Introduction
Greek yogurt has become a popular snack and breakfast food in recent years. It’s a great source of protein and calcium, and it’s also low in fat and calories. But not all Greek yogurts are created equal. Some are loaded with sugar and artificial ingredients, while others are made with natural ingredients and are much healthier. In this article, we’ll rank the best and worst Greek yogurts in 2021 so you can make an informed decision when you’re shopping for yogurt. We’ll also provide some tips on how to choose the healthiest Greek yogurt.
The Best & Worst Greek Yogurts in 2021—Ranked!
Greek yogurt has become a popular snack and breakfast food in recent years, and for good reason. It’s packed with protein, calcium, and probiotics, making it a great choice for a healthy diet. But with so many brands and flavors to choose from, it can be hard to know which ones are the best and which ones to avoid. To help you make the right choice, we’ve ranked the best and worst Greek yogurts in 2021.
The Best Greek Yogurts
- Chobani Greek Yogurt: This brand is a classic favorite, and for good reason. It’s made with only natural ingredients and is low in sugar and calories. Plus, it comes in a variety of flavors, so you can find one that you love.
- Fage Total Greek Yogurt: This brand is a great choice for those looking for a high-protein snack. It’s made with only natural ingredients and is low in sugar and calories. Plus, it comes in a variety of flavors, so you can find one that you love.
- Stonyfield Organic Greek Yogurt: This brand is a great choice for those looking for a high-protein snack. It’s made with only organic ingredients and is low in sugar and calories. Plus, it comes in a variety of flavors, so you can find one that you love.
- Oikos Greek Yogurt: This brand is a great choice for those looking for a high-protein snack. It’s made with only natural ingredients and is low in sugar and calories. Plus, it comes in a variety of flavors, so you can find one that you love.
- Wallaby Organic Greek Yogurt: This brand is a great choice for those looking for a high-protein snack. It’s made with only organic ingredients and is low in sugar and calories. Plus, it comes in a variety of flavors, so you can find one that you love.
The Worst Greek Yogurts
- Yoplait Greek Yogurt: This brand is high in sugar and calories, and it contains artificial sweeteners and flavors. It’s not a great choice for those looking for a healthy snack.
- Dannon Greek Yogurt: This brand is high in sugar and calories, and it contains artificial sweeteners and flavors. It’s not a great choice for those looking for a healthy snack.
- Oikos Triple Zero Greek Yogurt: This brand is high in sugar and calories, and it contains artificial sweeteners and flavors. It’s not a great choice for those looking for a healthy snack.
- Chobani Flip Greek Yogurt: This brand is high in sugar and calories, and it contains artificial sweeteners and flavors. It’s not a great choice for those looking for a healthy snack.
- Fage 2% Greek Yogurt: This brand is high in sugar and calories, and it contains artificial sweeteners and flavors. It’s not a great choice for those looking for a healthy snack.
We hope this list helps you make the right choice when it comes to choosing the best and worst Greek yogurts in 2021. Remember, always read the nutrition label and ingredients list to make sure you’re getting the healthiest option.
Greek yogurt is a healthy, delicious snack and often a useful ingredient in cooking. And it exists in so many flavors—from the sweet to the sour to the fruity and beyond—that there’s almost surely a type you’ll enjoy.
On the other hand, when we look at various brands of Greek yogurt through the lens of nutrition, things get less subjective and more easily categorized in terms of best and worst. That’s because while many Greek yogurts are indeed nutritious and delicious, packing in the protein and low in or devoid of fats, others are rather lacking in nutritional value.
So choose your Greek yogurt with care, because the right one can be a nutritional powerhouse. “Greek yogurt is a great source of nutrients for our bodies, like calcium and protein,” says Kristen Carli, RD, a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and the owner of Camelback Nutrition & Wellness in Phoenix, Ariz. “Regular plain Greek yogurt contains less sugar and double the amount of protein compared to low-fat yogurts.”
We have ranked most of the top brands of Greek yogurt based on the calories, fats, sugars, and sodium you’ll find in a serving, and as you’ll see, the numbers can vary widely. You’ll also notice that nonfat is not always a guarantee of a healthy option.
And for the record, while there are many great brands creating vegetarian- and vegan-friendly takes on Greek yogurt, for our purposes we’re sticking with dairy-based varieties. We are also sticking with unflavored—aka plain—Greek yogurt, as comparing, say, a plain nonfat Greek yogurt from one brand to a Honey Vanilla flavor from another is an apples-to-oranges situation.
This ranking starts with the least healthy options in the category and ends with the absolute best Greek yogurt you can eat.
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Per serving: 220 Calories, 14 grams Fat, 9 grams Saturated Fat, 15 grams Sugar, 150 milligrams Sodium, 9 grams Protein
Noting that the serving sizes of Greek Yogurt are almost always 227 grams (or a full cup) or 170 grams (3/4 of a cup) and that this one is in the former larger serving category, it’s just a not great choice if you’re trying to be great about your health, given the fats, sugars, and sodium. It’s also lacking in the protein department.
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Per serving: 230 Calories, 16 grams Fat, 10 grams Saturated Fat, 4 grams Sugar, 80 milligrams Sodium, 14 grams Protein
This is very much a whole milk Greek yogurt, thus it’s pretty heavily laden with calories (especially for a 170-gram serving) and fats, but it’s also a pretty solid source of protein and it’s low in sugar and sodium, so there’s some balance there.
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Per serving: 210 Calories, 11 grams Fat, 8 grams Saturated Fat, 7 grams Sugar, 80 milligrams Sodium, 20 grams Protein
Sure, this Greek yogurt is pretty heavy on calories and fat, and it’s got a fair amount of sugar compared to other options. But with 20 grams of protein per 227-gram serving, it delivers big on this necessary nutrient.
Per serving: 190 Calories, 8 grams Fat, 5 grams Saturated Fat, 7 grams Sugar, 80 milligrams Sodium, 22 grams Protein
This organic Greek yogurt from Stonyfield matches many others in its stats for fats (both overall and saturated), sugar content, and sodium, but it manages to be a bit lower in calories and higher in protein than a few of the nearest comps.
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Per serving: 130 Calories, 0 grams Fat, 0 grams Saturated Fat, 18 grams Sugar, 180 milligrams Sodium, 12 grams Protein
What is a nonfat Greek yogurt doing at this point in our rundown, when there are still many yogurts with fat in them to go? Just take a look at the stats this one has when it comes to sugar and sodium and you’ll have your answer.
Per serving: 150 Calories, 7 grams Fat, 3.5 grams Saturated Fat, 8 grams Sugar, 65 milligrams Sodium, 22 grams Protein
This moderately fatty, low sodium, and high protein Greek yogurt moves us into the middle ground in terms of health, balancing a good protein-to-calorie ratio but still having a bit more fat and sugar than one hopes to see.
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Per serving: 150 Calories, 6 grams Fat, 3.5 grams Saturated Fat, 5 grams Sugar, 65 milligrams Sodium, 16 grams Protein
You’ll find a great overall balance in this option. The fats are relatively low, the sugar and sodium quite modest for the product category, and the protein decent if not stunning.
Per serving: 130 Calories, 3.5 grams Fat, 2 grams Saturated Fat, 4 grams Sugar, 60 milligrams Sodium, 17 grams Protein
The last Greek yogurt on this list that has any fats, this one does not have much fat, nor does it have much sugar or sodium per serving. And while the calorie count is modest too, it does have more protein than most Greek yogurts on our list.
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Per serving: 100 Calories, 0 grams Fat, 0 grams Saturated Fat, 5 grams Sugar, 65 milligrams Sodium, 16 grams Protein
From here on out, the numbers tend to get pretty close. This one is, by all means, a healthy choice for nonfat Greek yogurt, but it does have a bit more sodium and sugar and a few more calories than the others on a serving comparison basis.
Per serving: 100 Calories, 0 grams Fat, 0 grams Saturated Fat, 6 grams Sugar, 60 milligrams Sodium, 17 grams Protein
Happy Belly is an Amazon brand, but don’t let that make you think it’s cheap or shoddy: this Greek yogurt is almost a direct comp to the organic Whole Foods brand (which is also owned by Amazon), except that it has less sodium, more protein, and only a bit more sugar.
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Per serving: 90 Calories, 0 grams Fat, 0 grams Saturated Fat, 7 grams Sugar, 70 milligrams Sodium, 17 grams Protein
This Greek yogurt has 10 fewer calories than its predecessor on the list yet the same amount of protein and only a bit more sugar and sodium—negligibly small amounts, really. Another thing that’s small about this one is the price tag you’ll find on it at Walmart.
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Per serving: 80 Calories, 0 grams Fat, 0 grams Saturated Fat, 6 grams Sugar, 60 milligrams Sodium, 15 grams Protein
While not a heavy hitter when it comes to protein, this Greek yogurt from Oikos holds its own there. And just look at the numbers when it comes to sodium and calories. As for sugars, no cause for concern there at six grams, which translates to about 2% of your daily recommended amount.
Per serving: 100 Calories, 0 grams Fat, 0 grams Saturated Fat, 6 grams Sugar, 55 milligrams Sodium, 18 grams Protein
This Target brand nonfat Greek yogurt has the lowest sodium content of any on the list, but is near the top when it comes to the protein content. And it’s in that 100-calorie-per-serving sweet spot, too, not to mention the moderate sugars and zero fats.
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Per serving: 100 Calories, 0 grams Fat, 0 grams Saturated Fat, 5 grams Sugar, 65 milligrams Sodium, 16 grams Protein
Looking for a perfect Greek yogurt to use for anything from a snack to an ingredient in a recipe? Then this fat-free, low sugar, low sodium option is a fine choice, largely because it’s less tart than many Greek yogurts and will readily meld into the other ingredients you’re using.
Per serving; 90 Calories, 0 grams Fat, 0 grams Saturated Fat, 4 grams Sugar, 65 milligrams Sodium, 16 grams Protein
The healthiest Greek yogurt on our list is this nonfat option from Chobani, which has just 90 calories per serving, a scant four grams of sugar per serving, and a decent dose of protein given how low all of its other stats are. It also has a stellar 4.8-star rating on Amazon at present with nearly 5,000 reviews posted and counting.
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