Since Greek yogurt is becoming such a popular alternative to regular yogurt, there seem to be so many brands available. This can be extremely confusing when you need to find out which the best one is. Greek yogurt has a creamier texture than regular yogurt. It is higher in protein, lower in fat and offers the advantage of live active cultures to aid with digestion.
The different brands that are available are all very similar and your personal taste preference will determine the best Greek yogurt for your purposes. There are some facts that you have to consider when you choose Greek yogurt. You should check the label on the tub to ensure that it contains milk and live active cultures only. Greek yogurt should not contain colouring or preservatives. The label should state that it contains the cultures, not that it was made with cultures. This will ensure that you get the benefit of the probiotics present in the yogurt which are good for digestive problems.
Protein
It is important to get protein to fuel your body throughout the day. It is good to get your daily boost of protein in the morning as you will be able to work it off during the day, rather than getting it at night when you are going to be idle prior to going to sleep. Greek yogurt offers a good deal of protein which can be eaten as part of your breakfast.
Greek yogurt requires more milk for production. To get the thick, creamy texture, it is necessary to strain out the liquid in normal yogurt. This means that you would have to use more milk to get the same quantity of yogurt as regular yogurt. It takes approximately four cups of milk to obtain one cup of Greek yogurt. The more milk that is used, the higher the protein level will be.
Calories and Fat
You have the choice of full milk, low fat or non-fat Greek yogurt. Traditional Greek yogurt was made with sheep’s milk which contains more fat than cow’s milk. For obvious reasons, the low fat or non-fat versions of Greek yogurt contain less fat as well as fewer calories.
Sweetened Yogurt
Sweetened and flavoured yogurt contains higher level of sugars and is unsuitable for diabetics. From a health perspective, your best option is to purchase plain Greek yogurt as it has higher levels of protein and no added sugar. If you do not like the sour taste of Greek yogurt, but love the creamier texture, you can sweeten it yourself. Add fresh fruit to the yogurt. You could add a bit of honey or maple syrup to the yogurt if it is too tangy for your taste.
If you need to make a decision as to the best Greek yogurt for you, you should consider your likes and dislikes. You can opt for full milk, low fat or non-fat versions of the creamy product. Make sure that you read the label on the tub before you make your purchase to ensure that you get all the goodness that this type of yogurt has to offer.