If your TikTok feed is overrun with gut health videos and microbiome hacks, there's a good reason for it.
But One of the easiest ways to boost your immunity and keep everything running smoothly isn't complicated: Eat your probiotics. These live microorganisms, typically bacteria, support in health benefits like aiding digestion and fighting harmful germs. They are found in mainstay fermented foods like miso, sauerkraut, kombucha, and yogurt, though not all yogurts are rich in the gut-healthy bacteria (more on that later).
Luckily it’s fairly easy to get your ‘gurt on: Blend it with fruit for the healthiest smoothies, use it as a base for a fun breakfast (or protein-packed dessert!), or dig a spoon straight into the container. "I’m all about the kombucha-on-tap life, but yogurt still holds a special place in my heart," says Kelli McGrane, RD, the creator of The Healthy Toast blog.
To find the best probiotic yogurts, Women's Health Test Kitchen experts tasted dozens of options, and registered dietitians weighed in on their favorites. The result is a roundup of brands and flavors to add to your grocery list ASAP.
Meet the experts: Kelli McGrane, RD, is the creator of The Healthy Toast, a recipe and nutrition-based blog. Juliana Dewsnap is a registered dietitian who has worked as a nutritionist for Baze and InsideTracker. Leigh Tracy, RD, is a nutritionist at Mercy Hospital. The experts in the Women's Health Test Kitchen have a collective 30 years of experience in the food and nutrition space.
While there isn't a recommended daily intake of probiotics per the FDA, it is important to have some in your diet because of the role they play in maintaining an optimal level of bacteria in your gut. A healthy gut microbiome supports your immune system, helps keep you regular, and may reduce inflammation. Diet, stress, and antibiotics can diminish your gut microbiome, but probiotics can help *restore* it. One way to gulp down more? Probiotic-rich yogurt.
How to tell if a yogurt has probiotics
Yogurts that are heat-treated after culturing do not contain live and active cultures. To be sure that you're getting the probiotic benefits of yogurt, look for the words "live active cultures" on the label, says Juliana Dewsnap, RD. Bonus points if it contains "lactobacillus acidophilus," a type of probiotic that helps keep things moving, promotes healthy blood sugar, and may even fend off yeast infections, she notes.
The FDA regulates the "live and active cultures" label, requiring a minimum level of cultures at the time of manufacture (see part IV, Section 131.200(a), Response 8) in order to use the optional label.
Ready to treat your tum, body, and taste buds? Here are the best probiotic yogurts you can buy, according to nutritionists and the WH Test Kitchen.
1. Siggi’s Icelandic Skyr
Prefer a creamier base for your morning meal? Reach for skyr, which is actually a fermented, strained cheese. "Siggi's, an Icelandic style of yogurt called skyr, is creamier and thicker than Greek yogurt," says Leigh Tracy, RD, a nutritionist at Mercy Hospital. "It's also low in added sugar and contains live active bacteria to help promote gut health." In fact, it often packs in more protein than a regular yogurt.
WH Test Kitchen experts also love Icelandic Provisions skyr, which comes in unique flavors like Strawberry Lingonberry and Peach Cloudberry. The yogurt in each single-serve container is smooth, ultra-creamy, and contains no more than 10 grams of sugar.
Per 3/4-cup serving: 120 calories, 0 g fat (0 g sat), 13 g carbs, 60 mg sodium, 0 g fiber, 11 g sugar (6 g added sugars), 18 g protein
2. Painterland Sisters Icelandic-Style Skyr
Another skyr that scored top marks in the WH Test Kitchen comes from Painterland Sisters, a sister-owned company making Icelandic-style yogurt from USDA organic milk. The brand adds an organic lactase enzyme (which breaks down lactose) during the yogurt-making process, so all of their 'gurts are lactose-free. Made with 6% milk fat, the skyr is rich, creamy, and tastes decadent—though it's relatively low in sugar and high in protein.
Per 5.3-ounce serving: 160 calories, 8 g fat (5 g sat), 12 g carbs, 50 mg sodium, 2 g fiber, 9 g sugar, 16 g protein
3. Yoplait Light
Dewsnap loves Yoplait Light's tasty flavors. Since they're plenty sweet, just go easy on toppings like fruit, and reach for no-sugar-added granola or roasted nuts for additional crunch.
Per 6-ounce serving: 90 calories, 0 g fat (0 g sat), 16 g carbs, 105 mg sodium, 10 g sugar, 5 g protein
4. Chobani
This simple yogurt is low in sugar, so you can add plenty of your own toppings, like fruit, nuts, and seeds, says Dewsnap. Plus, its 16 grams of protein help keep you satiated for way longer. Consider this one of the best plain Greek probiotic yogurts out there.
Per 3/4-cup serving: 90 calories, 0 g fat (o g sat), 6 g carbs, 65 mg sodium, 6 g sugar (0 g added sugars), 16 g protein
5. Stonyfield Farm Organic
Stonyfield Organic Whole Milk Probiotic Yogurt
"Both [Stonyfield's] regular and Greek yogurts are non-GMO, free of growth hormones, and contain excellent sources of live active cultures," says McGrane. They also offer soy yogurt, which is a good source of probiotics for dairy-free eaters. The experts in the WH Test Kitchen tapped the brand's Greek carton as a top high-protein snack, too.
Per 3/4-cup serving: 120 calories, 7 g fat (5 g sat), 8 g carbs, 85 mg sodium, 0g fiber, 6 g sugar (0 g added sugars), 6 g protein
6. fa*ge Total
"Greek yogurt contains more protein than regular yogurt and has a thicker texture," says McGrane. fa*ge Total Greek Yogurt is a great replacement for sour cream and works wonders in high-protein smoothies, too.
Per 3/4-cup serving: 120 calories, 4 g fat (3 g sat), 5 g carbs, 55 mg sodium, 0 g fiber, 5 g sugar (0 g added sugars), 17 g protein
7. Maple Hill Creamery
Made with whole milk, this pick is creamy, rich, and super satiating, says Dewsnap. Since it's higher in sugar than it is protein, be sure to top it with additional protein, like a sprinkle of hemp hearts.
Per 1-cup serving: 150 calories, 9 g fat (7 g sat), 110 mg sodium, 10 g carbs, 0 g fiber, 9 g sugar (0 g added sugars), 8 g protein
8. Wallaby Organic
"Australian yogurt is perfect for those who want a texture somewhere between traditional and Greek yogurt," says McGrane, who recommends Wallaby for its taste and probiotic content.
Per 3/4-cup serving: 120 calories, 3 g fat (2 g sat), 65 mg sodium, 8 g carbs, 0 g fiber, 5 g sugar (0 g added sugars), 16 g protein
9. Noosa
Another Australian yogurt pick from McGrane, Noosa has a nice texture and a solid dose of fats and gut-regulating bacteria. Since the flavored varieties are high in sugar, enjoy them as an occasional treat. Otherwise, stick with plain.
Per 8-ounce serving: 320 calories, 13 g fat (8 g sat), 110mg sodium, 39 g carbs, 0g fiber, 35 g sugar, 12 g protein
Samantha MacAvoy
Assistant Editor
Samantha (she/her) is an Assistant Editor in the Good Housekeeping Test Kitchen, where she writes about tasty recipes, must-try food products and top-tested secrets for home cooking success. She has taste-tasted hundreds of products and recipes since joining GH in 2020 (tough job!). A graduate of Fordham University, she considers the kitchen to be her happiest place.
Becca Miller
Associate Editor
Becca Miller (she/her) has been working in the Good Housekeeping Test Kitchen since 2018, where she researches and writes about tasty recipes, food trends and top cooking tools. She graduated from NYU with a liberal arts degree focusing on creative writing. She makes killer scrambled eggs, enjoys a glass of un-oaked chardonnay and takes pride in her love of reality television.
