Greek yogurt vs Greek "style" yogurt

When it comes to yogurt I always advise people to go Greek. Greek yogurt is a great source of probiotics (which is vital for digestive health), calcium (which we all know promotes healthy bones) and a good source of protein (which aids muscle growth and repair). It is also so versatile and can be used in many different ways. Towards the end of this post I will be sharing 6 of my favourite, tasty and most importantly healthy Greek yogurt recipes!

I use and highly recommend Total Greek yogurt as this is all natural with no added sweeteners, thickeners or preservatives. 

So with the benefits of Greek yogurt being huge, companies have found a way to try and trick the consumers with Greek "style" yogurt. For a yogurt to be classed as Greek, Greek yogurt MUST be produced in Greece, hence why these companies HAVE to state "Greek style", as it is not authentic. Now it may have the same texture, it may look the same, but the nutritional info can range quite a bit.

For example the average Greek "style" yogurt pot contains;

Kcal: 129

Protein: 4.5g

Sugar: 6.4g

(per 100g)

Whereas authentic Total Greek yogurt contains;

Kcal: 96

Protein: 9g

Sugar: 3.8g

(per 100g)

The average LOW FAT Greek "style" version contains;

Kcal: 80

Protein: 5.6g

Sugar: 8g

(per 100g)

And the 0% fat Total Greek yogurt contains;

Kcal: 57

Protein: 10.3g

Sugar: 4g

(Per 100g)

As you can see there is a huge difference. You can clearly see the authentic version is lower in sugar and much higher in protein making it a perfect, convenient snack. 

But it's just yogurt, it's going to taste boring and bland isn't it? WRONG! There are so many different things you can do with Greek yogurt from smoothies, to breakfasts, to marinades, to dressings, to desserts, the list goes on.

Here are my top 6 favourite recipes that you must try!

6. Beetroot dip - To a bowl combine 5 diced cooked beetroots with 3 heaped tablespoons of Greek yogurt. Add crushed garlic and a splash of red wine vinegar (to taste). Season and finish with a drizzle of Olive oil. 

5. Tzatziki - In a bowl grate a cucumber. Squeeze out all the excess water. Combine your cucumber with Greek yogurt, grated garlic, olive oil and chopped mint. Season. Finish with a few mint leaves and olive oil for decoration.

4. Chicken tikka masala - Soften onions in a pan until translucent. Add 2 tablespoons of masala paste (either make your own or use a good shop bought brand) and cook through for 5 minutes. Add a tin of tomatoes, diced chicken and simmer for 20minutes. Finish with 120g of Greek yogurt and stir in until nice and creamy.

*For extra flavour, marinate your chicken overnight in olive oil, lemon, greek yogurt and tandoori seasoning*

3. Fish finger bites - Marinate bite size chunks of fish in lemon, paprika and olive oil. Season. Place the fish into Greek yogurt and then place into peppered oats. Coat well. Place on a baking tray and bake for 15-20 minutes until golden.

2. Dressings - Simply combine a 3 tablespoons of Greek yogurt with a fair teaspoon of mustard. Season, then add a squeeze of lemon and some olive oil. Mix well. Pour this over your salad or use as a sauce for sweet potato fries or even for the recipe above!

1. Tuna "mayo" - To 3-4 tablespoons of Greek yogurt, add a tin of tuna, black pepper and a squeeze of lemon. Chopped chives are optional. This will save you hundreds of calories when compared to the mayo version, and tastes much better! Use this as a sandwich filling or as a filling for sweet potato like I did.

I can assure you these taste GREAT. If you try any of these recipes don't forget to tag me in on twitter @GymForWomen, hashtag #TryTotal and give @TotalGreek a follow!

Let me know what you want me to blog about next!

Hadee x

Follow me on twitter here www.twitter,com/GymForWomen ...

... and like my Facebook page here www.facebook.com/gymforwomenpage