So I'm just now starting to slowly understand the importance of adding Greek yogurt to my diet. I wish now that I'd been up to speed on this 'fad' and realized that it wasn't going to come and go, but instead get stronger and more versatile. I see some many trends come and go and every time you turn on the news, you're seeing contradicting things. One minute coffee is good, the next it's bad. The same goes for chocolate, soy products, eggs, peanut butter, granola, fish and so many other foods. So I did a little digging to find out the scoop on Greek yogurt and find out what's good about it.
What is it? Greek yogurt is made by straining the liquid whey out of regular yogurt, giving it a thicker, creamier texture. It was hard to find things that were specifically related to the benefits of Greek yogurt, but I did find a ton of things that were good with yogurt in general and while I'm not a HUGE fan of all things dairy, it does make me wonder if I should be adding this into my diet.
Benefits: Yogurt has been known to help with digestion issues because of it's live cultures and acts like a probiotic naturally versus having to supplement it. Many of these issues include: IBS, diarrhea colon cancer, constipation and people that are lactose intolerant. It's also believed that the calcium in yogurt can help lower blood pressure levels. Some studies show that women that get frequent yeast infections can benefit from the cultures that are found in yogurt. The average 8 oz cup of yogurt is said to have as much protein in it as a 3-oz piece of chicken! And for those of us that don't eat meat, that's a ton of protein! I've also read that yogurt helps you to feel fuller and makes a great snack and/or dessert.
Cautions: I've been reading a lot of labels lately and have found that there are a lot of 'bad' ingredients on the market when it comes to yogurt -- including aspartame and other similar things. It's important to READ before you buy. The last thing you want to do is give your body something that you think is helping it and in turn, damage it further. It's been suggested that you don't buy yogurts that already have fruit in them since they are high in sugar and the fruit has lost most of it's valuable nutrients. Instead, add your own fresh stuff or perhaps sweeten it with a little honey/honey alternative.
New Finds: So I've recently come across these two little goodies at Sam's Club. I know, I know. I sound like a broken record, but I really have started to love that place. The first is these Greek on the Go! strawberry granola bites by Rickland Orchards. It's a 22 oz bag of amazingness for under $10 bucks -- there are 15 servings per container, 11 pieces per serving. When I skimmed the ingredients, there wasn't anything any in there that I was 100% against, but I would've liked the 'natural flavors' and other 'ose' ingredients to have been left out. I was pleased with the 5 grams of protein though, so I thought I'd give them a shot. I'm happy to say that they're pretty awesome and I'm glad I scooped them up.
The second yummy find is something that I heard about via CrowdTap and another iPhone app called iPoll. The latter recently had me do a inventory check and then encouraged me to buy some with the promise of giving me a high $$ survey/taste test opportunity. So of course I bought them. Well, it also told me that I couldn't eat them until the before mentioned survey came thru because I had to rate the taste, etc while I was actually eating one. It came in a package of 3 and after trying the first one, I couldn't wait to eat the others until some silly survey came out. Well, lucky for me, I came across a 12 pack at Sam's Club and snatched them up for under $10 bucks. What's this yummy item you ask? Greek Frozen Yogurt by Healthy Choice. They're these little 100 calorie cups that come in Strawberry and Vanilla Bean. They have no high fructose corn syrup and no artificial flavors -- but they do have 'natural flavors' which isn't the best ingredient in my book. Each one has 4 grams of protein, which again, for such a small container, is alot.
What are some of your great finds lately? Have you seen these on the market?
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