We Taste Tested 14 Dairy-Free Yogurts to Find Out Which Ones to Try or Skip

Ditching dairy doesn’t mean you have to give up yogurt. Nor should you. In fact, dairy-free yogurts have many of the same digestive benefits dairy-based yogurts do, as long as you’re buying brands that contain live probiotics and cultures.

“For those who can’t handle regular cow’s milk or are choosing non-dairy alternatives, they will be better for gut health [as your body is] better able to absorb nutrients from milk alternatives,” says Yasi Ansari, RD a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and a Los Angeles-based registered dietitian.

But some types of plant-based yogurts don;t provide much protein, or are filled with sugar, thickeners, or additives, so it’s important to read labels, and have realistic expectations when switching it up. That plant-based yogurt with fruit syrup in the bottom? Definitely not the best bet if you're avoiding carbs. “[Plant-based yogurts] can be healthy alternatives, but I’d recommend looking for unsweetened or low-sugar versions," Ansari says, "so look for labels with shorter lists of ingredients."

The good news is that plant-based yogurts can offer nutrients that dairy yogurts don’t typically have. Some varieties such as flax milk yogurt and hemp yogurt naturally contain omega-3 fatty acids as well as fiber. Others are fortified with vitamins and minerals such as vitamin D and calcium, commonly found in conventional yogurt, to make them even healthier.

To find out which plant-based yogurts are the best (and which ones you might want to skip), we went on a taste-testing mission and uploaded the health and taste ratings of a mix of products to the Beet Meter. What are your favorites? Feel free to add your rating and share your comments below.

For all the Beet Meters, check out the best vegan products. 

Based on Blue Diamond Almond milk, this yogurt is both tasty and natural, while satisfying your need for a rich yogurt experience. It’s sweet and the vanilla flavor has a real hint of vanilla bean aftertaste, so it makes a great treat. Keyword treat. Because with 11 grams of added sugar, accounting for 22 percent of your daily value of sugar, it seems like a treat more than a healthy snack. The texture is both a little light and airy and also has some lumps in it (possibly from the tapioca starch added to it to thicken it). But overall this is a satisfying yogurt experience.

Calories 130

Total Fat 5g, Saturated Fat 0g

Protein 2g

If you're looking for a legit greek-style yogurt with that creamy, thick consistency and authentic sour taste Anita's coconut yogurt is the best choice.  Despite the coconut base, the taste is very neutral and great served with granola or fruit.  Overall, Anita's is quite healthy with no added sugar or preservatives and chalked full of 300 billion live cultures per serving.   The only negative mark we gave this yogurt was for the very high-fat content which brought the health rating down to 3. That said, this is hands-down one of the best overall plant-based yogurts on the market and highly recommended as a dairy yogurt alternative.

Calories 395

Total Fat 33g, Saturated 30g

Protein 4g

In a category dominated by coconut and soy products, Chobani's dairy-free yogurt offers customers an oat-based option that's protein-filled and excellently creamy. This sweet, vanilla yogurt blend contains 7 grams of protein per 150 calories, striking quite the deal with your diet. For those looking for a health boost in the morning. this vegan yogurt contains more probiotics than the other leading brands. Overall, the taste is good, however, there is a sour aftertaste that some people will not enjoy.

Calories 150

Total Fat 3 g, Saturated 1.5g

Protein 7g

You can taste the difference between this dairy-free yogurt and others since it’s the cleanest vegan yogurt we tried. It’s made with simple ingredients such as coconut, cassava root, and probiotics. It doesn’t taste artificial, and the texture is smooth, creamy and silky.

Calories 190

Total Fat 16g, Saturated 15g

Protein 1g

Coconut Cult immediately will grab your attention, with its glass jar and bright colored packaging. (We love the fact that the resealable glass jar is eco-friendly.) After you’re done admiring the jar, your eyes will drift to the price tag and notice that a single eight-ounce jar is 10 dollars. This Coconut base has a bitter taste and some graininess to the texture, so if that isn't your thing add it to a smoothie.

Calories 70

Total Fat 6g, Saturated 6g

Protein 1g

Made from raw young coconut and raw young coconut water, CocoYo doesn’t try to mimic the taste of conventional yogurt, instead, it has a much tangier taste. Available in five flavors including cacao and ginger turmeric, each with 8 or fewer grams of carbs and 25 billion colony forming units per serving (commonly referred to as CFUs, the number of viable bacteria) per serving. It’s a little lower in protein than other yogurts, so mix yours with an ounce of nuts to get more oomph in your cup.

Calories 110

Total Fat 8g, Saturated 8g

Protein 1g

If you love coconut, you'll love Coyo Natural. With a tangy, rich texture that closely resembles Greek yogurt, Coyo would be a great addition to your morning smoothie. Grab the natural (aka plain) flavor to mix with any other ingredients you're in the mood for. You can also throw it in the freezer for a delicious frozen treat. With 390 calories, 38 grams of fat, and only 10 grams of carbs, it can be a luxurious, keto-friendly dessert.

Calories 390

Total Fat 38g, Saturated 36g

Protein 3g

Forager was the only yogurt that wasn’t either overly sweet or too bitter. The consistency looked more like pudding than yogurt when we first opened it. When you stir properly,  the texture becomes smoother. This yogurt would be great to thicken a smoothie.

Calories 110

Total Fat 7g, Saturated 1.5g

Protein 3g

Kite Hill might be the most nutritious dairy-free yogurt of the bunch. With 4 grams of fiber and 11 grams of protein, it makes a great choice for breakfast. Make sure to stir this yogurt well to smooth out the texture. The only criticism of this yogurt was a chalky aftertaste, but add granola and berries on top to make a delicious parfait. 

Calories 140

Total Fat 11g, Saturated 1g

Protein 4g

A mix of coconut, pili nuts, and plantains, Lavva is more like a cold fruit dip than a substitute for conventional yogurt. With both prebiotics and probiotics, and no added sugar (it naturally contains 7 grams of carbs per serving), this is a great choice for any time of day—and if you’re a piña colada kind of person, might we recommend the pineapple flavor?

Calories 170

Total Fat 13g, Saturated 10g

Protein 2g

Perhaps the biggest surprise of the bunch, this gluten-free oat milk-based yogurt scores big on fluffiness, creaminess, and flavor. While it’s a little steeper than other varieties when it comes to carbs (the plain style has 9 grams per serving), with 6 grams of protein to balance it out, it’s more likely to keep you full. It’s available in four flavors: plain, vanilla, blueberry, and strawberry-hibiscus, so take your pick or bring them all home.

Calories 70

Total Fat 1.5g, Saturated 0.5g

Protein 6g

As with all foods, you choose your priorities. Siggi’s makes a delicious plant-based coconut blend of non-dairy yogurt with about half the added sugar of most of the leading competitors. It also delivers more protein per container, with 9 grams in just 190 calories. As for sugar, you’re only eating 9 grams of sugar and about 12 grams of carbs with each container. However the coconut carries more fat, with 11 grams of total fat and 7 grams of saturated fat, so if you are trying to avoid saturated fat for the sake of your future heart health, this may not be the choice for you. Still, it’s the best tasting of the crop, and you will want to have it as the occasional treat that yogurt should be.

Calories 150

Total Fat 11g, Saturated 7g

Protein 10g

Made from soymilk, Silk’s dairy-free yogurt alternative has 6 grams of protein and four different kinds of live cultures. That’s the good news. It’s also sweet tasting and has a respectable amount of calcium (15 percent of your daily value ) vitamin D (10 percent of your DV). However, the second ingredient on the label after soybeans and filtered water is cane sugar. Ouch. there are 16 grams of added sugar which amounts to 32 percent of your daily value for total added sugar. That’s a treat, not a snack. Enjoy wisely.

Calories 140

Total Fat 3.5g, Saturated 0g

Protein 6g

So Delicious is as close to the real deal as it gets. As you unwrap the yogurt, you might be fooled by how well the texture mimics real, dairy-based yogurt. The sweetness of the coconut took over our tastebuds and made us feel like we were eating a treat. After looking at the nutrition label, we realized it has 6 grams of saturated fat and 25 grams of carbs and less than 1 gram of protein. But this one was by far our favorite by far!

Calories 170

Total Fat 7g, Saturated 6g

Protein <1g

Bottom Line: At first glance, you might be overwhelmed by all the brands and flavors to choose from (we know we were) but don’t worry, you don’t have to give up your favorite breakfast yet. Just because yogurt is dairy-free, doesn't mean it's automatically healthy, so make sure to check the labels.

Califia Farms Almond Creamer is made with real almonds and coconut cream to give a rich, full-flavored texture and has 2 grams of added sugar. The consistency is so thick it’s more like a heavy cream rather than a creamer substitute. Regardless, it froths up well and is very creamy. The almond taste is noticeable but the creamer isn’t bitter or grainy. You don’t need to use a lot of it; a little goes a long way!

Silk Original Dairy-Free Original Soy Creamer has only 1 gram of added sugar, but sadly it does not froth up well when I heated it due to a thinner, more watery consistency. It didn't combine well with coffee, no matter how much was added. Because of the underwhelming flavor, this was my least favorite.

This Natural Bliss Coconut Milk Creamer/Sweet Cream is the best one I’ve found for both frothing and taste, especially if you miss the consistency and flavor of half-and-half. It’s creamy and has a hint of coconut, but no overwhelming coconut flavor. Note: it is made with pea protein, unlike the other ones, which is probably why it’s thicker. Always check ingredients if you have food allergies because unexpected ingredients such as peas can be hiding in the product, and you would never know by the taste.

So Delicious has been marketing dairy-free frozen desserts, yogurt alternatives, and smooth plant-based beverages for over 30 years. Besides the coconut milk, they also have “Original,” “Snickerdoodle.” “Caramel” and “Creamy Vanilla” flavors. I only sampled the coconut milk flavor. This is the only one in this taste test with 0 grams of added sugar. It has a very rich coconut taste and froths up nicely in coffee like milk. It’s not as thick as some of the others but is a good alternative to ultra-sweet creamers if you want to be careful about your sugar intake. The coconut flavor is powerful but not overwhelming.

Natural Bliss Oat Milk Creamer, Vanilla Natural Flavor, with 4 grams added sugar is similar to Coffee Mate’s Coconut creamer but without the coconut flavor. It’s super-rich and creamy with a hint of oat flavor but not bitter at all. My new favorite! This is the best one I’ve found for frothing and taste especially if you miss the consistency and flavor of half and half. It’s like the real thing as it’s creamy, fluffy and not grainy. Remember to shake it up before putting in your frother. Use a little and be happy with your non-dairy latte!

The Original Oat-Ly Oat Milk Barista Edition contains 4 grams of sugar but its full-flavored taste makes it a rich choice. It doesn’t market itself as a creamer but it does advertise as the choice for the barista community. It’s slightly less frothy than real milk when mixed but the flavor is pleasant, not bitter, and I would choose it again.

Silk Oat Yeah Oat Milk Creamer, the Vanilla One has 4 grams of added sugar and is also at the top of my list. While it’s sweet, it’s also incredibly rich which means you can use less of it in your coffee. It was thick and creamy when frothed and it adds a fluffy cap to your coffee as lattes make with real cream. Note that pea protein is an added ingredient in this creamer as well. This can rival the real thing but choose this one only if you like a strong vanilla aftertaste!

The Silk Almond Creamer Vanilla boasts that it’s “America’s #1 Almond Creamer. But with 4 grams added sugar you may want to use it sparingly. It did taste sweet and was nice and thick, so someone who likes rich creamers will love it. The vanilla aftertaste was pretty strong. And it's a little too syrupy sweet for my taste.

Nutpods is the closest you'll get to the real thing! Tasters immediately gave this dairy-free creamer a 5 out 5. The texture is smooth and mixes with coffee instantly. Unlike soy creamers, this almond and coconut-based creamer doesn't separate once your done stirring. Nut Pods is the most comparable to half and half in the whole list of creamers!

Forager is cashew milk and coconut cream based that mixes for a unique and flavorful taste. The consistency was on the thinner side, and if you're a heavy cream or half-and-half devotee this is probably not the creamer for you, although those who like a lighter flavor will enjoy it.

This creamer is rich, round and doesn't taste too overtly of coconut. You only need a splash to achieve a nice, creamy effect in your coffee, and there's no watered-down consistency, so if you swear by heavy cream or half & half, give this Trader Joe's option a try! At only $1.69 per carton, this product is a steal.

The thickest consistency of the bunch, resembling a heavy cream rather than half and half. Malk has only 5 ingredients, making it super clean and healthy! The almond flavor might be overpowering to those who like less flavor in their creamer. Add the Maple Pecan flavor to your coffee for an even sweeter taste.