Breakfast

General guidelines for yoghurt snacking when you have diabetes: 

(credit original source https://greatist.com/diabetes/diabetes-and-yogurt#diabetes-friendly-yogurt-styles)

Greek yoghurt

The Beyoncé of yoghurts, Greek is the style most often placed on a healthy pedestal. This style of yoghurt gets strained to remove liquid, so its thicker and creamier than the regular kind. 

The straining also means Greek yogurt can pack up to twice as much protein and half as many carbs as regular yogurt, making it one of the best choices for people with diabetes.

Icelandic yogurt

Also called Skyr, this cultured dairy product has a lot going for it. Like Greek yogurt, it’s strained, so it’s high in protein and lower in carbs. It’s also often made from skim milk, so many varieties tend to be low in fat.

Regular yogurt

Plain, unflavoured regular yogurt still has a healthy ratio of protein to carbs and a low rating on the Glycaemic Index. It’s not as packed with as much protein as Greek yogurt, but it’s still a diabetes-friendly option.

Australian yogurt

Australian style yogurt is similar to the regular kind. It’s unstrained, so it has a thinner consistency, less protein, and more carbs than Greek or Icelandic yogurt. But, just like regular yogurt, plain varieties of Australian yogurt can still be a healthy option.

Kefir

This fermented milk drink has a similar flavour to yogurt but a much thinner consistency (it’s more like a smoothie than a spoonable snack). Unflavoured options can be great for people with diabetes. Some research actually ties kefir consumption to lower levels of A1C and fasting blood glucose.

Probiotic yogurt

Probiotic yogurt is simply yogurt that contains added strains of live, active cultures like Bifidobacterium lactis or Lactobacillus casei. Many yogurt styles are made with added probiotics, and it’ll usually say so on the label.

The jury is still out on whether probiotic yogurts offer extra health perks, but a recent review found that these options aren’t any more effective at improving blood sugar levels in people with diabetes than other yogurts.

Plant based yogurt

Plant based yogurts can be made with a variety of non-dairy milks — from almond or soy to coconut or cashew. Each one has a different nutritional profile, and some contain added sugars, which can send the carb count too high for people with diabetes. Most contain less protein compared to yogurt made from dairy.

If you’re thinking about trying a plant-based yogurt, your best bet is to check the nutrition facts. As long as it has fewer than 15 grams of carbs and 10 grams of sugar, you’re good.

Frozen yogurt, yogurt dips, and other snacks

Are foods made with yogurt as healthy as yogurt itself? That depends on the other ingredients. Most of the time snacks like Froyo or yogurt covered pretzels or raisins are higher in added sugars and lower in protein than plain yogurt. So, they’re not often the best choice for people with diabetes.

If you have a favourite yogurt-y snack food that you’re trying to incorporate into your diet without messing up your blood sugar, consider talking with a dietician to figure out the best options.