The Unhealthiest Store-Bought Greek Yogurts Have These Ingredients

Greek yogurt gets a huge thumbs-up for its superfood and health benefit reputation, and for good reason. As MedicalNewsToday explains, Greek yogurt is nutrient-packed with high concentrations of calcium, probiotics, and protein. And those aren't its only prized benefits. It also may improve your workout results. In a 2019 study published in Frontiers in Nutrition, participants who ate Greek yogurt and performed resistance training exercises for 12 weeks showed greater strength improvements compared to a placebo group who performed the same exercises but did not eat Greek yogurt. 

Bottom line? Greek yogurt is a practical fridge favorite and belongs on your healthy grocery shopping list. However, not all Greek yogurt brands are as healthy for you as others. Some contain ingredients that you'll want to avoid: namely, saturated fat, added sugars, and artificial sweeteners.

Let's start by addressing saturated fat, which the American Heart Association recommends lowering your intake of to reduce your risk of developing cardiovascular disease. What's the simplest way to eliminate unnecessary saturated fat from your Greek yogurt? Choose a product made from low-fat milk rather than from whole milk.

As the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) indicates, 100 grams of Greek yogurt made from whole milk contains 5 grams of fat and 2.4 grams of saturated fat. Yet the USDA goes on to show that 100 grams of Greek yogurt made from low-fat milk contains only 1.92 grams of fat and just 1.23 grams of saturated fat. In other words, you can cut about half the saturated fat from your Greek yogurt by reaching for a low-fat version. 

Eliminating excess sugars from your Greek yogurt may take a little more legwork than finding a version without too much saturated fat. Today, it's very common for Greek yogurt brands to rely on tons of additional sugar to give their flavored yogurts a "dessert" taste. (You may have noticed that some Greek yogurts taste more like pudding than, well, yogurt. This is frequently why.) 

How much sugar could be packed into a container of Greek yogurt? Quite a bit. Some Greek yogurt brands can contain as much as 16 grams of sugar per serving. For perspective, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) suggests that adults aiming for a 2,000-calorie-per-day diet limit their sugar intake to 50 grams. If you're eating a serving of Greek yogurt that's filled with 16 grams of sugar, you're getting almost one-third of your recommended daily sugars in one snack. Overloading on sugar and its empty calories can contribute to unwanted weight gain.

How can you make certain that you don't inadvertently eat sugar-packed Greek yogurt and potentially wind up adding on pounds? One way is to purchase plain, unsweetened Greek yogurt and add a natural sweetener like honey or agave syrup. You'll be in control of how much sweetness you incorporate into your Greek yogurt and can monitor your sugars while still getting the taste you want.

Now we can talk about artificial sweeteners, which is a third ingredient you don't want in your Greek yogurt.

What's the issue with artificial sweeteners? They can increase your sugar cravings. In a 2023 article from the Cleveland Clinic, functional medical specialist Dr. Melissa Young concluded that "artificial sweeteners are far worse than sugar." She went on to say that as your taste buds and brain get accustomed to eating sweet foods, you start to want more sweet foods. As a result, you can wind up taking in more calories and gaining weight, even if you're only eating foods made with zero-calorie artificial sweeteners.

What's the best way to tell if your Greek yogurt gets its sweetness from artificial chemicals? A fast way to tell is by checking out the list of ingredients. Look for words like "sucralose," "aspartame," or "erythritol," which the Cleveland Clinic explains are often used to make foods taste sweet without adding any (or many) calories. 

This doesn't mean you can't eat sweet yogurt. Just be sure you're in control by adding a sweetener yourself, as mentioned above. Or, you can incorporate fruits into plain Greek yogurt. That way, you can satisfy your desire for a sweeter Greek yogurt while simultaneously making you and your body feel great.