Go Greek!

So what is all this hype about Greek yogurt that is leaving regular yogurt in the dust?  Turns out it's not just a fad - there's some legitimate nutritional benefits the mediterranean version has to offer that tower a little higher than it's 'regular' counterpart.  Before we start, I'd just like to say that plain non-fat regular yogurt is still good for you and can also be part of a healthy diet.  The difference is that the Greek version is strained excessively, which removes a considerable amount of the lactose and sugar - giving it that creamy consistency.  Due to this straining, the yogurt is able to pack about double the protein and half the sugar as regular yogurt - in around the same amount of calories!  


But which brand do you choose?  With Stonyfield, Dannon, Fage, Yoplait, and Chobani competing for space in your refrigerator, it's easy to feel overwhelmed.  I've done a little research and have broken down each brand by Price, Serving Size, Calories, Sugar, Protein, and Company/Product Details (which ended up being somewhat of a tiebreaker for my #1 choice).  All of these numbers are based on the non-fat plain versions of Greek yogurt (stick to this - flavors or added fruit means a LOT more sugar - add your own fruit/nuts/granola).  


The Winner is: Stonyfield Organic Oikos 0% Fat!!! Stonyfield has the least amount of calories, sugar, and the same amount of protein as all of the others in the same serving size.  Stonyfield and Dannon were the last contenders (and are identical in regards to nutrition), but Stonyfield was chosen due to it's USDA Organic Certification.  On the downside, it is the most expensive of all, so if this is a more important factor I would go with the Dannon Oikos 0% Fat.  Fage and Chobani were tied for third, followed by Yoplait (had the most sugar and calories).  I listed all the details below - feel free to check them out for yourself!

Price:                                                                       
Stonyfield Organic Oikos 0%: $1.99
Fage 0% Fat: $1.53
Dannon Oikos 0%: $1.09
Yoplait Non-Fat: $0.99
Chobani 0%: $1.19
Container/Serving Size:
S: 5.3 oz
F: 6 oz
D: 5.3 oz
Y: 6 oz
C: 6 oz
Calories:
S: 80 kcal
F: 100 kcal
D: 80 kcal
Y: 120 kcal
C: 100 kcal
Sugar:
S: 6 g
F: 7 g
D: 6 g
Y: 8 g
C: 7 g
Protein:
S: 15 g
F: 18 g
D: 15 g
Y: 15 g
C: 18 g


Company/Product Details:
S: Londonderry, NH, Certified USDA organic (95% organic ingredients and no genetically modified organisms), 10% of profits go to protecting and restoring the planet, products from local family farms
F: Roots are in Athens (authentic Greek!), only uses milk from rBGH-free cows (recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone), claim to be "green"
D: Dannon and Stonyfield partnered up - the Dannon version of Oikos is made the same way as the Stonyfield version but the ingredients are NOT organic
Y: No mention of all natural or organic ingredients, some profits do go to charity
C: Upstate New York, no preservatives, no artificial flavors, no synthetic hormones, rBGH-free, gluten-free


Always love a little Norah: Don't Know Why - Norah Jones