Greek Yogurt Vs Regular Yogurt: Which Is Better

Yogurt is a great source of protein, probiotics, calcium, and all-in-all a nutrition fact. The benefits of eating yogurt are numerous; it helps you to maintain a healthy weight, reduces your risk of heart disease, and many more.

However, with so many different types of yogurt on the market, it can be hard to choose the best one for you. Besides that, not all yogurts are created equal; some have more sugar than others or lack important nutrients like calcium. That’s why it’s so important to choose wisely when picking out a yogurt container from the grocery store.

In this post, we will talk about greek yogurt vs regular yogurt to help you know more about greek yogurt.

The Difference Between Greek Yogurt Vs Regular Yogurt

Greek yogurt and regular yogurt are both packed with high protein, calcium, quality nutrition, which are best for providing immense health benefits. These are beneficial for improving digestion, boosting immunity, heart health, weight loss, and many other health issues.

But, do you know the facts which set both these yogurts apart and which one is better for you? If not, let’s find out the difference between Greek yogurt vs regular yogurt from here.

How They’re Made

Though both of these yogurts are made with the same main ingredients, their taste, and nutrients differ due to their making process.

• Regular Yogurt: By heating the milk, adding bacteria to it, leaving the mixture in the fermentation until it reaches an acidic pH of about 4.5, regular yogurt is made. Then, when the yogurt gets cool, other ingredients like peanuts, fruits may be added to it.
• Greek Yogurt: On the other side, by straining the liquids and whey from the regular yogurt, Greek yogurt is made. Since Greek yogurt is strained fully, it becomes thicker, and its consistency becomes much creamier than regular yogurt.

Greek Yogurt Vs Regular Yogurt Taste

The usual acidic nature makes the taste of regular yogurt sour. Even then, it is sweeter than Greek yogurt. As Greek yogurt is made by straining the liquids and whey, it by nature has more of a tangy or sour taste than regular yogurt.

However, if you’re the kind of person who is concerned about health but doesn’t like the taste of yogurt, then you don’t need to worry. There are several substitutes for yogurt available like mayo, cottage cheese, buttermilk, cream cheese, and so on. This post will give you a detailed idea of all of substitutes for yogurt.

Nutrition

As we said before, both yogurts come in the same major ingredients, but the nutritional profiles vary widely. The following table will give you a clear view of it.

This table compares 245 grams of regular yogurt and Greek yogurt.

Protein

According to Ann Louise Gittleman, a certified nutrition specialist, “it is important to have an adequate amount of protein on a daily basis for your immune system, nerves, and fluid system.” So, let’s figure out how much protein a typical 245-gram regular yogurt and Greek yogurt provides.

Lactose

People who are suffering from lactose intolerance often experience some health issues after eating dairy products. For example, bad digestive symptoms, bloating, and diarrhea.

But the good thing is, Greek yogurt naturally contains very low lactose contents (10/8 bacteria/ml). This way, it doesn’t really affect people with this health condition.

Probiotics in Greek Yogurt vs Regular Yogurt

Both these yogurts are good sources of good probiotic bacteria.

Probiotics are good bacteria which is a source of yogurt found in fermented foods. During the fermentation process, probiotics are usually made to convert milk into yogurt. This form of living bacteria balances humans’ gut microbiome and supports us to lead a healthy life by reducing inflammation, and aiding in digestive health.

The Health Benefit of Yogurt

Though Greek yogurt and regular yogurt differ when it comes to nutrition factors, both have some similar advantages. Here, in this section, we’ll cover the advantages you can expect from both these yogurts.

• These help your immune system to stimulate and keep you protected against allergies, diarrhea, depression, and type 2 diabetes.
• The probiotics of yogurts support lactose digestion, thus, people with lactose intolerance may tolerate yogurt.
• Improve heart disease risk factors, like high blood pressure and cholesterol.
• A study by NCBI found that “eating 2 or more servings of yogurt per week is associated with a 21% lower risk of stroke in men and 17% in women.”
• Greek yogurt comes with some potential health benefits like improving bone health, reducing appetite and hunger, boosting metabolism, encouraging good mental health, etc.
• Increase the ratio of healthy bacteria in your gut, which in turn, contributes to managing the weight, fat distribution, sugar, and fat metabolism.
• Intake of high protein makes you feel full, which helps decrease your calorie intake and promote weight loss.
• Both are versatile, so you can enjoy them alone or mix them with fruit, nuts, granola, and use them differently in recipes.

Which Is Better Greek Yogurt or Regular Yogurt?

When it comes to choosing between Greek yogurt vs regular yogurt, it totally depends on the preferences. Greek yogurt is the best option for you if you want to have more protein in your daily diet.

In contrast, if you need more calcium while having fewer calories, simply opt for regular yogurt. We’ve walked you through what each type of yogurt has to offer so that you can choose a healthy option that works for your lifestyle.

On that note, go for whichever type you prefer, since both are filled with nutrition, safe to eat, best for weight loss, and healthy options.