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Yogurt can be a great inclusion in a healthy diet, but, unfortunately, some yogurts resemble desserts rather than healthy snacks as they can be filled with sugars and high-carb toppings.
Luckily, more and more low-carb yogurts have become available in the last couple of years and many of them are tasty alternatives to regular yogurt.
In this review, we’ll look at some of the low-carb yogurt options currently available in many supermarkets and online.
Table of Contents
- How I ranked the different brands
- Low-carb yogurt review
- Ratio Food KETO* Friendly Yogurt Cultured Dairy Snack, Strawberry
- Two Good Greek Lowfat Yogurt, Strawberry
- Siggi’s Lower Sugar Skyr, Strawberry
- Kite Hill Greek-Style Plant-Based Yogurt, Vanilla
- Chobani Zero Sugar Yogurt, Strawberry
- CARBmaster, Low Fat Yogurt, Strawberry
- Fage Total 0%, Nonfat Plain Greek Yogurt
- Fage BestSelf Lactose-Free, Plain
- Oikos Triple Zero High Protein Nonfat Greek Yogurt, Peach
- Culina Plant Based Yogurt, Blueberry Lavender
- Dannon, Light + Fit, Toasted Coconut Vanilla Greek Fat Free Yogurt
- What’s so great about yogurt for people with diabetes?
- Can yogurt help prevent type 2 diabetes?
How I ranked the different brands
The brands included all have less than 10 grams of total carbs per serving and less than 9 grams of net carbs per serving.
Net carbs are calculated as the total carb amount minus fiber. We look at net carbs and not total carbs because fibers don’t get converted into glucose in your digestive system and therefore don’t impact blood sugars.
(It’s worth noting that “net carbohydrates” is not a regulated term, nor is it officially recognized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration [FDA] or the American Diabetes Association [ADA].)
I have tried each of the 11 yogurts myself so I can give you my honest opinion on taste, texture, and blood sugar impact.
I have given each yogurt a score from 1 to 5 based on:
- Taste
- Consistency
- Is the serving size reasonable? (should be at least 5.3 ounces [150 grams])
- How does it impact my blood sugar? (this can differ from person to person)
These are of course subjective measures, but I hope this review will still give you a good idea of which brands are good and which have room for improvement.
I have listed the yogurts based on the net carbs per serving, from lowest to highest.
Low-carb yogurt review
Ratio Food KETO* Friendly Yogurt Cultured Dairy Snack, Strawberry
Net carbs: 2 g
Review score: 5 stars
To my surprise, I REALLY liked this yogurt. I’m surprised because I usually don’t enjoy most keto products, but this was excellent. The texture is smooth and silky with a distinct berry flavor. It’s not too sweet and I really enjoyed eating it.
You’ll find this product with the other yogurts in the yogurt aisle, but it’s actually advertised as a dairy snack rather than a yogurt. I’m not exactly sure why as it’s a milk-based product.
It’s surprisingly high in protein (15 grams) for a keto snack but it only has 2 grams of net carbs and 1 gram of sugar in a serving.
Because it’s a keto snack, it’s high in fat and therefore also fairly high in calories compared to other low-carb yogurts. So, if you’re looking to limit your calories, be careful with this one because it’s hard to only eat part of it — it’s that good.
Many people will probably get away with not even having to take any insulin with this yogurt, but if you do, be mindful that the high fat content could delay any blood sugar impact.
Two Good Greek Lowfat Yogurt, Strawberry
Net carbs: 3 g
Review score: 4 stars
Overall, this is a pretty good low-carb yogurt. The texture is fairly creamy, but I would like it to be a bit firmer. That could be a preference thing though. The taste was really good and I could clearly tell that it was strawberry yogurt.
It’s sweetened with stevia and natural flavors but does not have any fruit pieces in it. That combination means that they have been able to keep the carb count amazingly low at only 3 grams per serving. I’d say that’s fairly unusual for a fruit-flavored yogurt.
It also has a very limited blood sugar impact. I did need a little bit of insulin to prevent a blood sugar increase, but I only needed ½ unit of rapid-acting insulin.
Since it’s Greek low-fat yogurt, the calories (80 calories) and fat (2 grams) are also low, while it packs 12 grams of protein, which makes it a good option for anyone wanting to limit their calorie intake.
Siggi’s Lower Sugar Skyr, Strawberry
Net carbs: 4 g
Review score: 3.5 stars
Siggi’s Icelandic Skyr’s claim to fame is that it’s a relatively low-carb but very high-protein product with 14 grams of protein per serving.
It’s a bit on the sour side, even though it’s sweetened with stevia, but I like the taste.
I found the blood sugar impact to be fairly mild, which is to be expected with only 4 grams of carbs.
I also tried the regular Siggi’s skyr and the vanilla-flavored skyr. Both were pretty good, but the total carb content of vanilla-flavored skyr is 11 grams, which puts it just over the 10-gram threshold I have for this review.
If you choose one of the regular Siggi’s, note that all but the plain and the vanilla flavor have more than 13 grams of carbs per serving. It’s not a lot, but it will be enough to see a blood sugar impact for most people.
Kite Hill Greek-Style Plant-Based Yogurt, Vanilla
Net carbs: 3 g
Review score: 2 stars
I bought this in Whole Foods and it’s one of the nastiest things I’ve ever tried to eat, so the low score is mainly based on taste. I can’t provide any experience on how it impacts blood sugars as I didn’t manage to eat more than a single teaspoon.
It’s too bad, as it’s one of the few low-carb, non-dairy options. It’s made with almond milk, which means that it’s higher in calories and fat than most of the other low-carb yogurts.
Chobani Zero Sugar Yogurt, Strawberry
Net carbs: 5 g
Review score: 5 stars
This has become my favorite yogurt. I like pretty much all of the different flavors and there are a lot to choose from.
The fruit flavors taste like the real deal and my favorites are strawberry, coconut, and blueberry.
It’s sweetened with allulose, stevia, and monk fruit, so many of the carb-neutral sweeteners available.
Aside from this yogurt tasting great, I’ve also found it very blood sugar friendly. With only 5 net carbs, that isn’t much of a surprise.
To summarize, if you’re only going to try one yogurt on this list, I would suggest you start with this one.
CARBmaster, Low Fat Yogurt, Strawberry
Net carbs: 5 g
Review score: 4 stars
It took me a while to decide if I liked this yogurt, but I finally decided that I do. The taste reminded me of those old-school yogurts we got back in the 1980s. That’s not good or bad, it’s just old school.
The yogurt is fairly creamy and has a good texture. It tastes a little artificial, which is weird when it’s mainly sweetened with fruit puree, but it could be the sucralose that they have added.
The yogurt is very low in net carbs and it hardly impacted my blood sugar, which is definitely a plus. According to the label, it’s also completely lactose-free, which is a benefit if you are looking to reduce or eliminate lactose.
Fage Total 0%, Nonfat Plain Greek Yogurt
Net carbs: 5 g
Review score: 4.5 stars
This was my go-to yogurt for years. It’s a little different from the other yogurts in this review as it’s plain yogurt. I usually add stevia or a little fruit myself to add a bit of flavor.
I like this yogurt due to its high protein content (it’s the only low-carb yogurt I’ve found that packs 18 grams of protein per serving) and low-carb, low-calorie profile. And because it’s a plain yogurt, I can add whatever flavor I like.
I do see a small blood sugar impact from this yogurt, probably due to the lactose and high protein content.
Fage BestSelf Lactose-Free, Plain
Net carbs: 6 g
Review score: 4.5 stars
Fage also offers a plain lactose-free yogurt option. It’s a strained yogurt, which could be why it comes across as almost dry.
The taste is pleasant and I didn’t find it to be sour (which a lot of plain yogurts are). I quite enjoyed eating this.
Like the non-fat Fage, I think this yogurt needs a bit of stevia, fruit, or granola to be really enjoyable. Also like the non-fat Fage, this yogurt is high in protein (18 grams) and very gentle on blood sugars.
Oikos Triple Zero High Protein Nonfat Greek Yogurt, Peach
Net carbs: 7 g
Review score: 3 stars
This yogurt is sold as a health-conscious choice. The triple zero refers to the yogurt having 0 percent added sugar, 0 percent artificial sweeteners, and 0 percent fat.
As with some other yogurts, the whey is often separated from the “solid” yogurt when you open the container, but once mixed, the yogurt has a nice silky-smooth consistency.
The peach-flavored yogurt has a somewhat sickly orange hue to it and I wouldn’t say it tastes much like peach. It’s not very sweet either, so the overall experience is somewhat disappointing,
From a blood sugar perspective, the yogurt didn’t do much more damage than I’d expect 7 grams of carbs would do. I didn’t see a spike and with about 1 unit of insulin (what I need for that amount at the time of day that I ate the yogurt), I hardly saw any blood sugar increase.
Culina Plant Based Yogurt, Blueberry Lavender
Net carbs: 9 g
Review score: 4 stars
This is the best non-dairy yogurt I’ve tried so far. It’s a very thick, almost grainy coconut-based yogurt, but it has a good yogurt flavor, and I wasn’t in doubt that I was enjoying a blueberry yogurt.
It’s a very high-calorie yogurt (240 calories per 5-ounce serving) so you might only want to eat parts of it in a single serving.
It’s a coconut-based yogurt that’s sweetened with maple syrup and agave, so you’ll get 8 grams of sugar if you eat the whole portion. Nothing wrong with that, but you will most likely see a blood sugar impact, potentially delayed as a serving also has 19 grams of fat.
Another thing to consider is that the protein content is very low (2 grams), so this is not an optimal snack if you’re looking to boost your protein intake.
Dannon, Light + Fit, Toasted Coconut Vanilla Greek Fat Free Yogurt
Net carbs: 9 g
Review score: 4 stars
I really enjoyed eating this yogurt. It has a great creamy consistency, and I wasn’t in doubt that I was eating a coconut-flavored yogurt. It’s a fairly sweet yogurt, which I enjoyed.
The yogurt is sweetened with fructose and also includes food starch, leading to a relatively high sugar content (7 grams) compared to the other yogurts included in this review. After eating it, I did see a mild blood sugar impact, but no spike.
However, given the total net carbs of 9 grams and the 7 grams of sugar, I think most people managing their diabetes with insulin will need to dose for it.
What’s so great about yogurt for people with diabetes?
Probiotics
One of the health benefits of yogurt is that it is often filled with probiotics.
“Probiotics are live microorganisms that are intended to have health benefits,” explains the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Probiotics are a category of bacteria that are beneficial to your health. More specifically, when eaten, probiotics contribute to the community of beneficial bacteria in your gut that affects many aspects of your health.
“For example,” explains the NIH, “bacteria that are normally present in our intestines help digest food, destroy disease-causing microorganisms, and produce vitamins. Large numbers of microorganisms live on and in our bodies. Many of the microorganisms in probiotic products are the same as or similar to microorganisms that naturally live in our bodies.”
More and more research continues to prove that the microbiome of bacteria in your gut plays a critical role in your overall health — including your diabetes:
- Research on gut bacteria and type 1 diabetes
- Research on gut bacteria and type 2 diabetes/obesity
- Research on gut bacteria and various health issues
Consuming a variety of foods containing different types of probiotics can not only help but is also critical after being prescribed antibiotics. Antibiotics kill off all the bacteria in your gut — the good and the bad — and replenishing the good bacteria by eating sources of probiotics should be part of every antibiotic prescription, according to some experts.
Can yogurt help prevent type 2 diabetes?
You may have heard or seen that yogurt producers in the United States are now allowed to add a claim to their yogurts that consuming at least 2 cups or 3 servings per week may reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes.
Source: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
While this claim is backed by science, it’s important to be aware that not all yogurts are created equal.
While minimally processed low-sugar yogurts may help prevent type 2 diabetes, it’s unlikely that yogurts with high amounts of added sugar have the same benefits.
As a general rule, we recommend that you choose a yogurt with limited added sugar. Just look at the nutrition label and look for total carbohydrates, the added sugar will be included here.
Before you leave to shop for low-carb yogurt, you should also take a look at my other low-carb product reviews:
Let me know if you don’t see your favorite low-carb yogurt on the list and I’ll add it (after trying it myself). I am always looking for great low-carb and diabetes-friendly products.
Tom
I realize this is an older article, but they now have a Light n Fit zero sugar yogurt and it’s the best I’ve tasted.
Jena
Hey does the banana cream pie carb master yogurt spike you? One of the ingredients is banana puree and I wasn’t sure
Christel Oerum
I don’t think I’ve tried that flavor. I just looked at the ingredient list and it’s fairly far down, meaning there’s not a lot of actual banana added to the yoghurt. I don’t think it would have an impact for me
Marge
I found a lactose free Greek yogurt made by Fage. It’s called Best Self by Fage. It’s plain (the only “flavor” I’ve seen). I’m lactose intolerant and have tried coconut yogurt (yuk) so, for me, this was perfect.
120 calories for 3/4 cup serving
3.5g total fat with 2.5g saturated fat
20mg cholesterol
55mg sodium
6g carbs with 6g sugars & 0g adddsugars
17g protein
Steve Snyder
I bought Chobani zero have you tried this yogurt?
Christel Oerum
Yes, it’s ok, but I prefer their Zero Sugar Blueberry yogurt
Vivian
Hi there! One option I didn’t see in the list is the Oroweat/Arnold/Brownberry Keto Bread. It’s packaging says 3g carbs per slice. I have not tried it, but it might be something you’d be interested in reviewing & I would love to see your review on it if you ever get the chance to do so.
Christel Oerum
I haven’t tried that brand, so thank you for that addition to the list.
Pam Clemens
What about Oikos vanilla? That is my favorite and I am trying to eat healthy. Thank you. Pam
Christel Oerum
It’s not a bad choice. I just find that the vanilla flavored has too much added sugar for me (Oikos has cane sugar) so I’d rather buy the plain and just add some vanilla extract myself.
Frankie
I buy great value Greek yogurt. Can you please give me your thoughts on this? Thank you.
Christel Oerum
I haven’t tried that yogurt but if you buy the plain nonfat greek yogurt it should have minimal blood sugar impact. However, we all respond a bit differently to different carbs so you’ll want to watch your blood sugars after you eat the yogurt and see how it impacts you
Joan
Thanks for this review. I ended up making my own as I coul not find one that didn’t impact my glucose, especially the Fage Greek yogurt. Making my own is easy, but sometimes when traveling, it’s not ideal. Based on your review, I may give some of these a try now.
Maureen McAree
Thank you for your help.
I bought raw skim milk yogurt from Mennonites. So fresh it was warm!.
I love it. Since I’m diabetic I’m concerned with carb count and amount.
Can you help?
Also need to gain weight. I’m LADA.
Thanks again.
Maureen
Christel Oerum
1 cup of milk has about 12 grams of carbs. Whenever I don’t know the carb count on a food (without a label) I usually just google the nutrition value or look it up in MyFitnessPal. Beats guessing most of the time.
For weight gain, you have to focus on getting enough healthy calories. Where to add the calories depends on what nutrition approach you follow, but maybe it’s a serving of nuts or avocado, extra beans or potato, or more lean meats.