Greek Yogurt vs. Regular Yogurt: Which Food is Healthier?

Do you team up with Greek yogurt – or do you prefer regular yogurt most of the time?

Either way, you might be curious about which dairy products offer the best nutritional value.

“Yogurt has become part of many people’s morning routine. While Greek yogurt and regular yogurt can be healthy additions to the diet, their nutritional content varies,” said Mackenzie Burgess, registered dietitian nutritionist and recipe developer. at Cheerful Choices in Denver, Colorado. .

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Both regular yogurt and Greek yogurt are rich in calcium and probiotics to help support digestive health, Burgess said.

This suggests consumers check the nutrition label for the words “live and active cultures,” as these provide beneficial probiotics.

Kylie Bensley, a registered dietitian and founder of Sulinu.com in Nashville, Tennessee, said that in general you should opt for plain, unsweetened yogurts “because they don’t have added sugars.”

She noted: “Since most people consume yogurt for breakfast or as a snack, it is ideal to consume something low in added sugars. »

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Both types of yogurt can be eaten alone or easily incorporated into many recipes as a healthy addition to a diet, Bensley said.

Read on to learn more about the nutritional profile of plain unsweetened Greek yogurt and plain unsweetened regular yogurt.

Nutritional specifications of regular yogurt

According to Burgess, a ¾-cup (6-ounce) serving of regular fat-free yogurt provides about 100 calories and 10 grams of protein.

Plain yogurt can be a healthy choice when paired with additional foods with more protein, Bensley said, because 6 ounces isn’t enough for a full meal.

“Adding nuts or seeds is an easy way to add more protein,” Bensley said, noting that you can also use the yogurt itself as a topping for other foods, like oatmeal.

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When researching the healthiest natural yogurt choice, Bensley suggested determining the protein content and added sugars on the nutrition label.

“Ideally, added sugars will be as close to zero grams as possible and the higher the protein content, the better,” she said.

Using additional toppings such as granola or nuts is a great way to add protein to your regular unsweetened yogurt. (iStock)

Paul Jaeckel, a registered dietitian nutritionist and owner of Paul Jaeckel Nutrition, a private nutrition consulting practice in New York, said that while in most cases regular yogurt is a “great option” and poses no notable problems, you should also analyze nutrition. label for other not-so-desirable ingredients.

This means looking for supplements such as high fructose corn syrup, food colors like red #40 or blue #1, modified food starch, gelatin, malic acid, potassium sorbate and modified corn starch, among others, he said.

“Most of them are used as food preservatives and are considered safe for consumption. But it is always better to consume less,” Jaeckel said.

Nutritional specifications of Greek yogurt

Burgess said Greek yogurt goes through a filtering process that removes the whey, making these yogurts thicker and higher in protein per serving.

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She said a ¾ cup (6 ounce) serving of nonfat Greek yogurt contains about 18 grams of protein and 100 calories per serving.

Greek yogurt goes through a filtering process that removes the whey, making the food thicker and higher in protein per serving, Burgess said. (iStock)

Bensley said the straining process makes Greek yogurt much “more nutrient dense, so it has more nutrients per serving.”

She also pointed out that Greek yogurt has half the carbs as regular yogurt.

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Bensley also praises Greek yogurt for being healthy because of the nutritional density of the proteins and the amount of natural probiotics in each container.

As with regular yogurt, Jaeckel said you should scan the Greek yogurt nutrition label to find out the amount of artificial sweeteners and added sugars.

Greek yogurt is favored by dietitians for its high protein content and many strains of natural probiotics. (iStock)

Also check to see if yogurt product labels mention the bacterial strains used such as Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactobacillus bulgaricus, “which only adds to the transparency presented,” Jaeckel said.

(Remember, your gut loves good-for-you bacteria.)

Is Greek yogurt or non-Greek yogurt healthier?

All three dietitians gave the edge to Greek yogurt as a healthier choice over regular non-Greek yogurt. Still, both can be healthy choices.

Jaeckel summed it up by saying that both yogurts tend to be excellent sources of calcium, probiotics, vitamin D and other essential vitamins – but for most people, regardless of their personal preferences, the Greek yogurt is a better option.

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“Not only does it contain more protein, which keeps you fuller faster and longer, but it also contains less sodium, which is currently a big concern in most Americans’ diets,” he said. declared.

Ultimately, preference aside, Greek yogurt seems to be the best option because it is high in protein and lower in sodium. (iStock)

Likewise, Burgess said, “Greek yogurt comes out on top” thanks to its higher protein content.

“Getting enough protein throughout the day is important for muscle growth and recovery, hormonal functioning and satiety,” she said.

Bensley said she likes that Greek yogurt has less lactose (but not lactose-free), fewer carbs and less natural sugar.

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“Therefore, people with lactose intolerance tend to tolerate Greek yogurt due to the removal of whey during processing and the probiotics that support lactose digestion,” Bensley said.

If you’re hoping to increase your calcium intake, plain yogurt is apparently the way to go.

If you are looking for more calcium in your diet, regular yogurt would be the best option for you. (iStock)

“One of the amazing benefits of plain yogurt is that it contains much more calcium than Greek yogurt,” Bensley said.

How to integrate yogurt into a healthy diet

Again, you want to buy “options that contain little or no ‘added sugars,’ artificial sweeteners and unnecessary additives,” Burgess said.

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Many dietitians, like Burgess, consider unflavored plain yogurt the ideal choice, “and you can always jazz it up with your own toppings like fresh fruit, nuts or a drizzle of peanut butter,” she says. she declared.

Whatever your yogurt choice, you can always add a little extra spice to food with some very tasty toppings. (iStock)

Bensley said she likes to add nuts, unsweetened granola or seeds like hemp, chia or pumpkin seeds to yogurt to add fiber to the yogurt.

If you need to sweeten your yogurt, natural sweeteners such as honey or fruit are a good way to add a little flavor, Bensley said.

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