Have you also noticed that the yogurt cooler is one of the fastest growing sections in the grocery aisles?
Greek yogurt has a lot to do with that. I’ve had a lot of people ask me “What is the difference between regular yogurt and Greek yogurt?”
Well, one of the major differences is that Greek yogurt has more protein. Greek yogurt is prepared differently that regular yogurt, causing it to have some nutritional variances.
All yogurts are made by fermenting milk through the use of bacteria. And all yogurts provide calcium, protein, and potassium. But Greek yogurt is different in that it is further strained to remove much of the liquid from the yogurt producing a thicker, creamier, and more concentrated yogurt.
The higher concentration produces a yogurt with about twice the protein as regular yogurt and the straining also removes some of the lactose and other naturally occurring sugars, which cuts the sugar content in half as well. Sodium content is also slashed.
One drawback of Greek yogurt is that the straining also reduces calcium content by about 50%. Despite this reduction though, Greek yogurt is still high in calcium offering about 25% of your daily value in just an 8 oz cup of 0% plain Greek yogurt.
There are many different types of yogurts that fall into the ‘Greek’ sector making it difficult to figure out which product to buy. I always recommend going for the 0% , fat free, or low fat versions of yogurt to reduce cholesterol, saturated fat, and total fat content. Also, look at nutrition labels and compare sugar content. Often times added honey, fruit jelly, or other sweet additions can spike the sugar content and calories. Instead, I suggest dressing up your plain yogurt with fresh berries or berry puree, whole grain cereal or granola, or even some sliced almonds or other nuts and seeds. This will provide additional fiber, protein and healthy fats which will aid in appetite control.
Regardless of which yogurt type you decide to go with, because they are all foods fermented with bacteria, they will offer themselves as an excellent probiotic which will improve gut health and immunity.
If eating yogurt isn’t your thing either way, try incorporating it into your recipes in place of ingredients such as sour cream, mayonnaise, cream, or even oil. Check out this yogurt substitution guide created by Stonyfield for more information.
I love answering questions like this and as we head into the New Year I want to know what nutrition questions are on your mind. Please let me know in the comment section below and I may be able to answer them in future blog posts.
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