How to Choose a Healthy Yoghurt (Without Getting Fooled by Labels)

Walk down any supermarket dairy aisle and it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the sheer number of yoghurt tubs promising gut health, high protein, low fat, and “natural” benefits. While yoghurt can be a nourishing, nutrient-rich food, many varieties on shelves are actually loaded with added sugars, artificial flavours, thickeners, and other additives that do more harm than good.

Let’s cut through the confusion so you can confidently choose a yoghurt that supports your gut, hormones, and overall health.

5 Simple Rules for Choosing a Healthier Yoghurt

1. Keep the ingredients simple
Your yoghurt should contain just milk and live cultures (like Lactobacillus or Bifidobacterium).
A little cream or milk solids is fine, especially in organic pot-set styles, but avoid anything with gums, thickeners, preservatives, or food additives (numbers).

2. Avoid flavoured varieties
Even "natural" flavours are often chemically processed and offer no nutritional value. Choose plain, unflavoured yoghurt and add your own toppings at home.

3. Watch out for hidden sugars
Sugar hides behind names like glucose syrup, cane sugar, agave, fruit concentrate, maltodextrin, and artificial sweeteners. Even small tubs can pack a surprising sugar load — check the nutrition label and aim for under 5g of sugar per 100g.

4. Choose full-fat
Full-fat yoghurt is more satisfying, better for hormone balance, and far less likely to contain added sugar or fillers used to mimic creaminess.

5. DIY your flavour
Add fresh or stewed fruit, cinnamon, chia jam or a handful of nuts and seeds for real-food flavour, sweetness and texture, no nasties required.

To make it even easier, I’ve created a guide to the best and worst yoghurt options available in Australia.

Check out the images below to see which brands to pop in your trolley — and which to leave on the shelf.

Save them on your phone for your next supermaket shop