Danone YoPRO yoghurt review
Here we will give a hands-on, taste-tested review of Danone YoPRO yoghurt. We’ll look into the benefits, ingredients, nutrition, use and flavour of this high-protein yoghurt. And we’ll compare some factors against similar high-protein yoghurts.
For this review we have tested the vanilla version.
This yoghurt is made in Australia and is widely available in Australian supermarkets.
Ingredients of Danone YoPRO yoghurt
Unlike most other high-protein yoghurts we have reviewed, this is not a simple, authentic yoghurt and there are a few additives. However, these additives are not extremely concerning.
The specific ingredients are skim milk, water, thickener (rice starch), natural flavours, lemon pulp, sweetener (steviol glycosides), vanilla bean, salt, lactase enzyme, live yoghurt cultures and milk minerals.
In terms of additives, it is the sweetener which bothers me most.
Are sweeteners bad for you?
Regular readers will know that I don’t love sweeteners - whether they are natural or artificial. This is because artificial sweeteners have been shown to negatively affect gut microbe composition - and so it could be that natural sweeteners also have a negative affect on your gut. There are other potential side effects of these natural sweeteners (especially around signalling to your body that sugar is coming when it isn’t), but more research is needed.
In any case, I’d prefer to avoid sweeteners altogether to be on the safe side. This is a personal choice though and essentially a trade off between sugar (which is not good) and natural sweeteners (which may or may not be shown to be unhealthy in future).
Read more about the current research done on stevia which is the sweetener in this yoghurt.
A note on some of the ingredients:
lemon pulp - this is added for either flavour or texture or to adjust the acidity
lactase - this aids digestion by breaking down lactose (which is a milk sugar) in the yoghurt
In summary, you should just be aware that Danone YoPRO yoghurt is not a traditional yoghurt, and does contain (natural) flavourings, sweeteners and thickeners.
Benefits of Danone YoPRO yoghurt
The main appeal of this yoghurt is its high protein and low fat levels. For context, we’ll compare a few key factors against Woolworths high protein plain yoghurt and Chobani Greek yoghurt which are two other high-protein yoghurts.
Nutrients
Protein: YoPRO’s protein content is very high at 9.5% - which is more than Woolworths (9.4%) and Chobani (8.6%).
Fat: This yoghurt has very low fat levels at 0.3%. Woolworths is also very low at less than 1%, whereas Chobani has 4%. For further context, other brands which don’t focus on protein often have around 9% fat (eg Tamar Valley Greek style yoghurt).
Calcium: YoPro has moderate levels of calcium at 117mg per 100g. This is lower than Woolworths (133mg) and higher than Chobani (100mg)
Live cultures
There is no indication of the strains of live cultures present in YoPro - which is disappointing. For comparison, Woolworths has at least four strains of live cultures and Chobani has five.
In terms of the amount of actual live cultures present (ie colony forming units), none of these three yoghurts give any information on this.
Read more about the benefits of probiotic foods.
Postbiotics
Postbiotics are essentially things cultures produce during fermentation. These include healthy short-chain fatty acids which nourish our gut lining and may help reduce symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome.
Appearance
As the picture below shows, it has an ice-cream-like appearance and remains quite rigid in the bowl - thanks to the added thickener.
Texture
The texture is thick, but given the near absence of fat it isn’t satisfyingly creamy.
Flavour
It has a soured milk aroma as you would expect along with some vanilla.
The taste is fairly sweet and vanilla-y with a low acidity. Like some other very low-fat and high-protein yoghurts, it leaves a sort of chalky taste in the mouth.
Overall, the additives make the flavour quite approachable for a very low-fat yoghurt.
Use
Given the approachable taste, this yoghurt could be had on its own or put on cereal or in a smoothie.
However, given the additives and texture, it wouldn’t be good for marinades or dressings - but I don’t think anyone buying this type of yoghurt would expect to use it for those purposes anyway.
Cost of Danone YoPRO yoghurt
You can buy a 700g tub from Aldi for $7.50 - which is quite expensive per gram compared to other brands.
Review summary
Rating: 3.75 stars out of 5.
Verdict: Danone YoPRO yoghurt is high protein, low fat yoghurt with a decent taste. Just be aware that it is not a traditional yoghurt and contains various additives.
Pros
very high in protein
very low in fat
decent taste for something so low in fat
Cons
various additives to improve the taste, including a sweetener
doesn’t have a creamy texture
no information on the strains of live cultures included
no information on the actual amount of live cultures it contains (ie colony forming units)
expensive
Health benefits of yoghurt
Aside from the specific benefits listed above, especially related to probiotics and postbiotics, yoghurt has some other important health benefits.
Vitamins and minerals
Yoghurt is a source of various vitamins and minerals including:
calcium - which helps digestion and supports bone and teeth health
magnesium - which supports bone health, muscle function and energy production
phosphorus - which is important for bone and teeth health and energy metabolism
potassium - which supports heart, muscle, nerve and kidney health
vitamins B2 and B12 - which support immunity, energy production and cell and nerve function
vitamin A - supports vision, immune function, cell growth and healthy skin
Satiety and weight management
The high protein and low carbohydrate content in yogurt, especially Greek style yogurt, helps you feel fuller for longer which can help control your appetite. Greek yoghurt is often recommended by dietitians for this reason.
Reduced lactose
Compared to unfermented dairy products such as milk, yoghurt has lower levels of lactose as this is partially consumed by bacteria during the fermentation process. This makes it more digestible for people who have some degree of lactose intolerance.
Your reviewer
This article was reviewed by Travis, the founder of this website, long-time gut-health enthusiast, science nerd and passionate kombucha maker of over 10 years!
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