Best yoghurt in Australia reviewed
Here we will give a hands-on, taste-tested review of some of Australia’s most popular yoghurts, including Tamar Valley, Chobani and Vaalia.
We’ll look into the benefits, ingredients, nutrition and flavour of these popular yoghurts and see where each yoghurt stands above the competition.
Best tasting yoghurt
Tamar Valley Greek style yoghurt
This yoghurt has only four ingredients - milk, cream, milk solids and cultures. It is made with fresh, pasteurised Tasmanian milk.
It does have a high degree of fat compared to others (it is 9.6% fat) however this is what gives it a delicious taste in my opinion.
Tamar Valley yoghurt has a decent amount of protein with 5g per 100g.
Flavour
The texture is very thick, creamy and luxurious - more so than the competition.
The acidity is quite high, so it might not be for people who don’t like sour taste too much.
Cost and availability
I bought a 1kg tub from Coles for $7.80.
Summary
4.75 stars out of 5.
A delicious, high quality yoghurt with a strong sour kick.
Pros
great taste
thick and creamy
simple ingredients
Cons
some information on the bacterial strains present and colony forming units would be helpful
not the cheapest
might be too sour for some
Best yoghurt for gut health
Vaalia Probiotics yoghurt
This is the choice for those who want to prioritise health benefits above taste (which is not to say it tastes bad, it doesn’t).
Along with milk and milk solids, this yoghurt also includes inulin, a dietary fibre and various strains of bacteria. This means that Vaalia gives you probiotics (ie live bacteria) as well as prebiotics (ie fibre which will feed the good bacteria in your gut).
In terms of probiotics, Vaalia includes L. acidophilus, Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus GG.
Compared to Tamar Valley is has 30% more calcium, slightly higher protein and around a fifth (!) of the fat.
Flavour
The texture is thick enough, but I wouldn’t describe it as creamy.
The taste is not very sour and quite approachable.
Overall, the taste is fine - but there is something a bit bland and underwhelming about it.
Cost and availability
The normal retail price for a 900g tub from Coles is $7.
Summary
4.75 stars out of 5.
A health-focused yoghurt with prebiotic fibre for extra health benefits. The taste might not blow you away, but the healthy factors should impress you.
Pros
low in fat
various probiotic strains
added prebiotic fibre
high in protein
good source of calcium
Cons
the low fat content prevents it from having a nice creaminess
slightly underwhelming taste (without being bad)
Best high-protein yoghurt
Chobani Greek yoghurt
This is the yoghurt to choose if you’re after high protein as well as a good taste.
Chobani has only three ingredients: skim milk, cream and live cultures.
They strain their yoghurt three times to thicken it and increase the protein content of the final product. Chobani yoghurt is 8.6% protein, whereas Tamar Valley is 5%.
It also has less than half the fat and sodium of Tamar Valley.
Chobani includes five strains of probiotics:
Streptococcus thermophilus
Lactobacillus bulgaricus
Lactobacillus acidophilus
Bifidus
Lactobacillus casei
Flavour
It appears thick with an almost cottage cheese-like texture.
The texture is very thick and somewhat creamy. Although the mouthfeel is not as satisfying as Tamar Valley.
In terms of taste, the sourness is quite low for a yoghurt.
Overall, the taste is good and preferable to that of Vaalia.
Cost and availability
The normal retail price for a 907g (hmmm, is that 7g free or 93g lost??) tub from Coles or Woolworths is around $8. This puts it at the premium end of the market.
Summary
4.5 stars out of 5.
A high-protein yoghurt with a relatively low fat level and five strains of probiotics. It’s a great compromise between taste, and good protein and fat levels.
Pros
high in protein
low in fat
five probiotic strains
good taste
Cons
not as creamy as some
price is higher than others
Health benefits of yoghurt
Vitamins and minerals
Yoghurt is a source of various vitamins and minerals including:
calcium
B vitamins (B12 and riboflavin)
magnesium
potassium
These vitamins support bone health, energy production, immune function and cardiovascular health.
Probiotics
These are the beneficial living microbes you are ingesting when you eat yoghurt.
Probiotics offer many health benefits including:
better digestive health
better immune function
reduced inflammation
reduced allergies
better nutrient absorption
Postbiotics
In simple terms, postbiotics are essentially things probiotics produce. These include short-chain fatty acids which nourish our gut lining and may help reduce symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome.
Prebiotics
Not traditionally in yoghurt but some brands (like Vaalia) add prebiotics for extra health benefits.
Prebiotics are essentially fibres which feed the good bacteria in your gut and help them multiply.
Your reviewer
This article was reviewed by Travis, the founder of this website, long-time gut enthusiast and passionate kombucha maker!
Related articles
Learn how to make a simple kombucha at home including advice on equipment, recipe and process. I share 10 years of kombucha-making learnings for you to get started!