Yogurt substitutes: 3 swaps and how the nutrition changes
To replace 1 cup of plain yogurt, use 1 cup buttermilk, plus 2 more options below. 1 cup of plain yogurt has 189 calories, and the swaps come to 105 to 451 calories for the same amount. The biggest change is in saturated fat: 5.7 g in the original, 1.3 g to 24.6 g in the swaps.
Per 1 cup
| Calories | Fat | Saturated fat | Protein | Carbs | Total sugars | Sodium | Cholesterol | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plain yogurt (original) | 189 calories | 11 g | 5.7 g | 9.4 g | 13.7 g | 10 g | 102 mg | 35 mg |
| 1 cup buttermilk | 105 calories (-85) | 2.6 g (-8.4) | 1.3 g (-4.3) | 8.4 g (-0.9) | 11.7 g (-1.9) | 13.1 g (+3.0) | 224 mg (+122) | 12 mg (-23) |
| 1 cup cottage cheese, blended until smooth | 216 calories (+27) | 8.9 g (-2.1) | 5.5 g (-0.2) | 24.4 g (+15.0) | 9.7 g (-4.0) | 5.6 g (-4.4) | 735 mg (+633) | 38 mg (+3) |
| 1 cup sour cream | 451 calories (+261) | 41.4 g (+30.4) | 24.6 g (+18.9) | 7.1 g (-2.3) | 12.8 g (-0.9) | 7.8 g (-2.2) | 115 mg (+13) | 122 mg (+87) |
Numbers in brackets show the change from the original. USDA FoodData Central.
How to make each swap
- 1 cup buttermilk. Compared with 1 cup of plain yogurt: -85 calories, -8.4 g fat, -0.9 g protein, +3.0 g sugars, +122 mg sodium. Source: NMSU Extension, NDSU Extension.
- 1 cup cottage cheese, blended until smooth. Compared with 1 cup of plain yogurt: +27 calories, -2.1 g fat, +15.0 g protein, -4.4 g sugars, +633 mg sodium. Source: NMSU Extension, NDSU Extension.
- 1 cup sour cream. Compared with 1 cup of plain yogurt: +261 calories, +30.4 g fat, -2.3 g protein, -2.2 g sugars, +13 mg sodium. Source: NMSU Extension, NDSU Extension.
Which swap fits what you need
Per 1 cup, among the swaps above.
- Fewest calories: 1 cup buttermilk, 105 calories (189 calories in plain yogurt)
- Least saturated fat: 1 cup buttermilk, 1.3 g (5.7 g in plain yogurt)
- Most protein: 1 cup cottage cheese, blended until smooth, 24.4 g (9.4 g in plain yogurt)
- Least sodium: 1 cup sour cream, 115 mg (102 mg in plain yogurt)
- Least sugar: 1 cup cottage cheese, blended until smooth, 5.6 g (10 g in plain yogurt)
Choosing a swap
Buttermilk is the lighter swap, at 105 calories a cup against 189 for whole-milk yogurt. It is a pourable liquid, so think about whether your recipe needs yogurt's thickness.
Blended cottage cheese has the most protein, 24.4 g a cup, but also 735 mg of sodium. Sour cream is the richest swap, with 451 calories and 24.6 g of saturated fat.
All three are listed cup for cup by NMSU and NDSU.
Written from the extension guidance and USDA numbers on this page, reviewed by the Bioma editorial system. How we verify.
Keep exploring
Sources
Substitution ratios
- New Mexico State University Cooperative Extension, In a Pinch Ingredient Substitution (Guide E-131, revised May 2016). https://pubs.nmsu.edu/_e/E131/ (accessed 2026-10-12)
- NDSU Extension, Ingredient Substitutions (FN198, J. Garden-Robinson, April 2013 edition). https://www.extension.purdue.edu/extmedia/HHS/HHS-784-W.pdf (accessed 2026-10-12)
Nutrition numbers: USDA FoodData Central (accessed 2026-10-12)
- Plain whole-milk yogurt: Yogurt, plain, whole milk, FDC ID 2259793 (Foundation Foods, published 2022-04-28) · full profile
- Buttermilk: Buttermilk, FDC ID 2705393 (FoodData Central survey (FNDDS) 2024-10-31)
- Cottage cheese: Cheese, cottage, creamed, large or small curd, FDC ID 2705748 (FoodData Central survey (FNDDS) 2024-10-31)
- Sour cream: Sour cream, regular, FDC ID 2705614 (FoodData Central survey (FNDDS) 2024-10-31)
How we calculate: each part of a swap is converted from its household measure to grams with the USDA portion weight for that food (1 cup = 16 tbsp = 48 tsp), then multiplied by the USDA values per 3.5 oz (100 g). Water counts as zero, and so do pinches under 5 g (salt, baking powder) where USDA lists no value. A dash (—) means USDA reports no value for at least one part. USDA measures sugars directly but calculates total carbohydrate by difference, so in a few foods here, mostly dairy, sugars come out slightly higher than carbs. We show the USDA numbers as published. How we verify.