There are approximately 50 types of yogurt on the market today for consumers to choose from, according to the National Yogurt Association. While many forms of yogurt contain reasonable levels of fat, sugar and calories, some actually carry the same nutritional value as a full-fat dessert. To make wise food choices, read labels carefully and remember that a yogurt labeled "low-fat" may still have more sugar and calories than you think.
Yogurt
According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, making yogurt requires fermenting warm pasteurized milk with two specific strains of bacterial cultures: Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus. To the resulting plain yogurt, manufacturers may add fruit, sweeteners and other ingredients to create different textures and flavors. Straining out the liquid produces protein-rich Greek yogurt while adding sugar, honey, fruit or other flavorings changes the calories, carbohydrates and other nutritional levels.
Fat Content
The fat content of yogurt depends on the type of milk the manufacturer uses. Whole milk produces regular yogurt with at least 3.25 percent of milk fat or about 7 g of milk fat per 8-oz. serving, according to William Sears, M.D. Low-fat yogurt made from reduced fat milk has either 0.5 percent, 1 percent, 1.5 percent or 2 percent milk fat, according to InnovateWithDairy.com. Low-fat yogurt may have between 1 g and 4 g of milk fat per serving, says Dr. Sears, so read the label carefully. Non-fat yogurt made from skim milk has less than 0.5 g of milk fat per serving.
Calorie and Sugar Content
Adding ingredients changes the nutritional content of yogurt. For example, Stonyfield's plain, low-fat yogurt has 90 calories, 2 g of fat, 11 g of sugar and 7 g of protein per 6-oz. serving, but its low-fat French Vanilla flavor has 130 calories and 21 g of sugar, according to the manufacturer. Tillamook's Oregon Strawberry low-fat yogurt contains 180 calories, 2 g of total fat, 30 g of sugar and 7 g of protein, according to the manufacturer.
Protein Content
The protein content in yogurt depends on the manufacturing process. The traditional method of fermenting milk produces yogurt about 7 g of protein per serving. If the manufacturer adds another step, straining out the liquid, the result is protein-rich Greek yogurt. Again, the milk used in the process dictates whether or not the yogurt will be full fat, nonfat or low-fat. Chobani's low-fat Greek yogurt, for example, has 2 g of fat, 130 calories and 13 g of protein per 6-oz serving, according to the manufacturer.
Uses
The tangy taste of plain low-fat yogurt makes it a healthy substitute for sour cream on a baked potato or for mayonnaise in tuna salad. Children and adults may enjoy a smoothie made by blending fruit, fruit juice and low-fat yogurt for a snack or as a meal replacement. Stir fresh fruit into yogurt for a healthy dessert or top whole grain cereal with yogurt instead of milk.
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