Can Yogurt Help You Lose Weight?

Key takeaways:

Eating 1 to 2 servings of yogurt each day may support weight loss and weight maintenance. Yogurt’s protein and probiotics can help you feel satisfied, regulate your appetite, and affect how your body stores calories.
Some yogurts are better than others for weight management. Look for yogurts that are high in protein and low in added sugar.
To add more nutrients to your yogurt, you can mix in fiber-rich foods like fruit, nuts, and seeds.

Yogurt can be nutritious because of its protein, probiotics, and calcium, along with other nutrients. But did you know that yogurt may also support weight goals?

To be clear, no one food is a magic bullet for weight loss. But there are a few different ways that yogurt may help when it comes to weight loss and weight management. Let’s take a look at what the science says about each of these benefits.

Protein

Yogurt is an excellent source of protein. Protein can support weight loss in a few ways. It can:

Help you feel full longer, which may lead to eating less throughout the day
Stabilize your appetite by decreasing levels of ghrelin, the hormone that makes you feel hungry
Prevent the blood sugar and insulin spikes that can lead to food cravings
Support your metabolism, since digesting protein burns more calories than digesting carbohydrates or fat

Which yogurt has the most protein?

All yogurt provides protein. But Greek yogurt and Icelandic yogurt (also called Skyr) are much higher in protein than traditional yogurt.

Here’s how much protein you’ll find in the three different types of low-fat yogurt (per 1 cup serving):

Traditional yogurt: 13 g
Greek yogurt: 22 g
Icelandic yogurt: 27 g

Probiotics

Many yogurts contain probiotics, live yeasts and bacteria that support the natural flora in your intestine. Probiotic foods aren’t only excellent for gut health. They’re also good for your overall health. They strengthen your immune system, lower cholesterol, and reduce inflammation in the intestine and throughout your body.

Probiotics may support weight loss too. This is because probiotics can affect:

How satisfied you feel after a meal
How you absorb fat and calories from your meals

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One study found that participants with increased weight who ate yogurt with probiotics saw decreased body fat and improved overall body composition.

Keep in mind that not all yogurts contain probiotics. Certain types of yogurt — like kefir, Greek yogurt, and Icelandic yogurts — are more likely to naturally contain probiotics. But any type of yogurt can be a source of probiotics if the manufacturer adds them. To learn whether a yogurt has probiotics, check the label. It should say “live and active cultures” and list the specific types of bacteria used.

Low in calories

Yogurt is filling, and it provides lots of nutrients for a relatively low amount of calories. So it can be an easy, efficient way to get several of your daily recommended nutrients at once.

If you’re trying to keep to a certain calorie goal for weight loss, you may want to choose a yogurt that’s lower in fat. Nonfat and low-fat yogurts are usually lower in calories. But full-fat yogurt is also a nutritious choice. The fat in yogurt helps keep you full. And full-fat dairy may be even better for blood sugar than fat-free dairy. So choose the yogurt option that works best for your health goals and taste/texture preference.

Here’s how much fat you can expect in different types of yogurt:

Nonfat: made with skim milk, and contains 0 g fat per serving
Low-fat: made with low-fat milk, and has 3 g or less of fat per serving
Full-fat: made with whole milk, and has 5 g or more of fat per serving
Light: made with low-fat milk and artificial sweeteners

Keep in mind that nonfat and low-fat yogurts may still contain high amounts of added sugar. This will add calories too. So check the label for sugar content, no matter which type of yogurt you’re buying. And try to avoid artificial sweeteners too. They’re sugar-free and very low in calories, so they may seem like better options than added sugar. But they usually aren’t. Studies have linked artificial sweeteners to weight gain, poor blood sugar control, and changes to the gut microbiome.

Helps with portion management

Some yogurts come in single-serve containers (which are usually 6 oz to 8 oz, or ¾ to 1 cup). But all yogurts list serving size information on the label. This allows you to know exactly how many calories you’re getting. And it can make it easier to track portions if that’s part of your weight-loss approach.

Which yogurt is best for weight loss?

Try to choose yogurt that checks off the following:

Plain (unflavored)
Unsweetened
High-protein
Little to no added sugar

The best yogurts are also free of artificial sweeteners, colors, or flavoring.

Instead, you can add your own fresh fruit and/or a small amount of natural sweetener. Keep in mind that natural sweeteners are still added sugars. But some — like maple syrup and honey — contain additional nutrients.

So, in practical terms, when you’re choosing a yogurt, try to find those that contain:

Protein: 8 g or more per serving
Probiotics: will be noted on the label
No sugar: plain, unsweetened/unflavored yogurt

What’s the best way to eat yogurt for weight loss?

Yogurt contains many nutrients, but it doesn’t have fiber. Adding fiber-rich foods to your yogurt supports digestion and overall health. Fiber also increases yogurt’s weight-loss benefit, because it:

Increases fullness
Curbs your appetite
Stabilizes blood sugar levels

You can add fiber to your yogurt by:

Topping it with chopped nuts
Sprinkling in seeds (like chia, flax, pumpkin, or sunflower)
Stirring in nut butters
Adding fresh, frozen, or dried fruit

Frequently asked questions

You can eat yogurt every day to support your weight as part of a balanced diet. Yogurt’s protein and probiotics may be particularly helpful for supporting weight goals.

But yogurt contains many other vitamins and minerals too. As an example, its vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium. And its magnesium and potassium support nerve, muscle, and heart function. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends 3 servings of dairy a day.

The best Greek yogurt for weight loss is plain, reduced-fat, Greek yogurt. Adding high-fiber mix-ins makes it even more filling and can increase the weight-loss benefit. Try topping yogurt with:

Fresh fruit
Unsweetened dried fruit
Nuts
Seeds

Greek yogurt also works well blended into a smoothie.

You can eat yogurt any time of day. But there may be some advantages to eating yogurt for breakfast. Yogurt is a great source of protein. And research tells us that eating high-protein breakfasts can help with weight loss. If you add fiber to your yogurt, you have a breakfast that's high in both protein and fiber. Studies show that getting fiber at breakfast may also support weight management.

There isn’t one particular food that can reduce belly fat on its own. But the protein and probiotics in yogurt may help support your weight goals. To reduce belly fat, it’s important to eat a balanced diet and get regular exercise.

The bottom line

Yogurt isn’t a cure-all for weight loss. But high-protein, low-sugar yogurt may support weight loss or weight management. It can help keep you full, support stable blood sugar, and provide important nutrients — without adding too many calories. Try to choose yogurts with probiotics. And you can bump up yogurt’s weight-loss benefits by adding high-fiber toppings that you like.

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Written by:

Margaret Apura, RD, MPH

Margaret Apura, RD, MPH, has almost 20 years of experience as a registered dietitian with a focus on weight and chronic-disease management. She started her career as a research dietitian at Boston Children’s hospital.

Edited by:

Meredith Hoffa

Meredith Hoffa is a senior health editor at GoodRx, where she leads journalists and clinicians covering various well-being topics, particularly in diet and nutrition.

Reviewed by:

Katie E. Golden, MD

Katie E. Golden, MD, is a board-certified emergency medicine physician and a medical editor at GoodRx.

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