Yogurts are often thought of as healthy foods, though some types may be sabotaging your health goals and gut.

Many popular brands pack as much sugar as ice cream and lack the live probiotics to boost your body. Don't be fooled by flashy marketing labels -- you can learn how to spot truly beneficial yogurts that will nourish your body.

The good bacteria in yogurt must be alive and at levels high enough to provide a potential health benefit. Yogurt labels have a "live active cultures" seal, meaning they contain at least 100 million cultures per gram at the time of manufacturing. Food products do not state the quantity of bacteria like probiotic supplements do. A healthy yogurt will contain statements similar to the label on the right pictured below.

A three-quarter cup serving might be 7 grams of protein, 7 grams of fat, and 10 grams of sugar (mostly from the milk sugar and lactose).

Some brands will list on their label natural sweeteners like monk fruit or stevia, which have minimal impact on blood sugar.

Greek yogurt often has less lactose than traditional yogurt due to its lower sugar content, making it more tolerable for lactose-sensitive people.

The third check should include the avoidance of extra ingredients, such as additives such as gums, vegetable oils, flavors, or colors.

With the wide variety available and some simple label deciphering, yogurt can be an affordable and enjoyable probiotic health food.