Greek Yogurt vs. Regular Yogurt: Is One Really More Nutritious?

I’m so excited to introduce y’all to Amanda Russell, a beautiful and talented trainer that has a fantastic YouTube channel with tons of great workouts and lifestyle advice.  You can also check out her website where you’ll find information ranging from beauty to fitness to relationships and everything in between.  Today she’s offered to write a great article about the differences between Greek yogurt (an obsession of mine) and regular yogurt.  Enjoy!

 

I LOVE Greek Yogurt! Yes, it’s definitely an acquired taste. If you’re like me your first impression was less than amicable BUT I have a few FAVORITE ways to eat it that have literally made Greek Yogurt one of my favorite foods!

 

Check out my Favorite 3 Ways To Eat Greek Yogurt!

 

But seriously, have you ever wondered, “What’s the difference between Greek yogurt and regular yogurt?” If so, you’re NOT alone! Greek yogurt has become all the rage, and it quickly had me wondering whether Greek yogurt was really more nutritious than regular yogurt? With 30% of Americans now eating Greek yogurt on a daily basis and all the opportunities to swap it into yummy recipes, I thought it worth investigating.

First Off: What IS IT?? Yogurt comes from milk that has had healthy bacteria added, causing it to ferment. During this process, yogurt thickens and takes on a slightly tangy taste. Yogurt is then strained through a cheesecloth, which allows the liquid whey part of milk to drain off. Regular yogurt is strained twice, while Greek yogurt is strained three times to remove more whey (leaving a thicker consistency).

While all yogurt provides numerous health benefits (including probiotics), the nutritional stats for Greek yogurt and regular yogurt do differ. Here’s how the two stack up:

 

PROTEIN – Greek yogurt has almost double the protein of regular yogurt. Eight ounces of Greek yogurt has about 20 grams of protein, versus about 11 grams  that regular yogurt provides . The high protein content can help dramatically with weight loss as it keeps you full longer!

 

And if it’s weight loss you’re after check out all these SUPER Short, Super Effective Equipment-less Workouts!

 

CARBS – Greek yogurt has fewer carbohydrates than regular yogurt.

 

CALCIUM – Regular yogurt actually wins this category, as it has about three times the calcium of Greek yogurt.

 

SODIUM- Greek yogurt has half the sodium of regular yogurt.

 

CALORIES– Plain, nonfat versions of Greek and regular yogurt have a similar calorie count per serving (but more bang for your buck with Greek).

 

TEXTURE – Greek yogurt is much thicker and creamier than regular yogurt.  If you aren’t into the taste at first, definitely check out the tasty ways I eat it!

 

COST – Unfortunately, you’ll likely spend twice the money on Greek yogurt. This is mainly due to the high demand, but Greek yogurt also costs more because the extra straining requires much more milk, so it’s a more concentrated source of protein.

Although most people snack on yogurt just the way it is, don’t underestimate its versatility. It’s great for many kinds of recipes (my favorite of Heather’s, the Strawberry Yogurt Cake)! And don’t forget to check out my Fav 3 Awesome Ways To Eat Yogurt!

 

Hope this helps! For more like this plus weekly workouts, tips and tricks, SUBSCRIBE to my channel Amanda Russel TV – it’s FREE, you don’t need to buy ANYTHING for the workouts, refreshing?? I think so, I’ve taken away as many obstacles for excuses as possible, so get to it!

 

Love,

Amanda

 

Amanda Russell is a top-rated fitness and lifestyle writer, professional keynote speaker, Olympic-trained athlete, celebrity fitness expert, model, spokeswoman, founder of The AR Program, and ONE OF THE INDUSTRY’S LEADING EXPERTS in fitness, wellness and change.  Amanda has her own professional online workout channel and talk-show and was named as Google’s ‘Next Top Fitness Personality in 2012’. Highlighted as “having the unique ability to truly engage with the audience and make you believe that transformation is possible and within reach – Amanda moves the audience to action”.

Amanda is a North Bay native who currently splits her time between New York City and Los Angeles.

Amanda can be found writing about life, fitness, wellness and change on her website: www.amanda-russell.com

To watch Amanda’s show, visit www.youtube.com/amandarussell and subscribe.