Product Review: Non-Dairy Yogurt
By Holly Kalyn, Compassionate Cuisine Intern Yogurt, conveniently packaged in a small cup, is often a popular on-the-go choice among busy people whether you’re reaching for a snack, a quick breakfast, or a portable lunch to take to work. Its live active cultures, also known as probiotics, aid digestion and balance the good-for-us bacteria that we need in our bodies. Traditionally made with cow’s milk, vegans might think they’re out of luck in the yogurt department, but actually they aren’t excluded from the benefits of yogurt at all. Today, I’ll tell you about three non-dairy yogurt options that vegans can enjoy, all bought in the same store, and each made with a different type of non-dairy milk: soy, coconut, and almond. Yum.
Soy Yogurt
Stonyfield Organics is a very common and well-known yogurt brand that can be found in the dairy section of most food markets. And now, vegans can perk up because they also make a soy yogurt called O’Soy Organic. Boasting 7 grams of protein per cup and 4 active live cultures including S. Thermophilus, L. Bulgaricus, L. Acidophilus, and Bifidus, this is perfect for anyone looking to up their protein intake.
I tried the Strawberry variety, made with all organic ingredients, certified vegan and gluten-free, and using just organic beet concentrate for color. No food dyes or coloring here. At 170 calories a cup, this was the densest of the three yogurts and had a strawberry flavor almost like cheesecake. Delish.
Coconut Yogurt
SO Delicious Dairy Free is another non-dairy brand that has become increasingly accessible in food markets. Making everything from milk to yogurt to frozen desserts, SO Delicious focuses on creating products and substitutions for people with food allergies and continues to be an environmentally conscious and sustainable brand. Their non-dairy coconut yogurt makes the cut as a certified vegan product and embodies 6 live active cultures in one little cup.
Thin, smooth, and creamy, the blueberry variation had a very concentrated berry taste, with only a hint of coconut to be detected. It is made with organic coconut and is made without gluten, soy, and dairy. Weighing in at 140 calories, it contains slightly less than Stonyfield’s soy yogurt, but also contains less protein at 1 gram.
Almond Yogurt
Another product of SO Delicious, their chocolate variety almond yogurt is made with cultured almond milk and organic cocoa powder. For all those, like myself, who love that nutty almond flavor and opt for almond milk in cereal and coffee, this yogurt is for you.
The chocolate variety was to die for. This particular almond yogurt had a mousse-like texture, making it lightweight in look and feel but decadent in flavor and creaminess. Like its coconut cousin, this yogurt also has 6 active and live cultures and is dairy, soy, and gluten-free! With 3 grams of protein, it has a little more than the coconut milk yogurt, but also 10 more calories at 150. To make this product even more of a winner, it’s verified Non-GMO!
So start listening to your gut and don’t be shy about grabbing some vegan yogurt next time you’re at the store. Let us know if you’ve tried any of these brands or flavors and tell us what your favorites are!
