We love our yoghurt at GMB, but with so many brands on the market, there can be a bit of confusion when it comes to choosing one that’s best for you. GoodnessMe Box Nutritionist Melissa Fine gives the lowdown on six yoghurts or yoghurt alternatives on rotation at GMB HQ. No matter what your lifestyle or dietary requirements, there’s something for everyone here.
1. Barambah Organics Whole Milk Yoghurt
Don’t let the picture of the baby on the packaging stop you from buying this! I think Barambah is trying to relay that this yoghurt is pure enough for babies…and if it’s good enough for babies, it’s good enough for me!
Tub-set with five gut-loving cultures, this is one of the cleanest yoghurts out there. Yes it’s a more premium brand, but Barambah is audited by Australian Certified Organic (ACO), so you can be assured their farming system involves zero chemicals…and wait till you taste it. Creamy, smooth and mild in flavour…and props to Barambah for creating a yoghurt suitable for little ones that isn’t sweetened – not something you see often.
I’m a fan of the entire Barambah yoghurt range, from the Greek-style to the real fruit flavoured ones… they even do an unsweetened lactose free variety.
@meelsonweels
2. Table of Plenty Nourish & Go – with Mixed Berry & Coconut Milk
Surprisingly good! Made from 87% fruit, so it’s not exactly a yoghurt (I wouldn’t be eating this specifically for gut health), but more of an on-the-go breakkie or snack; with real food ingredients you'd keep in your pantry and no additives, this is a more wholesome option than many other fruit/yoghurt pouches out there. I like that there’s a little creaminess and richness from a touch of coconut milk, and that you can taste the oats and quinoa flakes mixed in with the fruit puree.
I can imagine this would be a lifesaver for mums with little ones when they’re on the go and out of time for food prep. Shelf stable too, so great for camping trips…and long car trips! Mums, you may want to bring yourselves one too ;)
3. Rokeby Farms Natural Whole Protein Quark Yoghurt
My new discovery at the supermarket, quark (pronounced ‘kwahk’) is thick-strained, Swedish style yoghurt, ‘cultured low and slow’. The result is a whopping 17g protein in a single serve tub! That’s around double the protein of most other yoghurts. A great option if you find you need adequate protein at breakkie to keep you going all morning…no protein powder needed!
I find this much creamier and milder than the other commercial high protein yoghurt brand. We also like that Rokeby Farms yoghurt is made locally at a handful of farms in Gippsland’s dairy region (about 100km east from Melbourne). The high rainfall here means that the cows are predominantly grass-fed too, making the dairy nutritionally superior.
Despite being 99% fat free, you’d think this was full fat because it’s so thick and creamy. We don’t typically go for reduced fat products at GMB, but we’ll make an exception for this one due to the minimal and traditional processing method, and the fact that unlike other skim yoghurt brands - which add a whole heap of funny ingredients to compensate for the flavour lost when the fat is removed – there’s no need for any of that in Rokeby Farms Natural Yoghurt because of the thick-straining process.
@rokebyfarms
4. COYO Organic Coconut Yoghurt Alternative - Natural
If you’re vegan, or love cow’s milk yoghurt but the dairy or lactose (milk sugar) doesn’t love you so much, coconut milk yoghurt can be the way to go. I’ve been enjoying COYO as an occasional treat since it launched in 2010. Pricier than your average dairy yoghurt, but it’s rich, creamy flavour from squeezed coconut flesh means a little bit goes a long way.
Made almost entirely with organic coconut milk and boosted with live vegan cultures, go COYO for producing a coconut yoghurt that isn’t loaded with funny sweeteners and thickeners – not the case with several competitors. It’s not tart like dairy yoghurt can be though, so if I’m having Coyo in a savoury dish, I like to add a squeeze of lemon juice to it for some tang.
@atdusk
5. Nature’s Goodness Kefir
A Turkish yoghurt probiotic powder, perfect for while you’re travelling or if you like to be hands-on with your health food. Even if you’re not kitchen-savvy, this stuff is super easy to make: Add one sachet to a 1 litre bottle filled with dairy-based milk, stir and leave to settle and thicken for 24-36 hours at room temperature, before refrigerating for 12 hours.
This gives you a fermented milk drink, with a symbiotic blend of gut health-promoting bacteria and yeasts. I like to drink it straight-up, but you can add it to your smoothie if it’s too tart for you.
@fitfastfoods
6. Coco Tribe Natural Organic Coconut Yoghurt
A newer face in the coconut yoghurt market, this one gets our tick of approval thanks to the vegan cultures and no added sugar. Another thing I find with quality coconut yoghurts like this: it keeps me full for longer than anything else I ever have for breakkie…perhaps something to do with the super-satiating high fat content.
Check out their insta-feed @thecocotribe for plenty recipe inspo…I need to put their coconut yoghurt dressing - with olive oil, lime and chilli – on my roast veg stat!
@thecocotribe
Would you like to know the healthiest muesli & cereal options to pair with your yoghurt? Read this blog.