Soooo, Greek Yogurt Is More Keto-Friendly Than Regular Yogurt

If you're thinking of getting on keto, you're probably wondering if you'll have to nix some of your beloved foods. Like, is your favorite yogurt okay? Even though yogurt isn't typically seen as a carb-heavy food, it isn't exactly called keto-friendly or low-carb either. So what's the deal?

Well, first things first, yogurt is a great source of protein and calcium. And it is generally a great option for anything from an afternoon snack to a filling breakfast meal, says dietitian Carolyn Brown, RD, of NYC-based practice Foodtrainers. And while plain yogurt may be lower on the carb side, flavored or sweetened yogurts tend to carry a heavier carb load.

That doesn't mean you shouldn't occasionally have your favorite fruit-on-the-bottom cup. Just do so in moderation, *occasionally* swapping it for a keto-friendly option. “A yogurt with few carbohydrates would be the most likely to be considered keto-friendly,” says New York City-based dietitian Erin Palinski-Wade, RDN. Dairy yogurts contain lactose, a natural sugar. But some yogurts have less lactose because of how they’re made, she explains. (More on that later!)

So there you have it: Following a low-carb or keto diet doesn't mean saying goodbye to yogurt. It just means looking closer at nutrition labels. If you really want to get into the details, here's everything you need to know about low-carb yogurts, and the best ones to choose, according to registered dietitians.

Do all yogurts contain carbs?

Yep. A little yogurt 101 for you: Yogurt is made by adding bacteria to milk, which naturally contains a type of sugar (yes, a carb) called lactose, explains dietitian Scott Keatley, RD, of Keatley Medical Nutrition Therapy. (Lactose is a combination of two types of sugar: galactose and glucose.)

That's why a glass of whole milk contains about 11 grams of sugar (and 12 grams of total carbs). When you add bacteria to milk, though, it converts that lactose into lactic acid. “Acids tend to have bitter tastes, which is why plain yogurt doesn't fly off store shelves,” says Keatley.

The bacteria will eat up all of milk's lactose until there's no sugar left, and they'll die when the sugar runs out. "So, to keep 'live cultures' in yogurts, manufacturers do not allow the bacteria to feast forever and move the yogurt to cool temperatures to 'stun' them until you're ready to eat up,” Keatley explains.

What about the liquidy stuff that's usually floating on top? “It contains most of the remaining lactose,” says Keatley. And sure, in theory, you *could* dump it out to get rid of some of the lactose if you're watching your carb intake, explains dietitian Keri Gans, RD, author of The Small Change Diet.

But TBH, that liquid can actually be pretty good for you, too. "You could also be draining other nutrients that you could miss out on," Gans says, such as calcium (which is good for your bones), vitamin B12 (which prevents anemia), and phosphorus (also good for your bones). So you might as well stir it in.

The final verdict: Though yogurts don't contain as many carbs and sugar as milk, they still contain some.

Why do different yogurts have different amounts of carbs?

Take a stroll down the yogurt aisle and you'll notice that different brands and varieties contain wildly different amounts of carbs and sugar.

Here’s what you can expect in the carb department when you dip into one cup of the most popular varieties of plain yogurt:

Full-fat Greek yogurt: 7.75 grams

Non-fat Greek yogurt: 8.82 grams

Full-fat regular yogurt: 11.4 grams

Non-fat regular yogurt: 18.8 grams

Different brands and types of yogurt end up with different carb counts for a couple of reasons.

For one, the carb count in different varieties of yogurt (like Greek versus regular) is a result of the different straining processes.

Remember that liquidy lactose-containing part of dairy yogurt that Keatley mentioned? While you leave that sugary liquid in regular yogurt, you strain it out to make Greek yogurt (or skyr), he explains. That's why Greek yogurt is more tart, firmer in texture, and lower in sugar than regular yogurt.

Plus, different brands might add different amounts of sugar to the milk they use to make yogurt. They might also add sugars for extra sweetness or flavor, explains Gans.

What’s the difference between Greek yogurt and regular yogurt?

In general, yogurt is made from a combination of both dairy and (body-safe) bacteria. Both regular and Greek yogurt start by heating up milk, adding bacteria, and letting it ferment until it reaches a low pH, explains Erica Zellner, MS, LDN, a health coach at Parsley Health in California. For regular yogurt, the process ends there. Greek yogurt, however, must be strained, too.

Why? “It’s strained to remove most of the liquid whey and lactose,” explains Palinski-Wade. This straining process takes away some of the carbohydrates, while also keeping the protein levels intact. This means that, overall, Greek yogurt contains more protein, but less sugar and carbs compared to regular yogurt, explains Keri Gans, RD, author of The Small Change Diet. It also has an overall thicker consistency.

The simple answer is yes, it can be. “It’s going to be a lot easier to fit Greek yogurt into your daily macronutrient goals when doing keto,” Zellner says.

That's because Greek yogurt tends to have about half the carbs and two times the amount of protein compared to regular yogurt, says Zellner, which means that making Greek yogurt servings fit into a keto dieter’s daily meals and macros is much easier. That said, there’s one catch.

The information largely pertains to plain Greek yogurt. “If you choose a flavored Greek yogurt, then the amount of sugar will be higher,” Gans says. Basically, to make Greek yogurt fit with your keto needs, you’ll probably need to stick to the unflavored, plain variations, Gans explains.

How does plant-based yogurt stack up against dairy yogurt?

Sometimes, yup, plant-based yogurt can fit into a low-carb, keto diet pretty well—there's a reason that soy, coconut, and oat milk yogurts are super popular even amongst people who aren't vegan.

This is especially the case when it comes to coconut-based yogurts, which are low in carbs compared to dairy yogurt, but super high in fat. (A perfect mix if you're doing keto.) Again, fat makes up most of your energy intake when you're doing keto, Zellner explains, which is why even if your yogurt is non-dairy, it'll still do the trick as long as it's high in fat.

That said, oat milk and soy-based yogurts are trickier to fit in, as carb and sugar counts tend to be higher than that of regular dairy, Greek, or coconut yogurt styles. All in all, if you prefer to steer clear of dairy, just make sure you're picking an option that's high in fat and low in carbs if you want to stick to a standard keto diet.

So, how do you pick the best low-carb yogurt for you?

As long as you do it right, you can totally have yogurt on a low-carb diet, says Jessica Cording, RD, and author of The Little Book of Game-Changers.

“For my clients on low-carb diets, I typically recommend an unflavored, whole-milk Greek yogurt or skyr,” she says. If you don't like Greek yogurt or skyr, just make sure to stick to a plain, unsweetened, full-fat regular yogurt, adds dietitian Amy Stevens, RD.

Prefer to go lower-fat? Just be wary of added sugar, which is common in less-creamy, low and non-fat yogurts. (The opposite is true of plain, non-fat Greek yogurt, though, which actually contains less sugar than full-fat Greek yogurt, Gans says.)

Of course, yummy as they may be, flavored yogurts are often complete sugar bombs, as many contain over 20 grams of sugar per cup. (If you're full-blown keto, and need to limit your daily carbs to 50 grams or less, though, choose yogurts that have six or fewer grams of sugar per serving.)

“Even if the yogurt itself is low-sugar, additional fruit concentrates and flavors contribute so much added sugar," Stevens says. When in doubt, just check the carb count. Brown recommends sticking to yogurts with 10 grams of carbs—or less—per serving.

Dietitians love these low-carb yogurts.

If you don't want to deal with all that label-reading, just gran one of these dietitian-approved low-carb yogurts the next time you're in the dairy aisle.

1. Ratio Keto Yogurt Snack

This high-fat, low-carb yogurt is literally designed with keto dieters in mind, as the nutritional ratio makes it perfect for fitting in with your keto percentage needs. Plus, its creamy and delicious taste has garnered it over 1,400 reviews on Amazon.

Per serving: 200 calories, 15 g fat (6 g sat), 2 g carbs, 1 g sugar, 15 g protein

2. Chobani Zero Mixed Sugar Yogurt

"For the fewest carbs, you may want to look at Chobani Zero Sugar," Palinski-Wade says. Why? The yogurt is sweetened with allulose, a natural low-calorie sweetener, as well as small amounts of stevia and monk fruit extract.

Per serving: 60 calories, 0 g fat (0 g sat), 5 g carbs, 0 g sugar, 11 g protein

3. Coyo Natural Coconut Yogurt

"I truly believe this is the best option when it comes to yogurt and keto," Zellner says. It's low in carbs and protein, and it also has about 36 grams of fat per serving, depending on which one you choose, Zellner explains. "If you're doing keto, fat is going to make up most of your energy intake, so this will fit in really nicely." (Plus, it's dairy-free.)

Per serving: 390 calories, 38 g fat (36 g sat), 10 g carbs, 5 g sugar, 3 g protein

4. Siggi's Icelandic Strained Nonfat Yogurt

Siggi’s is a skyr-style yogurt, which means it’s thick and high in protein. Skyr-style yogurt is often compared to Greek yogurt because the formulation process is similar. That said, skyr is less tangy, has a thicker texture, and a slightly higher protein content than most Greek yogurts, Gans says. This version is fairly low-carb, but Cording recommends getting the lactose-free version to go even lower.

Per serving: 150 calories, 0.5 g fat (0 g sat), 10 g carbs, 5 g sugar, 28 g protein

5. Two Good Plain Low Fat Greek Yogurt

Two Good is made with 80 percent less sugar than your average yogurt (a win if you're cutting carbs) and has about 12 grams of protein per cup. “It's a good option for those looking to keep calories down and protein up,” Keatley says. Plus, Two Good comes in a bunch of different flavors (lemon, strawberry, mixed berry, and more), all with max two grams of sugar.

Per serving: 80 calories, 2 g fat (1.5 g sat), 3 g carbs, 2 g sugar, 12 g protein

6. Maple Hill Yogurt

Maple Hill’s yogurt is made with milk from grass-fed cows and contains no added sugar, which helps limit overall carbs, says Cording.

Per serving: 140 calories, 6 g fat (3.5 g sat), 7 g carbs, 7 g sugar, 13 g protein

7. FAGE Low-Fat Plain Greek Yogurt

This FAGE yogurt has no added sugar and is lower in fat, making it a good option for anyone hesitant about carb content in whole milk. It's also pretty high in protein.

Per serving: 160 calories, 4.5 g fat (3 g sat), 7 g carbs, 7 g sugar, 23 g protein

How to keep your yogurt low-carb

Once you've found (or made) a low-carb yogurt you love, make sure your toppings don't sabotage your low-sugar goals.

Make your yogurt more satiating with add-ins like chia seeds or ground flax, which add fiber to fill you up, suggests Cording. If you need a little sweetness, add a teeny drizzle of maple syrup or honey.

You can also mix in some berries, which provide flavor, fiber, and sweetness of their own, Stevens adds.

If you're feeling creative, you can also use yogurt to thicken up soups, marinate fish (it gives the skin a crispy tangy), or make tomato sauce creamier.