Milk, yogurt & alternatives · Glycemic index

Does yogurt spike blood sugar?

Not much. Yogurt has a low GI of 33, and a 170 g serving (one 6 oz container) has a low glycemic load of 4. Yogurt has a low average GI, and plain yogurt contains little carbohydrate, so a 6 oz container of plain yogurt has a low glycemic load.

Key numbers

Glycemic index: 33; Low GI
Glycemic load: 4; Low GL
Available carbs: 12 g; 0 g fiber
Serving: one 6 oz container; 170 g · plain, low-fat

GI vs GL for yogurt

The glycemic index (GI) compares how fast the carbohydrate in a food raises blood sugar against pure glucose (100), using a fixed amount of carbohydrate. The glycemic load (GL) adds the other half of the story — how much carbohydrate a normal serving actually contains: GI × available carbs ÷ 100. For yogurt: 33 × 12 g ÷ 100 ≈ 4.

That figure is an average reported in the 2021 international GI tables (“All Yoghurts, mean of 72 studies”). The 72 tests cover plain and flavored yogurts; a no-added-sugar natural yogurt tested 17 and a low-fat natural yogurt 35. Composition shown is for plain low-fat yogurt — fruit yogurts carry much more carbohydrate.

Eating a different amount? Work out the glycemic load of your portion.

How to eat yogurt with less of a spike

Buy plain yogurt and add berries yourself instead of buying fruit-flavored yogurt.
Make it the protein base of breakfast, with a small sprinkle of granola or nuts on top.
Serve a spoonful alongside higher-GI foods such as fruit or cereal so the meal isn't carbohydrate alone.

Other low-GI choices

Compare with

See all 67 foods in the glycemic index table

Frequently asked questions

What is the glycemic index of yogurt?

Yogurt has a glycemic index of 33, which is low. That figure is an average reported in the 2021 international GI tables (“All Yoghurts, mean of 72 studies”). A 170 g serving (one 6 oz container) contains about 12 g of available carbohydrate, giving a glycemic load of 4 (low).

Is yogurt good for prediabetes?

Plain yogurt is a strong choice for prediabetes: low GI, low glycemic load and a source of protein. Flavored yogurts carry far more sugar, so plain yogurt with fruit is the better default.

Is flavored yogurt bad for blood sugar?

Its GI is usually still low — the 72 yogurts in the 2021 tables averaged 33 — but flavored yogurts carry much more carbohydrate. USDA data list low-fat fruit yogurt at about 19 g of carbohydrate per 100 g, against about 7 g for plain low-fat yogurt.

Sources

GI values come from the international GI tables; carbohydrate and fiber per serving are calculated from USDA FoodData Central.

Data last checked September 30, 2026.