PETALING JAYA, July 30 — In the heart of Terengganu where yoghurt choices are few, a woman named Ayu Abdullah embarked on an extraordinary quest.

The 33-year-old researcher said on her X account that over a year and a half, she went from trying 15 brands of yoghurt to carefully reviewing 31 types.

This was challenging due to her remote location, which meant she could only buy these yoghurts when travelling outside Terengganu.

“There is a nearby town, but not all the yoghurts are available here,” Ayu told Malay Mail in a brief interview.

From her search, Ayu narrowed down her three standout yoghurt brands:

  • Koukakis won her over with its low calories, minimal sugar and carbs, high protein, and zero fat.
  • Chobani impressed her with its high protein, low calories, and plenty of live cultures, but it was pricey and hard to find.
  • For those on a tighter budget, Dutch Lady proved to be the most affordable, offering about 170 mg of calcium, low fat, and no added sugar.

“My personal favourite among these three is Dutch Lady because it is the most affordable, widely available, and sugar-free,” said Ayu, who also shares healthy food recipes on her Instagram account.

Though she enjoyed the creamy texture of Bulla, likening it to whipping cream, its high calorie and fat content kept it from being her top choice.

“Fat in yoghurt isn’t inherently bad. It depends on the type and amount of fat, as well as our overall diet and health goals,” she said.

On the other hand, The Yogurt Shop didn’t meet her expectations.

Its high cost, lack of calcium, and strong sour taste made it her least favourite.

“The level of sourness is quite intense, making it a bit of a struggle for me to finish,” said Ayu.

Her exploration also shed light on other interesting finds where Anlene stood out for its impressive calcium content, Marigold was noted for its high sugar and carbs, and Sunglo offered good calcium and no added sugar at an affordable price.

Ayu said that her research was a personal endeavour, free from sponsorship influence, and hinted at future updates as she continues her investigation, with more brands still on her list.

“There are several other brands I still want to try but haven’t had the chance to yet. Meiji Bulgaria and Anmuxi Ambrosial are two of them,” said Ayu.

Ayu has compiled all the sampled yogurts' nutritional facts into one table:

She also offered a suggestion for those who want the same gut health benefit but are not fans of yoghurt: to try local fermented foods such as tempe, tempoyak, tapai and budu.