Fruit yogurt is a very common ingredient that you can find in many stores. Yogurt is usually made from cow’s milk, sometimes from goat’s or sheep’s milk. The fruits can be added fresh, frozen or as fruit purée. You can buy fruit yogurt at the supermarket, find it at the weekly market from small farms or even make it yourself at home by mixing natural yogurt with fresh berries.
Origin and growing regions of the ingredients
The milk for yogurt often comes from the region, i.e. from nearby farms, but sometimes from other countries. The fruits come from different countries depending on the variety:
- Blueberries, strawberries, raspberries: often from local fields or from more southern countries in summer. Berries are typical of warm, sunny places in spring and summer.
- Apples and pears: frequently from temperate zones and well storable, therefore available year-round.
- Mango, pineapple, passion fruit: mostly come from tropical countries because these fruits need a lot of sun to become sweet.
- Dried or puréed: Some fruits are processed into purée or dried so they can be used out of season.
Available types and variants
There are many kinds of fruit yogurt. Here are some main groups, explained simply:
- Fruit yogurt in a pot: This is a regular pot of yogurt, often with fruit pieces or fruit sauce at the bottom. Sometimes you see small pieces, sometimes only a smooth fruit layer.
- Greek yogurt with fruit: This is thicker and creamier. It feels almost like pudding and pairs well with honey or nuts.
- Drinking yogurt: More liquid yogurt that you drink from a small beverage cup – practical on the go.
- Skyr: An Icelandic, very firm yogurt similar to Greek, often low in fat.
- Organic and regional variants: These yogurts come from farms that follow particular rules. “Organic” often means animals have more space and less chemical use in cultivation.
- Lactose-free and low-sugar: For people who do not tolerate milk sugar well, there are lactose-free yogurts. There are also variants with less sugar that taste less sweet.
- Plant-based alternatives: Yogurt from soy, almond, oat or coconut with fruit preparations – for people who don't eat dairy.
- Frozen fruit yogurt: Like an ice cream, but based on yogurt. It is cold and creamy, good as a snack in summer.
When you buy fruit yogurt, you can check whether there are pieces in the pack or only purée, how much sugar it contains and whether it comes from your region. At home it is also very easy: take natural yogurt and mix in fresh fruit – this is often the healthiest and tastes fresh. That way you can decide exactly how sweet or fruity your yogurt should be.
