Shoppers comparing fat and saturates
If reducing fat is the reason for choosing yoghurt, compare the fat and saturates lines per 100g. A natural or whole-milk description does not tell you that a product is low in either.
Who might choose each format?
Shoppers looking for more protein per 100g
A plain 0% Greek-style yoghurt may suit a protein-led supper. Compare its declared protein with that of smaller flavoured pots, then serve the portion you intend to eat.
Shoppers who prefer an individual flavoured pot
A single pot gives you a ready-portioned option. Check its sugars and ingredients, including any sweeteners, rather than treating “fat free” or “no added sugar” as a description of the whole product.
What should you check on the label?
Start with per-100g values to compare yoghurts of different pack sizes, then consider the portion and format you would actually use for supper.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Fat and saturates | Compare both figures per 100g, not by differently sized pots. The NHS categorises 1.5g saturates or less per 100g as low. | I want to reduce saturated fat without overlooking the rest of the label. In a Food Standards Agency and Ipsos survey of 611 Northern Ireland adults interviewed from September to November 2024, 49% said they actively used traffic-light labelling when shopping for food; that figure is not specific to yoghurt. |
| Protein | Read protein per 100g alongside fat and sugars. Tesco lists 9.8g protein per 100g for its Finest 0% Fat Greek Yoghurt; Activia lists 4.7g per 100g for its Fat-Free Peach yoghurt. | For a protein-led supper, I would compare the declared values rather than assume every Greek-style or fat-free yoghurt is alike. |
| Sugars and ingredients | Check sugars per 100g and read the ingredients for added sugar or sweeteners. “No added sugars” does not mean sugar-free. | I may prefer a plain yoghurt, or I may be happy with a flavoured pot once I have checked what gives it its sweetness. |
| Portion and storage | Compare an individual pot with the amount you would serve from a larger tub. Check the current pack’s refrigeration, opened-pack and use-by instructions. | A fixed portion is convenient; with a large tub, I would serve a portion and make sure I can use the rest within its storage instructions. |
What can be easy to overlook?
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Reading “fat free” as a complete nutrition judgement
Onken lists 11.1g sugars per 100g for its 0% Fat Vanilla yoghurt. Activia lists 6.7g sugars per 100g for its Fat-Free Peach yoghurt, which also contains sweeteners.
Compare the sugars line and ingredients as well as fat and saturates, using the exact flavour you plan to buy.
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Assuming natural yoghurt is low in saturates
Onken lists 2.3g saturates per 100g for its whole-milk Natural yoghurt. That is above the NHS low-saturates threshold of 1.5g per 100g.
If low saturated fat is your main criterion, use the declared saturates value rather than the word “natural” to make the comparison.
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Expecting a large tub to set the portion
A tub leaves the serving size to you. Tesco says its Finest 0% Fat Greek Yoghurt should be consumed within five days of opening and by the use-by date.
Serve the amount you want in a bowl, and check whether you can finish the remaining yoghurt within the pack instructions.
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Treating live cultures as a treatment claim
A yoghurt’s live-culture description does not establish that it treats digestive symptoms.
Choose between products using their ingredients, nutrition information and format, rather than expecting a medical outcome.
Which brand ranges are relevant?
These ranges illustrate different yoghurt formats and label profiles; check the particular flavour and current pack before buying.
Müller
Müller Light is a flavoured, individual-pot alternative to plain natural yoghurt.
- Müller describes its Müller Light range as fat free and containing 0% added sugar.
- Ingredients vary by flavour. Müller lists aspartame and acesulfame K in its Smooth Toffee flavour, so check the specific pot if you avoid those sweeteners.
Onken
Onken has both whole-milk natural yoghurt and a 0% Fat Vanilla option.
- Onken lists 0.4g fat and 0.2g saturates per 100g for 0% Fat Vanilla.
- The same vanilla yoghurt lists 11.1g sugars per 100g and includes added sugar. Onken Natural lists 2.3g saturates per 100g.
Yeo Valley
Yeo Valley’s 0% Greek Style line offers a different choice from its whole-milk natural yoghurts.
- Yeo Valley says its 0% range has no added sugar or sweeteners.
- That description applies to the 0% range, not every Yeo Valley yoghurt. Check the nutrition panel on the product you choose.
Rachel's
Rachel's has unflavoured low-fat natural and fat-free Greek-style yoghurts.
- Rachel's lists 1.9g fat and 1.2g saturates per 100g for Natural Low Fat, and 0.1g of each per 100g for Greek Style Natural Fat Free.
- Its fat-free Greek-style yoghurt still lists 8.7g sugars per 100g; fat free does not mean sugar free.
Activia
Activia’s Fat-Free Peach yoghurt is a flavoured, individual-pot option.
- Activia lists 0.1g fat, 0g saturates and 4.7g protein per 100g for the Peach product.
- It lists 6.7g sugars per 100g and contains sucralose and acesulfame K. Its live-culture description is not evidence that it treats digestive symptoms.
Tesco
Tesco Finest 0% Fat Greek Yoghurt is a plain, self-portioned option sold in a 1kg tub.
- Tesco lists 0.2g fat, 0.1g saturates and 9.8g protein per 100g.
- Tesco instructs customers to consume it within five days of opening and by the use-by date; the larger tub does not set a serving size.
Joybuy yoghurt drink options
These options are bottled yoghurt drinks for someone considering a ready-to-drink late supper, rather than spoonable yoghurt pots or tubs. Check the current label before comparing their nutrition with yoghurt declared per 100g.
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LIGHT UP Zero Control Avocado Kale Chia Seed Milkshake Yoghurt Drink, 3 × 220ml
A three-bottle option if you want a drink rather than a spoonable yoghurt for supper. Compare its nutrition on the same basis as any yoghurt pot, and check the current sugar claim against the ingredients.
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LIGHT UP Zero Control Avocado Kale Chia Seed Milkshake Yoghurt Drink, 220ml
A single-bottle format if you prefer a ready-to-drink option. It is not a substitute for comparing spoonable yoghurts per 100g; check the current nutrition panel, ingredients and sugar claim before choosing it.
Questions about choosing yoghurt
Is fat-free yoghurt also low in sugar?
Not necessarily: “fat free” describes fat, not sugars. Rachel's lists 8.7g sugars per 100g for its Greek Style Natural Fat Free yoghurt, while Activia lists 6.7g per 100g for Fat-Free Peach. Read the sugars value even when a pack says “no added sugars”.
What is the quickest way to compare two yoghurts?
Compare their nutrition per 100g, beginning with the measure that matters to you, such as saturates, then check fat, sugars and protein. The NHS categorises 1.5g saturates or less per 100g as low; per-100g figures avoid confusing products with different serving sizes.
Should I choose a large plain tub or individual pots?
Choose by the portion and format you will use: a tub lets you serve your own amount, while an individual pot comes ready-portioned. Tesco lists 9.8g protein per 100g for its Finest 0% Fat Greek Yoghurt 1kg tub and instructs customers to consume it within five days of opening and by the use-by date.
Do live cultures mean yoghurt treats digestive problems?
No treatment conclusion follows from a live-culture description. Use the product’s ingredients and nutrition information to decide whether it fits what you want from a supper; do not treat it as a remedy for symptoms.
What should I check on a chilled yoghurt pack?
Read the current ingredients and allergen information, then follow the pack’s refrigeration, use-by and opened-pack instructions. For its Finest 0% Fat Greek Yoghurt, Tesco specifies consumption within five days of opening and by the use-by date.