If you have ever wondered whether yogurt from Greece is truly healthier than other brands, then you've come to the right place. The differences go far beyond the fact that the Greek variety is merely thicker than plain yogurt in America - although many of its properties are a direct result (or progenitor) of this thickness.
By way of education, the thickness that Greek yogurt has over other brands comes from the fact that the excess milk whey is strained off. Using a special cloth, manufacturers extract the watery substance, which then gives the yogurt a thicker, fuller look and feel, with a wavy texture that belies the creamy taste.
It can be a little overwhelming to visit your local grocery store and see the aisles full of both Greek yogurt and Greek-styled yogurt, so this is the difference: Greek-styled yogurt is fake - it's all a part of a marketing ploy to capitalize on the big bucks being made by real Greek yogurt suppliers like Fage, Chobani, Voskos and Oikos. Although the Greek-styled version does usually have more protein, the truth is that the true process makes it more expensive, so there's no way it can still be the same price you've come to expect of yogurt. If you want the full health benefits, avoid this kind and go for the Greek. The other kinds have artificial, thickening additives to give them that full look and feel - but without the benefits. It's actually quite a terrible practice...
You might be wondering how yogurt is made in the first place. Milk is fermented using cultures - which are just probiotic bacteria (basically, they're good for you; much like the billions that live in your stomach already). This is how all yogurt starts out. When it comes to Greek yogurt, an extra step is added to the process: the runny milk whey is removed to create a thicker mix that has more in common with cheese than yogurt. And here we come to why Greek yogurt has more than double the protein and often double the cost of traditional yogurt - about four times as much milk is used to make a single cup. There you have it.
Another great benefit of Greek yogurt is that there is less sugar and carbs. This is due to the cloth strainer; it removes this stuff and produces a product choc-full of protein but lacking in fattening elements. The live bacterial cultures are preserved, too, which helps digestion and even helps fight off colds when made a part of your regular diet.
The nutritional benefits are great, but the truth is that Greek yogurt puts quite a bit of a load on the environment. It takes a lot to make it, as you can see from the extra milk, for example. So perhaps it's a cost-benefit analysis between health and environment, because regular yogurt really just isn't that good for you because of the added sugar. For those desiring a bit more than "plainly plain," as the famous Fage yogurt commercials tout, there are multiple varieties of most brands of Greek yogurt on the market - and best of all, these strawberry, peach and other fruit concoctions don't count towards your daily value of sugar because there's no added sugar in them - they're all-natural. Greek may very well be the way to go.
Carine Daniels is a mother of four with a penchant to try every new diet. Fage Greek yogurt and others have worked wonders for her midsection and post-pregnancy life. Made using a strained milk process that eliminates sugars and adds protein, Greek yogurt has a host of benefits and can be mixed with fruits and used as toppings.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Carine_G_Daniels
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