Lacto-vegetarians (vegetarians who drink milk and eat dairy products) can eat some brands of yogurt. But other brands may contain animal ingredients like gelatin, animal-derived food colouring, fish oil, or other animal products. Here’s what to look for when trying to find a true vegetarian yogurt.
Gelatin (also spelled “gelatine”)
Gelatin, made from animal bones, seems like an unlikely yogurt additive. However, since the popularity of low-fat and fat-free yogurt has grown, so has the use of gelatin. Gelatin makes yogurt seem thicker and firmer. Think of the consistency of other gelatin products like Jell-O desserts – they’re firm without containing any fat.
Food Colouring (also called “natural colour')
Many yogurts have added colour to make their fruit look more appealing. Labelling regulations allow for carmine (cochineal extract) to be added to foods without calling it by its real name. Carmine is made from crushed insects. In Canada, It can be labelled simply as “natural colour”.
Fish Oil (also marketed as omega-3)
Yogurts labelled as containing omega-3 fats may contain fish oil. For vegetarian sources of omega-3, look for the fats called EPA and DHA from seaweed sources instead of fish. Some yogurts contain flaxseed as an omega-3 source. Flaxseed and flaxseed oil contain a vegetarian omega-3 fat called alpha-linolenic acid, which your body makes into EPA and DHA.
Tips for Finding Vegetarian Yogurt
- Look for short ingredient lists.
- Stay away from gimmicky yogurts that advertise health benefits.
- Go plain - good plain yogurt brands contain only milk or cream, and bacterial cultures.
- Go organic – organic foods don’t contain unnecessary additives.
- Go natural – natural brands are less likely to contain a long list of ingredients. But be aware that natural brands can still use the additives above because they’re natural products.
- Look for liquids – drinkable yogurts are less likely to contain gelatin because they have to stay runny. Kefir (a product similar to drinkable yogurt) is generally vegetarian too.
- Go vegan – try soy yogurt.
- Go homemade – make your own yogurt using whatever milk you like (skim, 2%, whole milk, soy milk) and packaged bacterial cultures (available at bulk and health food stores, or save a bit of a previous batch of yogurt to act as a starter).
Vegetarian Yogurt Brands
This list is current as of the time of writing. It reflects Canadian label information and brands. Double-check before purchasing any of these yogurt brands, as ingredient information may change.
The following is a list of lacto-vegetarian-friendly yogurt brands, free from gelatin, animal-derived colours, and fish oils:
- Astro BioBest: Antioxydant, Smoothie, Original, Greek, Organic
- Liberté/Liberty yogurt and Kefir – all flavours
- Western plain yogurt
- Stonyfield Farm, including YoBaby
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