Question re Gree yogurt
 

Hi ladies,

I have been reading many posts where the wonderful Greek yogurt was mentioned .... the only problem is we don't have it in Canada. At least where I live I haven't found it in any grocery store.

I buy the Liberte Probiotic Certified Organic Yogurt on a regular basis and I am wondering how it compares to the Greek yogurt. If any of you have the Greek yogurt at home and could look at the label with the nutrients ... it is my understanding that the Greek yogurt is low in carbs and high in protein.

Here is the nutritional info from the Liberte yogurt, per 175 g serving:

Calories: 110

Fat 4 g (7%)

Saturated 3 g (15%)

Trans 0

Cholesterol 120 mg

Sodium 85 mg (4%)

Carbs 8 g (3%)

Fibre 0

Sugars 6 g

Protein 10 g

Vitamin A 6%

Vitamin C 4%

Calcium 20%

Iron 0%

Thanks in advance!!

Thanks, I just ran out of my Fage Total greek yogurt and your post reminded me to get some. I'm new around here so I can't post any links, but if you go to totalgreekyoghurt.com you'll be able to see a nutrition label to compare to yours.

I LOVE my greek yogurt, and not just because I'm greek ;) I have it with fresh berries or a tsp of greek honey.

Here's how an equal portion (175g) of Trader Joe's 2% Greek Yogurt compares:

Calories: 115
Fat: 4g
Sat. Fat: 3g
Cholesterol: 10mg
Sodium: 75mg
Carbs: 6g
Fiber: 0g
Sugars: 4g
Protein: 14g

I don't have the info on the nutrients (vitamins and calcium) for the 2% yogurt right now. I can tell you that 227g of Trader Joe's Fat Free Greek Yogurt contains 20% of the RDA of calcium (this would be US RDA, not sure if it's different in Canada), but no vitamin A, C, or iron.

You can make your own Greek yogurt by straining it through cheesecloth. Put the cheesecloth over a bowl (so it is suspended over the top of the bowl, dipping down a little but still well above the bottom of it), then put the yogurt in the cheesecloth and let it sit in the fridge overnight or until it is the consistency you like. The liquid will drain out, leaving thicker, more concentrated yogurt. But I've never known how to figure out the nutritional info for it once it is strained.

It would seem comparable. The most notable features of Greek yogurt is that it contains just milk/cream + active cultures and is strained to give it a thick consistency (similar to sour cream). There is NO pectin or other chemical additives. Fruit flavored versions would have just fruit + sugar/honey/maple syrup added.

That makes strained yogurt. If you use many of the commercial brands of yogurt that contain pectin & other additives you end up with a thickened version of the yogurt or Greek "style."

I've also read that real Greek yogurt has added cream (not just made from whole milk), so it's more than straining it to make it thicker/creamier. I actually haven't tried that yet (buying that kind, not making it!), but my sister gets it sometimes. I think it's more like Greek ice cream :)

I use the Fage nonfat, and the stats are:

1 cup serving (220g)
120 calories
0 calories from fat
fat: 0g
sodium: 85g
carbs: 9g (fiber 0g, sugar 9g)
protein: 20g
Vit A: 0%
Vit C: 0%
Calcium: 25%
Iron: 0%

The main difference from yours seems to be that my 25% bigger serving has only 1 more g of carbohydrates, but double the protein.

Ms Tomato -- you can find Greek or BALKAN style yogourt at Loblaws. These two are pretty much the same. I even found )% Balkan style yogourt there yesterday.

The thing is that this type of yogourt has no gums or thickening agents. This is important if you want to thicken the yogourt by making yogourt cheese. Thickening agents will prevent the water from draining out, so the yogourt stays thin and runny. This is SO not good if you want to make Tzatziki, for example. You take the Balkan yogourt, put it in a double cheesecloth in a strainer, and refrigerate overnight. The water drains out, the yogourt thickens up, and you can add grated cucumber, fresh lemon juice, 3 or 4 cloves of garlic and a tbsp of fresh chopped dill...MMMmmmmm...

Kira

Straining yogurt produces yogurt cheese, not Greek Yogurt. To figure the calories, measure it after straining. 1/4th the amount = the original NI. Straining removes whey which is mainly water.

Hi there -- my point was that if you strain regular yogurt that has thickening agents or gums in it, you won't get yogurt cheese. You need Greek yogurt and Balkan yogurt is pretty much the same as Greek.
Just to clarify!!!
Kira

I no longer eat dairy but when I did, I used to make 'strained' yogurt all the time. I couldn't tell the difference between the greek yogurt I found in the store and the strained yogurt I used to make. The water would drain away and I'd be left with a very thick yogurt. It never mattered what brand I used. It made excellent tzatziki.

Ladiea, thank you.
I completely forgot that I had asked this question and suddenly remembered that I need to check for replies. (I apologize, I usually "live" in the Resistance Training forum).
I appreciate the tips, I can try straining the yogurt one day. All I can say is that I envy you the higher protein content (newleaf123).
Kira, I actually looked at the Balkan yogurt and it was not as good (in terms of nutritional benefits, nothing to do with taste) as the Liberte yogurt I am buying. It is Balkan yogurt from Astro, the Liberte had less carbs and more protein but by now, I forgot the numbers.

Thank you again!