3 a Day! Why Greek Yogurt is a Great Way to Increase Your Dairy Intake.

Challenge: Have three servings of dairy a day.

Flavor of the Week: Greek Yogurt

It is recommended by the USDA to have three servings of low fat dairy a day( 8 oz milk, 6 oz yogurt or 1 oz cheese). One healthy and tasty way to help meet your dairy intake is to add greek yogurt into your diet! As a dietitian I recommend greek yogurt to my patients and have gotten many of my friends and family hooked! And this is why....

What makes greek yogurt greek?

Well, it all has to do with how it's made. Greek yogurt is strained using a special technique to remove excess liquid while leaving the whey protein naturally found in milk. This is why greek yogurt is thicker and creamier, and contains more protein than regular yogurt. This straining technique along with the probiotics help remove lactose, the natural sugar found in milk, making greek yogurt easier for those who are lactose intolerant to tolerate.

Why is greek yogurt so healthy?

In comparison to regular yogurt, greek yogurt contains 2 to 3 times as much protein. One serving of greek yogurt (6 oz) contains about 14-20 grams of protein, which is equivalent to 2-3 ounces of meat!

It is also a good source of calcium, containing 20% of your daily calcium needs, helping you build strong bones! Greek yogurt is also low in sodium and high in potassium, helping lower elevated blood pressure. Lastly, greek yogurt contains probiotics also known as “good bacteria”. They are living organisms naturally found in foods and supplements that help replenish and strengthen bacteria naturally found in your body.

Nutrition comparison Greek vs. Regular Yogurt

	Calories	Carbohydrate	Protein	Fat
Chobani Greek Blueberry	140	20 grams	14 grams	0 grams
Yoplait Mixed Berry	170	33 grams	5 grams	1.5 grams

* Note: Greek Yogurt is lower in calories, carbohydrate and fat, and higher in protein!

How to incorporate Greek yogurt into your diet.

1) For breakfast: add in your favorite fresh, dried, or frozen fruit and low fat granola.

2) Eat as a snack or dessert

3) Substitute plain greek yogurt for mayo or sour cream:

- Use in a creamy dressing
- Add to tacos, or baked potato
- Use in vegetable dip by mixing in your favorite seasonings like garlic, dill, or parsley.

So, I challenge you to try greek yogurt if you haven't before. And if you have, I challenge you to use greek yogurt in a way you haven't tried before.

Goodluck!!