Greek yogurt v. regular yogurt

original_cake_face

I actually like the texture of Greek Yogurt more than the goopy texture of other yogurts. It makes me feel like I'm actually EATING something, and it makes me feel fuller. I buy the plain stuff and mix in some honey and fruit -- it's awesome. And a little sugar from natural sources doesn't bother me one bit.

marieautumn

greek yogurt is disgusting. i REALLY tried to like it but its gross. but then again i dont really like yogurt anyways.

fitacct

Greek yogurt is definitely an acquired taste, especially the plain variety. The first time I tried it, I said, "NO WAY!", but after reading more about the benefits, I decided to try different varieties until I found one I liked. That brand, Stonyfield Farm, has a line that is low in fat, sugar and sodium and, of course, Greek yogurts are high in protein. Now, I buy Chobani's non-fat, plain yogurt and add a bit of honey or flavored sweetener to it to make it more palatable (that way I am the one who controls the sugar content). I even eat it as-is at times since I'm now used to the taste and texture.

Kittie_Kat

Plane Fage Greek Yogurt packs alot of protein, it has 9carbs a serving.....
It's really good if you mix a little honey and fruit into it. I can't eat it plain! Personally I prefer it to the pre-flavored ones since they have way more sugar in them...

sgtlittle

Get plain Greek Yogurt (what I do) to dodge the sugar intake. I flavor mine with protein powder to make a suped up snack.

mmklinemm

I mix a 1/2c. of Chobani vanilla yogurt every morning with my cereal, instead of milk. It's delicious, fills me up, keeps me fueled after my workout, and it has ZERO chemicals. The lack of chemicals is the most important aspect for me. I like to know and understand what is in the food I'm eating.

mmklinemm

Another thing - not all Greek yogurt is created equal. You have to read the labels. Just like all other food, some of them are just as crappy for you as junk food. They just hide it behind the "Greek" label.

Flixie00

I started strength training a few months ago and my PT recommended I up my protein intake as I don't eat meat or poultry. I tried cottage cheese (nasty nasty stuff) and then stumbled across Greek yogurt. I eat Fage 0% fat Greek Yogurt straight out of the tub and I love it. The benefits are great, high in protein, low in carbs, no fat and only natural sugars.

G30Grrl

I'm reading this while eating a bowl of plain Greek yogurt to which I added home-made granola, dried blueberries, and local honey. OMG-YUM!

I used to eat Yoplait (generally the flavors that taste most like dessert), but they never satisfied. I get a larger serving of Greek Yogurt with fewer additives and fillers, less processed sugar (remember, I eat plain, so my sugars come from what I add in fruit or honey) and FAR more protein. And I feel as if I've eaten an entire meal. And if I mix it with protein powder, it's a tremendous protein boost that I often need on weight lifting days.

I wasn't crazy about it at first, but I tried it a few different ways because the macros were so good, and now I prefer it to the stuff I used to eat. That being said, to each her own, so if you really don't like it, there's no reason to eat it.

tigersword

Along with the awesome macro ratios others have mentioned, the straining process of Greek yogurt also removes much of the lactose. Often, people that are lactose intollerant can handle Greek yogurt, but not regular. Personally, I like to buy plain Greek yogurt and add my own natural sweetener (usually stevia or honey), and some fruit. Removes the tart taste, and I know exactly what's in it.

ETA: I had to try Greek yogurt 3 times to get a taste for it. Try different brands and flavors until you find something you like!

Yogurt doesn't have much in the way of lactose, yogurt is made by inserting bacteria into milk, the bacteria converts the lactose into lactic acid, which is what thickens yogurt and gives it the tartness. Straining gets rid of whey to further thicken the yogurt, but most of the lactose is already gone before that.

eviltwinkie

I had to get use to it - at first I thought it was a stronger 'tang' than regular yogurt. Now I love it. I prefer Dannon Fat Free Oikos Plain yogurt. That's 80 cal (5.3 oz?), 0 fat, 6 sugars, 6 carbs, and 15 protein. For flavoring I often use stevia, true lemon, and either frozen blueberries or a tablespoon of reduced sugar jam (25 cal.) I've stirred powdered peanut butter in it too.

I find that a higher protein content does a way better job of keeping me full than a standard yogurt. And getting plain allows me to vary it by how I feel. When I'm in a hurry, I eat it with just the stevia and lemon, which is still pretty nice.

I love to use it at the end of stir frys as well, to make a sauce.

Honestly, as I've tried consciously to 'like' different things over the past few years, I've found half of my 'likes and dislikes' taste wise seem to come from familiarity (not 'use' to a flavor) and preconceived notions. Continuing to try it (like my forays into greek yogurt) ended up with me finding one way to like it... then another... now its a regular on the menu.

shellrae1973

I eat plain lower fat greek yogurt because of the protein and most flavored yogurts are sweetened with artifical sweetners and I don't like the taste of it in the yogurt. I usually mix frozen mango into my greek yogurt to sweeten it up!

Feathil

I never tasted greek yoghurt before MFP and I love it - I get the plain kind and happily eat it plain, but to get my fruit for the day I mix berries in with it. I heat them so that the juices run and mix with the yoghurt - you may like that better, and you'll have better control of the sugars involved.

kbmnurse

Just made the switch to Chobani Greek Yogurt. I love it. It keeps me fuller longer.

gonnabeahealthyfitme

when i get it i get the yoplait 2x protein kind because i never get my full amount of protein that i need. i also hate the texture of regular yogurt but love the texture of the greek kind!

mgmlap

I do full fat fage greek yogurt..plain..and I add my own fruit...the non fat is what makes it tart..ick..

mfpcopine

I love Greek yogurt (Oikos is my favorite brand, Fage is another good one), but I believe it has less calcium than regular-style yogurt.

atomeatball

Oikos and Dannon are not as tart...Yoplait Greek has a definite taste difference. Twice the protein is the key to complement exercise.

Jacwhite22

Yeah...it's for the protein (which can be triple that of regular yogurt). I find the sugars a little troubling though. I don't like the plain kind and the fruit flavors I enjoy can have up to 15g of sugar and 160 calories--that's over half of my sugar allowance for the whole day!

Really? You eat 30 grams of sugar per day?

jadedone

I've been hearing all of the great reviews about greek yogurt and how good it is for you. Really??? Is it really that great? On average it has about 12g of sugar, 15g of protein and 110 calories. It can be really hard to handle because of its texture and tartness. I am eating Fiber One 50 calorie yogurt and it only has 4 g of sugar, 50 calories, 3g protein and 5g of fiber. It is absolutely delicious!! I will only be using greek yogurt if a specific recipe calls for it.

It is way higher in protein, and the sugars only come from the natural sugars in milk. There are zero added sugars in a plain yogurt.

The Fiber One 50 calorie? Is that 4 ounces? Those greek yogurt stats sound like 6 ounces to me. So it is a 50% bigger portion.

Also, if you are concerned about eating minimally processed food, the fiber one has gelatin (so it isn't vegetarian), food coloring and preservatives. Personally, I like to add my own fruit and sweetener to my yogurt.