Experts reveal that this popular breakfast treat – while often thought to be healthy – is actually not always so good for you.
While yogurt can be a great addition to your diet, and very healthy, flavored yogurts are often loaded with sugar, says registered dietitian Julia Zumpano.
Some options are significantly healthier than others.
While you might expect to see high levels of sugar in sweets like cookies and cakes, hidden sugars also lurk in seemingly healthy breakfast options like yogurt.
Many flavored yogurts are full of added sugars, says Livestrong nutritionist Kylene Bogden.
This is often because manufacturers add extra sweeteners to make packaged foods tastier.
Flavored yogurts also often contain artificial food colors, says Bogden.
While these dyes may make the yogurt look more appealing, they have no nutritional benefits.
In fact, preliminary studies suggest that these dyes may be harmful to health.
The bright side is that yogurt can be a nutritious choice for your breakfast if you choose plain, low-fat varieties.
Plain Greek yogurt, low in saturated fat and high in protein, are particularly excellent choices.
Notably, it has about twice the protein content of regular yogurt and has been linked to benefits such as healthier blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
But if you don’t like plain yogurt, you can try mixing in fresh fruits to add flavor.
