Title: Top 9 Vegan Yogurts You'll Love Savoring Today
Vegan and Craving Yogurt? You're Not Alone in the Struggle
While traditional yogurt is adored for its nutritional benefits, lush texture, and endless variety, it's primarily made from cow's milk. So, what's a plant-based eater to do? Fortunately, the non-dairy yogurt industry has stepped up its game, offering delicious, creamy, and nutritious alternatives derived from a variety of plant sources.
The Perks of Plant-Based Yogurt
Fortunately, plant-based yogurts not only skip the dairy but also retain the gut-healthy probiotics and prebiotic fiber found in traditional yogurt. These beneficial gut bacteria can significantly boost your digestion game.
Here are nine plant-based yogurts that hit the spot in terms of taste, texture, and nutritional profile. Before diving into the options, a few terms to help you shop:
Choosing a Vegan Yogurt
With so many vegan yogurts on the market, it can be overwhelming to choose one. Your best bet is to select one with little-to-no added sugar and few additives beyond what's needed to make the yogurt, such as plant-based milk or cream, a natural thickener, and live cultures.
If you're opting for a fruity yogurt, choose ones naturally sweetened only with fruit or those with minimal added sugar. Here are some key things to look for before buying:
- Protein: Essential for muscle and tissue health, immunity, and tissue repair. The protein content in plant-based yogurts ranges from 3 to 6 grams per serving, significantly lower than dairy-based versions.
- Thickeners: Used to achieve the iconic creamy texture of yogurt. Plant-based versions typically use thickeners like locust bean gum, xanthan gum, and agar (from seaweed).
- Sugar: When shopping for a vegan yogurt, be mindful of added sugars. Although some vegan yogurts may be lower in sugar than dairy-based versions, they can still be high in sugar, so read the labels carefully.
- Price: Although dairy-free yogurt is generally more expensive than dairy yogurt, you can find affordable options that deliver on taste and nutrition.
Top Brands for Tasty, Nutritious, and Affordable Vegan Yogurt
1. The Coconut Cult
Made with organic coconut cream, coconut meat, coconut water, and custom probiotic cultures, The Coconut Cult offers a fermented yogurt packed with billions of super-live probiotics. It's a great choice for those looking for a high probiotic content and minimal added sugars.
2. So Delicious
So Delicious plants make delicious and creamy dairy-free yogurt with coconut cream and various flavors available. They also offer a sugar-free line, perfect for those keeping a close eye on their sugar intake.
3. Culina
This brand offers a range of super-thick, fermented coconut yogurt, including flavors like strawberry rose and bourbon vanilla. They're great for using in smoothie bowls, oatmeal, and granola.
4. GT’s Cocoyo
GT's Cocoyo is packed with billions of probiotics and comes in seven flavors, including cacao, raspberry, and piña colada. Known for its tart, slightly effervescent texture, it's a unique and tasty option.
5. Harmless Harvest
Harmless Harvest’s dairy-free yogurt starts with hand-scooped, organic, fair-trade young Thai coconut meat. Available in unsweetened plain, vanilla, peach, strawberry, mango, and blueberry flavors, this yogurt delivers on probiotics and minimal added sugars.
These brands offer a combination of high probiotic content and minimal added sugars, making them a great option for vegans seeking a healthy and probiotic-rich yogurt alternative. Enjoy the creamy goodness of yogurt – without the dairy!
- When shopping for a plant-based yogurt, opt for one with low added sugar and few additives, ensuring it contains plant-based milk or cream, a natural thickener, and live cultures for gut health.
- Apart from being dairy-free, many plant-based yogurts retain the gut-healthy probiotics and prebiotic fiber found in traditional yogurt, which significantly boosts digestion.
- In the search for a nutritious vegan yogurt, consider brands like The Coconut Cult, which offer low-sugar fermented yogurt packed with billions of probiotics, helping maintain a balanced gut microbiome.
