Yogurt parfaits, made from layering yogurt and toppings, provide a fast and balanced blend of nutrition. They’re the perfect quick breakfast, easy lunch, and on-the-go option. But it’s easy to accidentally build yogurt parfaits that are high in sugar and lacking in other nutrients. To ensure your parfait is beneficial, balanced, and nutritious, seek these attributes.
Probiotics
Probiotics are essential for maintaining a healthy gut, and they benefit your body in other ways too. All yogurt is made from culture. But only options with live (also called active) culture have a probiotic benefit for your body. (In other cases, the culture will no longer be viable.) Look for a statement on the container that says the yogurt you’re selecting includes active culture (it may be listed below other ingredients). And go even further when you top your parfait with prebiotic fiber to help your probiotic bacteria flourish.
Protein
Choose protein-rich Greek or Skyr-style yogurt to ensure that your parfait is satiating and controls your hunger. Any parfait will provide an assortment of micronutrients. But choosing “American” style yogurt is a missed opportunity to work toward meeting your daily protein needs (an important goal for all of us). Your parfait may also be imbalanced, offering only carbohydrates, unless you add ingredients that provide protein and/or fat.
Low Sugar
Flavored yogurt typically contains a significant amount of added sugar, which correlates directly with an increased risk of obesity, heart disease, and diabetes. To avoid added sugar, choose plain (unflavored yogurt) or an option with a non-nutritive sweetener like monk fruit or stevia. You can also sweeten your parfait naturally with colorful berries and other fruit. This reduces the sugar, adds antioxidants, and contributes to an anti-inflammatory diet.
Heart-Healthy Fat
Adding fat to your yogurt parfait makes it balanced and more satiating. And parfaits are a perfect opportunity for heart-healthy fats from nuts and seeds. These fats reduce the risk of heart disease and help with maintaining ideal cholesterol levels. They also serve as natural GLP-1 boosters.
Whole Grains
Layer your parfait with oats, quinoa flakes, or even that leftover brown rice or other grain sitting in your fridge. If it tastes good to you, it will likely work well when layered with yogurt and other ingredients. You can also look for whole grain, protein-rich granola to use as a garnish. Just be sure to avoid products with added sugar. For a homemade option, try this Yogurt Parfait with Skillet Granola.