Why is Greek yogurt so healthy? Greek yogurt for healthy weight loss.
Is Greek yogurt healthy for weight loss? Greek yogurt is a valuable food during a diet, and it is good for all ages.
What is Greek yogurt, and how is it made?
The secret of Greek yogurt lies in the technology of how it is made. It is actually very simple to make Greek yogurt. By straining regular yogurt through cheesecloth, you get a lot of moisture called whey out. This gives you a thicker texture and a creamy taste, where the freshness of the small acidity of the regular yogurt is preserved.
Do you prefer Greek or regular yogurt?
When we talk about REAL Greek yogurt, the milk comes from real Greek cows. Serious. The cow’s milk in Greece is different from the cow’s milk in the Netherlands, mainly because the former contains more protein and less lactose (milk sugar), making this milk naturally creamier. By making yogurt from this and then letting it drain, you get a kind of creamy “curd”.
For the yogurt preparation, you need Lactobacilicus Bulgaricus or Streptococcus Thermophulus cultures. From a legal point of view, these must also be present in a milk product to be able to call it “yogurt”. The Lactobacillus Bulgaricus or Streptococcus Thermophulus cultures are purchased abroad and added to Dutch milk in certain proportions. It is precisely the proportions that determine whether the yogurt is sour or mild, whether it becomes “long” or “short”. The yogurt is long if you can pull long threads with your spoon, and “short” if it slides off your spoon in drops.
In short, the thickness and taste depend on the lactic acid bacteria.
What is the difference between Greek and regular yogurt?
When separating the thicker part of the yogurt from the whey, which contains a lot of milk sugar or lactose, the end product also gets different nutritional values.
The conclusion you can draw from this is that Greek yogurt is richer in proteins, fats and calories than regular yogurt. It is lower in carbohydrates and contains slightly less calcium.
What Is Greek Yogurt “Greek Style”?
The so-called Greek yogurt that is for sale in the supermarket in the Netherlands is actually “not the real thing”. By this, I mean that it is made from milk from Dutch cows. “What does it matter?” you may be thinking.
The most popular “foreign” yogurts in Europe are Greek, Bulgarian and Turkish yogurt. These yogurts are produced in the Netherlands according to a recipe that is “just like” the real yogurt from Greece and is sold under the name “Greek-style”. The taste is then adjusted to taste and texture with the aid of thickeners such as, for example, whey or proteins. There’s also the claim that Greek yogurt is high in protein, which is eagerly used by marketers.
Is the yogurt healthier than cottage cheese?
The yogurt contains many minerals. Bulgarian yogurt in particular is rich in potassium, calcium and magnesium. When it comes to proteins, cottage cheese is the winner. This type of cheese also contains many vitamins, such as vitamins A, B2 and B12.
Product (100 gr) | Energy (kcal) | Carbohydrates (gr)
| Protein (gr) | Fat (gr) | Vitamin A (ug) |
Quark full fat | 129 | 4,4 | 7 | 9 | 115 |
Quark, semi-skimmed | 103 | 3,2 | 11,5 | 4,6 | 47 |
Quark, skimmed | 58 | 4,9 | 8,5 | 0,3 | 6 |
Yogurt, full fat | 58 | 3,4 | 3,8 | 2,9 | 29 |
Yogurt, semi-skimmed Yogurt, skimmed | 50 37 | 4,3 4 | 4,2 4,1 | 1,5 0,2 | 15 1
|
Greek yogurt healthy cholesterol
- Greek yogurt is high in protein
This yogurt has three times more protein than regular yogurt. The proteins contribute to increased metabolism. The proteins make you feel full, so you are less hungry and eat fewer calories. That makes Greek yogurt suitable to eat if you want to lose weight.
Greek yogurt is low in carbohydrates
During the making of the Greek yogurt, the whey that contains lactose or milk sugar is removed. This makes this yogurt lower in carbohydrates.
Greek yogurt has less lactose
Many people have lactose intolerance. They have difficulty digesting lactose in cow’s milk.
This leads to many unpleasant complaints, such as gas and abdominal pain.
By removing the whey while making Greek yogurt, this yogurt is better suited for people with lactose intolerance.
Greek yogurt takes care of your gut and your health
Greek yogurt, just like regular yogurt, is full of healthy bacteria. These good bacteria change the balance of the bacteria in your gut. And that ensures good digestion. Good digestion ensures good immunity and reduces the risk of many diseases.
It is a source of vitamin B12
Like regular yogurt, Greek yogurt is a source of vitamin B12. Vitamin B12 supports many vital functions in your body, such as the production of red blood cells, the functioning of your nervous system and your brain.
Are All Types of Greek Yogurt Healthy?
Originally, Greek yogurt is made by slowly “sifting” regular yogurt. This makes it creamier and thicker.
Some producers who make Greek-style yogurt speed up production by adding thickening agents. These can be whey protein powder or starch. Sometimes milk powder is also used to thicken. This is stated on the label, for example, as whey concentrate and modified corn starch. This also allows the manufacturer to claim that its yogurt is high in protein.
Is Greek yogurt healthy for your baby?
If everything goes well, you can give your baby solid food from about six months of age. And that is really a very special moment for your little one and also for yourself.
Yogurt is one of the favourites when it comes to good nutrition for your baby. Yogurt owes this to the fact that it contains a lot of healthy fats, calcium, probiotics and protein. The fats are good for your baby’s brain development, and the probiotics ensure a strong immune system.
Is Greek yogurt healthy for weight loss?
The proteins in Greek yogurt make you feel full, so you are less hungry and eat fewer calories. That makes Greek yogurt healthy for weight loss.
It is necessary to distinguish between real Greek yogurt and Greek-style yogurt. Why? Because as mentioned before many of the brands in the supermarket have additives such as whey protein powder or starch.
How can you lose weight with Greek yogurt?
Therefore, it is advisable to buy real Greek yogurt. Full yogurt is recommended. It is believed that fats are the culprit when it comes to cholesterol. However, it turns out that this is more nuanced. Research shows that people who eat full-fat dairy products are less likely to be obese than people who eat low-fat dairy products.
In addition, according to scientists, people who eat full-fat dairy products have less belly fat.
Which Brands of Greek Yogurt are authentic?
Conclusion
Real Greek yogurt contains many healthy nutrients. It is important, however, to make a distinction between Greek yogurt and Greek-style yogurt, to which many additives are normally added by the manufacturer.
Thanks to its qualities, people use Greek yogurt for healthy weight loss and as a valuable food during a diet. Greek yogurt is a good and preferred food for all ages, especially for babies.