February 21, 2022
A plant based yogurt can be a great addition to your plant based lifestyle. It’s delicious with seeds, nuts and berries or granola for breakfast. You can add it to your smoothie to support your gut health. Or use it to make creamy sauces like tzatziki.
But you may have noticed I said it “can” be a great addition. That’s because not all plant based yogurts are created equal. Just because they’re dairy free doesn’t mean they’re necessarily healthy.
Whether you choose oat, nut, soy or coconut yogurt, here are a few things to look for when choosing a plant based yogurt:
KEEP SUGARS LOW
Many yogurts, both plant based and dairy, are high in sugar which is added to enhance the flavour and sweeten it up. However a yogurt that’s high in sugar is not a healthy option. Check out the nutrition label and see what the sugar content is. Ideally you want it less than 5g – the lower the better. The fruit flavoured ones are usually the highest in sugar so try to choose unsweetened when possible and add fruit to naturally sweeten it up at home.
CHECK FOR PROBIOTICS
Once again you want to refer to the nutrition label and read the ingredients to make sure your plant based yogurt contains probiotics – which help support your gut health.
BE MINDFUL OF PROTEIN
Some plant based yogurts don’t contain a lot of protein. The ones made from nuts or oats usually have the highest protein content. But don’t worry if your favourite one isn’t high in protein, you can sprinkle on seeds like hemp and chia or nuts to up your protein content and keep you feeling full.
INGREDIENT LIST
You want the ingredients to read more like a recipe and less like a science experiment. If the ingredients list on your plant based yogurt is long and full of things you don’t recognize, you might want to look for one with a simpler ingredient list.
So yes, a plant based yogurt can be a great substitute in your plant based lifestyle and is an easy, dairy free swap. Now that you know what to look for – low or no sugar, probiotics and simple ingredients, you can make the healthiest choice.
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