# How many grams of carbohydrate in yogurt? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 10, 2002, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-grams-of-carbohydrate-in-yogurt/127812 "2002-09-10T16:25:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mimi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc348/32.png) [@Mimi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mimi)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2002, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-grams-of-carbohydrate-in-yogurt/127812/1 "2002-09-10T16:25:54Z")
How many grams of carbohydrate are in yogurt? Or what percentage of lactose is used in making lactic acid? The carbohydrate listing on the product is the initial count prior to the yogurt cultures converting the lactose into lactic acid. I’ve googled this question and didn’t come up with anything concrete. One sight I looked at said “most” another said “one third.” Does anyone have any real data? Thanks, Mimi! ---
**Author:** ![Krispy\_Original](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ec9cab/32.png) [@Krispy\_Original](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Krispy_Original)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2002, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-grams-of-carbohydrate-in-yogurt/127812/2 "2002-09-10T16:42:27Z")
Carbs in yogurt (according to [adkincenter.com](http://adkincenter.com)): 1 cup lowfat yogurt (plain) = 17.2g 1 cup whole milk yogurt (plain) = 11.4g [http://atkinscenter.com/](http://atkinscenter.com/) ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2002, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-grams-of-carbohydrate-in-yogurt/127812/3 "2002-09-10T16:49:34Z")
To see how many grams of carbohydrate there are in any given container of yogurt, just turn the container around and read the nutrition label. What percentage of lactose is used up is a different question. From Steve Carper, _Milk is Not for Every Body: Living with Lactose Intolerance_: > [@](#): > > Although most enzymes in foods are destroyed by stomach acid, somehow the yogurt buffers the lactase enzyme so that it slips through unimpaired. Once in the duodenum the lactase begins to go to work on the accompanying lactose. Yes, the duodenum and not the jejunum. This is a very different process from natural lactose digestion. For an hour after you eat the yogurt, the lactase activity in your duodenum is high enough to digest 50% - 100% of the lactose present in the yogurt. Studies show that on average only one-third the amount of lactose reaches the colon after yogurt is eaten compared to what gets there after drinking an equivalent amount of lactose in milk. Since most people can digest a small amount of lactose naturally, this reduction is sufficient to significantly reduce or even eliminate symptoms in all but the most sensitive LI. BTW, the lactose is broken down to glucose and galactose, not to lactic acid. ---
**Author:** ![Mimi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc348/32.png) [@Mimi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mimi)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2002, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-grams-of-carbohydrate-in-yogurt/127812/4 "2002-09-10T16:50:54Z")
Thanks, but those are the same carb counts as in milk. I am looking for the carb count of yogurt after the lactose has been turned into lactic acid. Mimi! ---
**Author:** ![Nametag](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nametag/32/406_2.png) [@Nametag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nametag)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2002, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-grams-of-carbohydrate-in-yogurt/127812/5 "2002-09-10T17:23:59Z")
**Exapno** , ther fermentation of milk into yogurt produces lactic acid; it is not done by lactase. **Mimi** , 20-30% of lactose is fermented to lactic acid. If lactase is added, an additonal 30-40% can be hydrolyzed to simpler sugars. > **[Darigold | Leading Dairy Forward - Darigold](https://www.darigold.com/)** > > Darigold is a Northwest dairy cooperative owned by farm families throughout Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Montana. ---
**Author:** ![Mimi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc348/32.png) [@Mimi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mimi)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2002, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-grams-of-carbohydrate-in-yogurt/127812/6 "2002-09-10T17:24:35Z")
Thanks for your information **Exapno Mapcase**. However, what I am looking for is how much lactose is used in the fermenting process, not in the digestive process. And as far as I can tell during the fermenting process lactose is used in glycolysis ( the catabolism of glucose or other sugars) and the end product **is** lactic acid. Does anyone know about lactic acid bacteria? ---
**Author:** ![Mimi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc348/32.png) [@Mimi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mimi)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2002, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-grams-of-carbohydrate-in-yogurt/127812/7 "2002-09-10T17:40:24Z")
Thanks **Nametag**. ---
**Author:** ![Nametag](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nametag/32/406_2.png) [@Nametag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nametag)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2002, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-grams-of-carbohydrate-in-yogurt/127812/8 "2002-09-10T17:49:48Z")
Y’know, looking at that post, it’s a little misleading. The fermentation of lactose **does** involve breaking down the lactose into simpler sugars, but only as an intermediate step. I believe that yogurt must be fortified with additional lactase to get the levels claimed by this Steve Carper person.