Indian Springs Baptist Church Women's Ministry: The Yogurt Smackdown! Healthy Tip on Greek Yogurt....

Move over regular yogurt...going Greek is in! I just saw that TCBY is coming out with some Greek frozen yogurt in their stores. Yogurt is from milk and is just one of the healthy foods that God provides us to fuel His creation. There are many types of yogurts and the Greek kind is hitting the stores like crazy. So what's the big deal with Greek Yogurt?? I am so glad you asked! :D

What is Greek Yogurt?

True Greek yogurt is made differently than traditional yogurt. Both traditional and Greek yogurts start out the same; by fermenting milk with live bacteria cultures.

Greek yogurt is created when the yogurt is strained, so that the liquid whey is removed. When the whey is gone, the Greek yogurt takes on a thicker, cheesier texture than traditional yogurt.

For traditional yogurt, if a cup of milk is used to make the yogurt, one cup of yogurt is produced. In Greek yogurt, it takes more milk to create one cup of yogurt, sometimes up to four cups of milk. This is why true Greek yogurts can be more expensive.

Why Go Greek??

Greek yogurt has twice as much protein as regular yogurt.
Since the whey contains the lactose, when the lactose is strained, the yogurt loses some of its sugar and carbohydrates. If you are watching your carbohydrate intake, have diabetes, or have a sensitivity to carbohydrates, then Greek yogurt is your ticket. Regular yogurts have 15 to 17 grams of carbohydrates per cup, whereas Greek yogurt averages approximately 9 grams.
Because Greek yogurt contains less carbohydrates than regular yogurt, it has less lactose; the sugar in dairy products that can sometimes upset your stomach. This is especially helpful for people who have lactose intolerance.
Greek yogurt can be used for many dishes. Due to its thick texture and rich taste, many people use it as a substitute for milk, sour cream, and even use it for baking. I love to use it in baking and as a substitute for mayo in chicken salad!!

Be sure to buy the plain Greek yogurt. If you buy flavored, you will most often get added sugar and other ingredients. I like to buy plain and add my own ingredients. Check the ingredient part on the label. Sugar naturally occurs in milk, so it will have sugar in the nutritional value, but not have sugar or cane juice listed on the ingredient list.

Here are some Greek yogurt ideas:

Add fruit, stevia, and flax seed.
Mix it up in smoothies.
Use it instead of mayo in any recipe!
It makes a wonderful salad dressing and fruit dip!

The fruit dip is so easy. Mix Greek yogurt,vanilla, truvia, and cinnamon!

I am one of those people that just starts pouring and mixes to taste.I will share one of my favorite recipes from my blog. You can make your own personal chicken salad for one and eat in on whole wheat bread or just top it on some lettuce for a salad! You can whip this up and take it to work for a lunch on the go.

Eat-Clean Chicken Salad for One

Eat-Clean Chicken Salad for One With Greek Yogurt
1 cooked chicken breast, chopped
1 organic celery stalk, diced
10-15 red seedless organic grapes
1 Tbsp chopped pecans
1 tsp balsamic vinegar1 tsp honey
1 tsp chia seeds
2 Tbsp Greek Yogurt
Sea salt to taste (optional)

I like to cook my chicken by boiling it. Chop up all ingredients, put them in a bowl, stir them up, ENJOY! How easy is that!!

~ Brandy Kisner
ISBC Women's Ministry
Health & Welness Coordinator