Difference Between Regular Yogurt and Greek Yogurt

Ever since yogurt became a staple in many people’s homes, there have been a variety of different types to hit the market at the grocery stores. While regular yogurt is still a strong contender, Greek yogurt is becoming more and more popular amongst people who are more health conscience. Because of its popularity, you may find yourself asking if there are any differences between regular yogurt and the newer Greek yogurt. Here are some of those differences as well as some similarities.

Ingredients

One of the main similarities between regular and Greek yogurt is that they both start off with the same ingredients, milk and bacterial cultures. The milk is heated and then cooled to the perfect temperature and then the bacterial cultures are added to start the fermentation process. It is after the fermentation process that the true differences begin.

Straining Time

While both types of yogurt go through a straining process, it is the number of straining that is the difference. Straining helps to remove liquid whey, as well as some of the sugars and salts that get dissolved into the yogurt during the fermentation process. You strain regular yogurt twice, while you strain the Greek variety a total of three times. The third straining in the process is what gives Greek yogurt its thick, creamy consistency.

Amount of Milk

Because Greek yogurt is strained a total of three times versus the two times for regular yogurt it uses more milk in the recipe. In order to make one full cup of Greek yogurt, it calls for four cups of milk. When you want to make the same amount of regular yogurt, you only need one cup of milk.

Nutritional Value

One of the many reasons that Greek yogurt is so popular is because people believe that Greek yogurt is healthier for you and in many ways they are correct. Greek yogurt contains double the amount of protein than the regular yogurt. The full fat variety of Greek yogurt has three times the amount of saturated fat that regular yogurt has. It also has half the sodium and half the carbohydrates than regular yogurt. Between the two yogurts, they both have roughly the same amount of calories.

Cost

Greek yogurt does cost about twice as much as regular yogurt. This increase in price is mostly due to the fact that it does require a lot more milk than the regular variety, which is a good thing since it is a more concentrated source of calcium and protein. It also costs more due to the higher customer demand. A lot more people want to jump on the Greek yogurt bandwagon.

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