’s because of the differences in the main ingredient used to make yogurt.
Most dairy-free yogurts you see you in stores are made with almonds, cashews, soy, coconut, flaxseed, or oats as the base. But finding the best one for you comes down to taste and mouthfeel, says Planells. She adds that the plain version is a good option because you can add your own toppings, like fresh fruit, raw nuts, and ground cinnamon for flavor. This typically helps to cut back on added sugar.
Speaking of sweet, sugar poses one of the main problems with dairy-free yogurts because many manufacturers kick up a low-profile flavor with more of the refined stuff. One way you can check if there's added sugar is to look for an added sugars line in the nutrition facts; it's usually listed right under sugar.
You want to aim for brands with less than five grams of added sugar, Smith says. If the label doesn’t list sugars separately yet, check the ingredient list. A dairy-free yogurt that's truly sugar-free shouldn't see sugar or any variation of it, such as cane sugar or maple syrup, in the ingredient list. You also want to check if it's one of the main ingredients in the yogurt, and you can check this by seeing whether sugar is listed as one of the first three ingredients. When sugar is listed higher on the ingredient list, it means that the product contains a lot of it. “One of the surprising things is that some non-dairy yogurts labeled as plain, still have sugar as one of the first few ingredients,” Smith says.
In addition to sugar, you want to be mindful of the protein count, says Smith. Some dairy-free yogurts might contain upward of 10 grams of protein (typically in soy-based products), but a good number to search for is around six grams. Coconut yogurts might have a little less, so consider adding some nuts to increase its filling profile.
While you don’t necessarily need a fortified product, dairy-free yogurts with calcium or vitamin D are good options to have if you're following a plant-based diet or are completely eliminating cow's milk products from your diet. Be sure to also opt for dairy-free yogurts with gut-protecting probiotics. Look for live active cultures like acidipholus, bifidobacterial, thermophilus, or bulgaricus listed on the back of the label, Planells says.
For a spoonful that’ll satisfy these nutritionist-approved requirements, check out the list of the best dairy-free yogurts on the market.
Sweetened with plantains, this zero-added-sugar, coconut-based yogurt will satisfy your sweet cravings. Available in pineapple, vanilla, strawberry, blueberry, mango, raspberry, and plain, you're sure to find the flavor you love. It also has probiotics and special ingredients, like pili nuts and cassava root, to kick up the fiber.
Nutrition info per 1-container serving:140 calories, 11 g fat (7 g saturated fat), 65 mg sodium, 9 g carbs (1 g fiber, 6 g sugar), 2 g protein
If you love the rich flavor of coconut and creamy, thicknessof regular yogurt, then you'll love this dairy-free option from So Delicious.Blended mainly with coconut milk and rice starch to make it stick, this vegan-friendly option keeps things simple. Most coconut-based yogurts offer higher fat and lower protein content, but with this pick,you’ll get less sugar, too.
Nutrition info per 1-cup serving:110 calories, 7 g fat (7 g saturated fat), 45 mg sodium, 10 g carbs (3 g fiber, <1 g sugar), <1 g protein
Almonds make one of the mostpopular milk alternatives, and Silk provides a solid choice in getting your yogurt fix minus the dairy and soy. While it has six grams of sugar, it also contains three grams of fiber and six grams of protein—a strong combo for satisfying your nutrient needs. And although cane sugar is second on the ingredients list, there are only a few ingredients so it makes the cut.
Nutrition info per 1-container serving:180 calories, 13 g fat (1 g saturated fat), 65 mg sodium, 10 g carbs (3 g fiber, 6 g sugar), 6 g protein
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With soy as the main ingredient, you don’t need to sprinkle some protein powder to get adouble-digit dose of the muscle-building macronutrient. The melt-in-your-mouth creaminess comes from filtered soy beans and water, while it gets a flavor boost from cane sugar.The fiber also reaches three grams, so you can trust that your stomach won't start grumbling an hour later.
Nutrition info:140 calories, 5 g fat (0.5 g saturated fat), 95 mg sodium, 13 g carbs (3 g fiber, 7 g sugar), 10 g protein
5
Best Fruit Yogurt
Anita's Coconut Yogurt Mango Coconut Milk Yogurt
A small-batch brand made in Brooklyn, you can certainly have this yogurt for breakfast and feel like you had a real meal. That’s because of its satisfyingfull-fat coconut content. While it does contain 17 grams of sugar, only four come from an added source (coconut sugar). The rest of the sugar content comes from organic mangos (yes, the real thing!). Anti-inflammatoryturmeric infuses a hint of spice, while a dash of lemon juice balances theflavors.
Nutrition info per 1-serving container:278 calories, 21 g fat (19 g saturated fat), 27 mg sodium, 20 g carbs (3 g fiber, 17 g sugar), 3 g protein
You might consider this more of a morning meal than a snack, considering its high fiber and protein content, which comes from pea protein and chicory root. While it contains seven grams of added sugar that comes from coconut sugar, it'sthe fourth ingredient on the list. Enjoy a containerof this when you’re looking to start the day feeling strong and satisfied.
Nutrition per 1-container serving:180 calories, 8 g fat (1.5 g saturated fat), 160 mg sodium, 18 g carbs (6 g fiber, 7 g sugar), 13 g protein
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Chobani is known for creating one of the finest Greek yogurts out there. Catering to their dairy-free customers, the brand recently launched a coconut milk-based yogurt made with tapioca flour and probiotics. Unlike other flavored yogurts, this one has 25 percent less sugar and has just a hint of sweetness. It also boasts two grams of fiber.
Nutrition info per 1-container serving:130 calories, 8 g fat (7 g saturated fat), 5 mg sodium, 16 g carbs (2 g fiber, 7 g sugar), 1 g protein
Oat milk is having a major nutrition moment, and now you can find it in dairy-free yogurt. This oat milk-based yogurt gets itshigh-protein content from faba beans. Made without added sugar (unless you choose the fruit-filled flavor), this yogurt also deliverslive active cultures, including thermophilus and bulgaricus, which are commonly found in dairy-based yogurts, andbifidum lactis, a non-dairy bacteria.
Nutrition info per 1-container serving:70 calories, 1.5 g fat (0.5 g saturated fat), 0 mg sodium, 9 g carbs (2 g fiber, 0 g sugar), 6 g protein
Cashewmilk (or cashews and filtered water) lends a satisfying creaminessto this yogurt. It also has coconut cream and probiotics, so you'll get a smooth spoonful of gut-friendly bacteria with every bite.The protein is a little low, though,so you'll want to add some raw nuts or a teaspoon of nut butter to increase the macros andinfuse somecrunch.
Nutrition info per 1-container serving:110 calories, 7 g fat (1.5 g saturated fat), 5 mg sodium, 9 g carbs (0 g fiber, 1 g sugar), 3 g protein
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Made with flax milk, this yogurt provides a dose of omega-3 fatty acids, which help protect against cardiovascular disease, Smith says. It’s also nut-free for anyone with an allergy and carries six grams of protein to keep you full for hours.
Nutrition info per 1-container serving:90 calories, 2.5 g fat (0 g saturated fat), 75 mg sodium, 13 g carbs (1 g fiber, 7 g sugar), 6 g protein
Mallory Creveling, an ACE-certified personal trainer and RRCA-certified run coach, joined the Runner's World and Bicycling team in August 2021. She has more than a decade of experience covering fitness, health, and nutrition. As a freelance writer, her work appeared in Women's Health, Self, Men's Journal, Reader's Digest, and more. She has also held staff editorial positions at Family Circle and Shape magazines, as well as DailyBurn.com. A former New Yorker/Brooklynite, she's now based in Easton, PA.
