Meat(less) Monday: Recipes, nutrition tips and advice on food your body will thank you for. OK, maybe not completely meatless, but healthy, for sure. 

By: Emily Cardinali

Yogurt, whether Greek or regular, is undoubtedly a great addition to any diet. It serves us beneficial probiotics such as bacteria that help with digestion, provides important vitamins or even “protects us from harmful pathogens” all in a cold, creamy snack.

If it’s already so good for you, then why choose Greek yogurt over regular?

1. Greek yogurt has twice the protein of regular yogurt. Compared to the 11 or so grams in 8 ounces of regular yogurt, Greek yogurt’s 20 grams make it a filling food especially beneficial for vegetarians looking to add more protein to their diets. This is a byproduct of the process of making Greek yogurt; regular yogurt is strained to separate whey (sort of like a milk plasma that contains most of the lactose and gives yogurt its flavor) from the creamy part of the yogurt to create thick Greek yogurt.
2. Greek yogurt is extremely versatile in cooking. It can be used as a base for a veggie dip, substitution for mayonnaise in tuna salad or even as the foundation for a delicious frosting. More simple ideas for cooking with Greek yogurt are on this website.
3. Greek yogurt has fewer carbs and half the sodium of regular yogurt. Another byproduct of the straining process, fewer carbs and less sodium make this yogurt a favorite among diabetics, who have to watch their carb intake, and people with high blood pressure, who have to watch their sodium intake. An additional benefit is that Greek yogurt is less acidic than its counterpart, so it is better for people with sensitive stomachs as well.

There is one downfall of going Greek — full fat Greek yogurt has a significant portion (almost 20 percent in 6 ounces) of your daily recommendation of saturated fat. That’s right, the bad fat. Luckily, this can be easily avoided by buying the fat-free version!

Photo courtesy of thesleuthjournal.com