Katie's Healthy Bites: Loving Greek Yogurt by Katie Cavuto-Boyle in Katie's Healthy Bites, June 21, 2009
When it comes to healthy foods, yogurt makes most folks’ favorite lists. It’s a great source of calcium, good for a healthy snack or a star ingredient in many dishes all around the world. I was disappointed to see my market was stocking its cold case with yogurts filled with artificial sweeteners or sugar. Then, in the sea of fake ingredients and sugar overload, Greek yogurt appeared!
Before I even get into the nutrition benefits, can we talk about how creamy and thick it is? The texture tastes like a decadent dessert — it makes it hard not to feel guilty of overindulging when you eat it. But no need to stress, this dairy favorite is actually good for you.
Greek yogurts have double the protein of traditional American yogurts and less sugar. The extra protein also makes them very filling. But don’t be fooled — all Greek yogurts are not created equal. The full-fat varieties can be loaded with calories, so look for a low-fat or fat-free versions (brands I like: Oikos, Trader Joe’s and Fage).
Better yet, lighten up on your calories and your wallet by making your own. To do this, start with some organic, plain, low-fat yogurt and a cheese cloth (or two). Put the yogurt in the cheese cloth and start squeezing to get the extra water and moisture out — this will give you the thick, creamy texture of Greek yogurt. Once strained of the water, the remaining yogurt is ready to eat. It’s just that simple!
I enjoy Greek yogurt for breakfast along with a cup of organic berries, a teaspoon of agave nectar and a tablespoon of sliced organic almonds. It’s the perfect start to any morning.
Yogurt is also good for adding texture to smoothies. Below are two of my tried-and-true recipes.
Berry B Smoothie
2 servings
1 cup frozen mixed berries
1/2 cup organic orange juice with pulp
1 tablespoon agave nectar (or honey)
1 firm ripe banana, peeled and sliced
1 cup plain or vanilla Greek yogurt
Ice
Place all ingredients in blender, blend and serve.
Nutrition Info: Calories: 220, Total Fat: 4 grams, Saturated Fat: 2.5 grams, Total Carbohydrate: 42 grams, Protein: 6 grams, Cholesterol: 16 milligrams, Sodium: 60 milligrams, Fiber 3.5 grams
* analyzed with full-fat yogurt
Peachy Keen
2 servings
2 cups frozen, organic sliced peaches
1/4 cup low-fat milk or soy milk
1 cup blackberries
3/4 cup plain or vanilla Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon agave nectar (or honey)
ice
Place all ingredients in blender, blend and serve.
Nutrition Info: Calories: 191, Total Fat: 3.5 grams, Saturated Fat: 2 grams, Total Carbohydrate: 35 grams, Protein: 6 grams, Cholesterol: 14 milligrams, Sodium: 60 milligrams, Fiber: 4.5 grams
* analyzed with full-fat yogurt
Katie Cavuto Boyle, MS, RD, owns HealthyBites, LLC and is a finalist on The Next Food Network Star, which airs Sundays on Food Network.
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Tags: greek yogurt, Katie Cavuto, yogurt
Your recipes are just great. I love to do food myself such as yogurt and canned fruits.
I agree that this style of yogurt is delicious! But it’s sad that no one acknowledges that it’s Turkish and not Greek…
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yogurt
Any suggestions on how to make frozen yogurt (short of taking flavored yogurt & freezing it)? I have an ice cream maker, and have been searching for frozen yogurt recipes for a few years.
Just had some yummy greek yogurt for breakfast — went for plain, 2% and then dropped in a spoonful of jam for sweetness.
You can line a sieve with cheesecloth, put your plain nonfat yogurt in it, and put it over a deep bowl. I leave it in the fridge over night, and voila, Greek (Turkish) yogurt with no fuss.
That's easy… and Yummy
By the way, I always try to re-use the strained liquid, full of good stuff, I believe. I use it instead of water when I do my homemade bread (in the bread machine or by hand), for instance.
Why does greek yogurt have so much more protein compared to regular yogurt if greek is derived from regular?
I do this sometimes with my homemade yogurt. I make mine from whole milk, so my drained yogurt is probably not exactly low fat, but I'm of the opinion that fat isn't nearly as bad for us as we usually think it is.
Where is the recipe for Greek yogurt?
Thank goodness for the comments which tell how to make greek yogurt from convential yogurt, but there remains the higher sugar content.
Your heading reads like a newspaper or tabloid – very misleading; this is an article about smoothies.