8 Best Fruits to Eat With Yogurt, According to Dietitians
Choosing the right fruit can bring your morning meal to the next level.
We love yogurt because it’s convenient, versatile, and loaded with nutrients. But let’s be honest: All by itself, yogurt can be a little blah. That’s where fruit comes in.
“There really is never a bad fruit option to add to yogurt,” says Megan Wroe, M.S., R.D., C.N.E., CLEC, wellness manager and registered dietitian at the St. Jude Wellness Center at Providence St. Jude Medical Center. “The antioxidants and fiber of any fruit partner in an amazing way with the calcium, protein, and probiotics in yogurt for a very balanced and satiating meal.”
A bit of fruit can add a boost of nutrition, texture, and sweetness with little-to-no effort. Practically any kind of fruit you have on hand will work with yogurt, but dietitians do have some favorites. Here are their go-tos.
Berries
Berries were the top pick of both dietitians we talked to. They pack quite the nutritional punch, and any kind will do, including blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, or strawberries. “Berries are one of the easiest ways to add both fiber and polyphenol-rich plant compounds to yogurt,” says Morgan Walker, M.S., R.D., L.D.N., a registered dietitian and adjunct professor and sports nutrition and wellness manager at Lebanon Valley College.
Rotating a mix of berries ensures you’ll get all of their good stuff. Plus, all of them are low in sugar compared to other fruits. Raspberries and blackberries have the most fiber, clocking in at about 8 grams per cup. Strawberries are good sources of vitamin C, with about 98 milligrams per cup of sliced berries. Blueberries are particularly high in anthocyanins, which may have benefits for cardiometabolic function, inflammation, and serum and liver lipids, Walker says.
Pro tip: Frozen berries work well when fresh ones are out of season or too pricey. “I personally love to defrost berries in the microwave, which turns them into a jammy syrup and makes the yogurt taste like dessert,” Wroe says.
Apples
Like berries, apples are low-glycemic and have lots of fiber (especially in the skin). “Apples are also a high-water-content fruit, which helps expand the fiber within the gut and create a greater feeling of fullness,” Wroe says. Adding a crunchy food to a smooth one forces chewing, which also aids digestion, Wroe says.
Pro tip: “I love grating apples or cutting them into skinny matchsticks for easier eating than big chunks,” she recommends. “Adding some cinnamon, nutmeg, and nuts with a drizzle of maple syrup tastes like apple pie.”
Pears
When you want to branch out from apples, try pears—especially in the fall, when they’re in season. Like apples, pears contain a lot of water and fiber. One large pear has about 7 grams of fiber. Depending on the variety and the level of ripeness, they can add either a crunch or a softer bite to the yogurt.
Pro tip: “If your pear starts to brown or get soft before you get to it, mash it with a tiny bit of butter over low heat on the stove along with cinnamon and nutmeg,” Wroe says. “It creates a delicious pear sauce to spoon over your yogurt.”
Kiwi
Whether you prefer the green or the golden kind, kiwis are one of the best fruits you can add to your repertoire. One medium green kiwi has 2 grams of fiber and 64 milligrams of vitamin C. Golden kiwifruit has even more vitamin C, with 130 milligrams per kiwi.
Pro tip: Both varieties contain actinidin, which is an enzyme that can help break down certain proteins during digestion. This includes dairy products, so be sure to consume kiwi mixed into yogurt right away to prevent the yogurt from splitting and separating.
Papaya
For a more tropical option, both dietitians recommend papaya. “It’s an excellent source of vitamin C, along with vitamin A in the form of carotenoids, fiber, and folate,” Walker says. One cup of cubed papaya has about 2.5 grams of fiber and about 88 milligrams of vitamin C.
Papaya is a popular digestive aid because it contains the enzyme papain (though papain is most active in unripened papaya). Similar to the enzyme in kiwi, it breaks down dairy proteins and can cause yogurt to separate over time.
Pro tip: If fresh papaya is hard to find, check your store’s freezer section, and defrost the chunks before eating.
Green bananas
That’s right: the green ones. Yellow bananas certainly aren’t a bad choice, but the resistant starch in green bananas serves as a prebiotic to feed the probiotics (good gut bacteria) that are in many yogurts. From there, those probiotics generate postbiotics as byproducts that help nourish gut cells, Wroe says. All together, they make a complete feast for the gut microbiome.
Plus, if you don’t like the taste or texture of ripe bananas, green bananas are more firm and less sweet than yellow ones.
Pro tip: To ensure your yogurt contains probiotics, look for “Live and Active Cultures” on the label. Beyond that, you can sprinkle nuts like walnuts on top to get a boost of gut-friendly fiber and omega-3 fatty acids.
Pomegranate
Both experts like adding pomegranate arils (the seeds) to yogurt for a pop of crunch and sweet-tart flavor, along with a slew of other nutrients. Pomegranate arils provide fiber along with a variety of powerful polyphenols, including anthocyanins and ellagitannins, Walker says. A half-cup serving provides about 3.5 grams of fiber, as well as potassium, vitamin C, and vitamin K.
Pro tip: Pomegranate pairs well with yogurt on its own or mixed into a yogurt bowl with other fruit such as berries.
Tart cherries
Tart cherries have gotten a lot of attention recently for their potential benefits for muscle recovery and for sleep. Their antioxidants may speed recovery when consumed before a workout, and tart cherries are a natural source of melatonin, which keeps our sleep-wake cycle regular.
“Tart cherries contain anthocyanins and other polyphenols with antioxidant activity, while also providing nutrients such as vitamin C, potassium, and fiber,” Walker says. “As a whole fruit, tart cherries are a nutrient-dense choice to add to yogurt even beyond their potential role in exercise recovery.”
Pro tip: Tart cherries are in season in early to mid-summer, but frozen ones are widely available all year round.
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