Pumpkin Yogurt Taste-Off

 

Are you tired of pumpkin flavored everything yet? Nope. Me neither. Well maybe that’s not completely true – Trader Joe’s was a little over the top this year with all their pumpkin food products. But I do love a good pumpkin yogurt and I’ve had fun the past couple years searching out different brands to try. Here’s my review of both flavor and nutrition of the different festive yogurts I’ve found.

Before we dig in, a quick apology for my absence from my little online space. Life has been exciting lately, to say the least. I’ll be sure to share all about it soon. 🙂

Noosa

Flavor: I discovered this brand of yogurt while living in Colorado and have been a die-hard fan ever since (you must try the honey flavor!). Pumpkin Noosa is seasonal and only available in the fall. The pumpkin purée and warm spices are made extra divine by the addition of a touch of cream cheese. Their other seasonal flavor is Cranberry Apple, which I find equally as tasty especially with a dash of cinnamon.

Nutrition (per 4 oz): 145 calories, 6 g fat, 6 g protein, 16 g carbohydrate, 15 g sugar
This is a whole milk yogurt, hence it’s creamy dreamy flavor. Noosa uses high quality dairy, honey, and fresh fruit puree. Love that. I recommend this yogurt as a healthier dessert alternative.

Trader Joe’s

Flavor: This yogurt has the most actual pumpkin flavor of all that I’ve tried. It’s not very sweet (a good thing) and the texture is wonderfully thick.

Nutrition (per 8 oz): 190 calories, 0 g fat, 18 g protein, 29 g carbohydrate, 23 g sugar
The portion of this yogurt is huge! Because it’s a Greek style yogurt protein content is good. I was surprised by the sugar content (about 15 grams added sugars – the remaining sugars come from the lactose naturally occurring in milk) given that this yogurt doesn’t taste very sweet. That amount of sugar pushes this yogurt into more of a dessert category for me, but the flavor wasn’t sweet enough for me to be considered a dessert replacement.

Chobani

Flavor: This yogurt is sweet. The flavor is good but not my favorite. The texture is thin for a Greek yogurt. Chobani also makes a Harvest Pumpkin Crisp Flip Cup yogurt, which I have not yet tried.

Nutrition (per 5.3 oz): 130 calories, 3 g fat, 12 g protein, 15 g carbohydrate, 12 g sugar
This yogurt is a satiating snack as it has a nice balance of fat, protein, and carbohydrate. But again, I really wish the texture was thicker. I think adding a few pecans or slivered almonds might make this yogurt more filling.

Siggi’s

Flavor: Siggi’s ranks as my favorite yogurt brand because of it’s fantastic nutrition, simple ingredient list, and delicious flavors. The pumpkin flavor is available year round (although can sometimes be tricky to find) and a real winner. I love the thick, rich texture. It is not overly sweet and the cinnamon and nutmeg flavors really shine through.

Nutrition (per 5.3 oz): 130 calories, 2 g fat, 14 g protein, 13 g carbohydrate, 11 g sugar
The protein content in this yogurt is higher than the carbohydrate (that’s rare in yogurt), which helps keep you full for several hours. I typically add this yogurt to my lunch or enjoy it as a mid-morning or afternoon snack. Because of the low sugar content and thicker texture, I find that some people have a hard time adjusting to the flavor. But I assure you, this yogurt is worth trying and making part of your yogurt rotation!

Ellenos

Flavor: This is a Seattle brand and only available here. However if you ever come visit – make a stop at their stall in Pike Place Market for a taste of the most authentic, hand-crafted, delicious Greek yogurt. This year they came out with a Pumpkin Pie flavor that is out of this world! Plain Greek yogurt topped with crumbled up pumpkin pie – it tastes like cheesecake!

Nutrition (per 4 oz): 198 calories, 6.4 grams fat, 8.7 g protein, 25 g carbohydrate, 17.7 g sugar. This yogurt is dessert. End of story. Enjoy it!