FitSugar

Plain Yogurt vs. Flavored Yogurt

FitSugar — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 05:50:03 -0700

For breakfast, yogurt with fruit and granola has become my favorite. I love that the yogurt offers lowfat protein, and the granola gives me fiber to keep me satisfied until lunch. With all this talk about how Americans are getting too much sugar, I'm trying to do what I can to cut back on added sugars.

I was wondering if there's a huge difference when choosing between plain yogurt or one that's flavored. So here's a comparison between a few flavors of Chobani Greek yogurt. To see the chart, read more.

These numbers are based on six-ounce containers.

	Plain	Vanilla	Blueberry	Honey
Calories	100	120	140	150
Saturated Fat	0 g	0 g	0 g	0 g
Cholesterol	0 mg	0 mg	0 mg	0 g
Sodium	80 mg	75 mg	65 mg	75 mg
Carbs	7 g	13 g	20 g	20 g
Fiber	0 g	0 g	less than 1 g	0 g
Sugars	7 g	16 g	20 g	20 g
Protein	18 g	16 g	14 g	16 g
Ingredients	Cultured Pasteurized Nonfat Milk.	Cultured Pasteurized Nonfat Milk, Evaporated Cane Juice, Natural Vanilla Flavor.	Cultured Pasteurized Nonfat Milk, Blueberries, Evaporated Cane Juice, Locust Bean Gum, Pectin, Natural Flavor.	Cultured Pasteurized Nonfat Milk, Clover Honey.

Wow. Plain yogurt is clearly the better option when it comes to sugar. The vanilla, blueberry, and honey flavors have more than twice the amount as the plain. Plain yogurt also contains fewer calories and more protein, so I'll definitely stick to plain.

If you're trying to cut down on sugar, but can't stomach the sour taste of plain yogurt, mix in fresh, frozen, or dried fruit. It not only offers added fiber, but it will sweeten your yogurt naturally, unlike the flavored yogurts that contain evaporated cane juice. Tell me, will this info make you choose plain over flavored yogurts?

Healthy Recipe: DIY Yogurt

FitSugar — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 09:00:15 -0700

I think that yogurt should be part of any healthy diet, on the daily. It's great with fresh fruit and granola, contains all the good kind of bacteria we need, and is an excellent source of calcium and protein. Eating yogurt every day can be costly, so I was really excited to discover how easy it is to make at home.

I started out by following the recipes posted on Make Your Own Yogurt and Chow, making a few modifications of my own. The homemade stuff tastes so much better than any store-bought version I've ever tried - it's creamier, tangy, and has a great consistency. There are no added sugars or preservatives, or wasteful plastic containers to throw out. I'm hooked and can't stop looking for cute glass jars so I can gift this homemade treat to my friends.

To find out how to make it, read more.

Heat milk on a stove top to about 185 degrees Fahrenheit.
Remove the milk from the heat and let it cool to 110 degrees, stirring occasionally.
Add a few tablespoons of plain yogurt to the milk to act as the starter culture.
Transfer this mix to a covered container and store in a warm area for a few days. The longer you let the yogurt sit out to ferment, the tangier and thicker it will become.
Refrigerate overnight before eating, stir well, and enjoy!

Find more Healthy Recipes and share your own in our Healthy Recipes group!

Healthy Eating Tip: Top Yogurt With Rolled Oats

FitSugar — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 13:00:55 -0700

I've 'fessed up to eating the same thing for breakfast every day: cereal and fruit with milk or yogurt. But lately, with all the delicious berries in season, I've been cutting down on the grains and loading up on fruit.

Hence, my latest healthy eating tip: treat your grains as a topping for your fruit and yogurt. Rather than load up on granola, which can be high in sugar and fat, use plain rolled oats (one of the foods women should eat daily) to add texture to your breakfast. A quarter cup of rolled oats has around 150 calories, but if you treat it as topping, you'll be eating less than half that amount.

Food Review: Yakult Probiotic Drink

FitSugar — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 09:32:49 -0700

I first said "yeah" to Yakult because I love saying the word "Yakult." I also love probiotics to promote healthy digestion. Plus, this probiotic drink comes in cute little bottles about the size of a shot glass, so it seemed like a fun way to drink healthy.

Yakult isn't a yogurt; it's a "fermented dairy drink" first produced in Japan and contains live, probiotic cultures to help boost your immune system and the good bacteria in your tummy. Sold in packs of five, the 2.7-fluid-ounce bottles can be downed as drinks, but I also enjoyed it poured over cereal in place of milk. So how does it taste?

Healthy Eating Tip: Mix Plain and Fruit Yogurts

FitSugar — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 12:00:00 -0700

I probably eat yogurt at least five days a week, being that it's so healthy with all the beneficial bacteria it contains. Even better is plain yogurt, since it doesn't contain as much sugar as fruit-flavored yogurts. If the sour taste is too pungent for your taste buds, I discovered a good compromise. I mix half plain yogurt with half fruit yogurt, so my new concoction is slightly sweeter than plain yogurt but doesn't have as much sugar as just the fruit-flavored yogurt.

To see how the nutritional info of this mixed yogurt compares with eating either just plain or just fruity yogurt read more.

	Chobani Plain	Chobani Peach	Half Plain and Half Peach
Serving Size	6 ounces	6 ounces	6 ounces
Calories	100	140	120
Total Fat	0g	0g	0g
Saturated Fat	0g	0g	0g
Cholesterol	0mg	0mg	0mg
Sodium	70mg	80mg	75mg
Carbs	7g	20g	13.5g
Fiber	0g	0g	0g
Sugars	7g	19g	13g
Protein	18g	14g	16g

As you can see from the chart, the mixed yogurt contains 6.5 fewer grams of carbs, six fewer grams of sugar, and 20 fewer calories than the peach yogurt. As an added bonus, it also has two more grams of protein. Once you go mixed, you'll never go back.

How Do Calcium-Rich Foods Stack Up?

FitSugar — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 08:00:00 -0700

Calcium is crucial for women's bone health, so it's absolutely imperative that you get enough in your diet. You can fortify yourself with calcium supplements, but since women need at least 1,000 milligrams per day or more, we should also seek out calcium-rich foods. Think you know how these foods stack up, calcium-wise? Take my quiz to find out.

Source

Take the quiz

Food Review: Better Whey of Life Yogurt

FitSugar — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 10:00:00 -0700

You know I love a good pun, and I love yogurt, so how could I not try this new yogurt called Better Whey of Life? Made with whey protein - a favorite of weight-lifting types - each six-ounce cup of the creamy nonfat yogurt contains 15 to 17 grams of protein. That's significantly more than most other yogurt brands, which typically contain five to eight grams of protein, but on par with many Greek yogurts.

The whey base is not only supposed to keep you feeling full and full of energy, but it's also designed to help you slim and tone your figure. I can't really vouch for the latter claim, but I definitely noticed this yogurt stayed with me well until lunchtime. To see what I thought and what a serving looks like, read more.

Better Whey yogurt comes in five flavors, including peach mango and vanilla; I tried plain, strawberry banana, and the trendy acai mixed berry. All of them have 0.5 grams of fat and 145 calories, aside from the plain, which has just 130.

I am not usually a fan of sweet yogurt, but with this brand, I preferred the flavored to the plain. They were just barely sweet, and the base flavor (I'm guessing from the whey) has a slightly sour, earthy taste, like sour cream or even cottage cheese. In the plain version, it wasn't terribly appetizing, but with the fruit flavors, it was a perfect way to cut the sweetness. I'd imagine the effect works equally well in vanilla.

The texture is thick and hearty but not as creamy as Greek yogurt, so if you want the protein of the Greek stuff without the distinctive texture, Better Whey is an excellent option. It's a highly satisfying and full-bodied yogurt. You can buy it at Whole Foods and other natural and specialty stores, so find one near you.

Food Review: So Delicious Coconut Milk Yogurt

FitSugar — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 03:00:00 -0700

Yogurt is a versatile food that can be made from so many different types of milk: soy, goat, and even water buffalo. Just when you thought there couldn't be any more options, a new yogurt pops up made from coconut milk. Since I'm a huge fan of yogurt for breakfast or for a preworkout snack, I had to give this So Delicious Coconut Milk Yogurt ($1.69) a try. It's dairy-, soy-, and gluten-free, so it's a great alternative for people who have food allergies.

Want to know how it compares to other yogurt? Then read more.

Check out the chart below. I compared coconut milk yogurt to regular cow's milk yogurt, since that's what most people eat.


Serving Size	6 oz.	6 oz.	6 oz.	6 oz.
Calories	150	130	130	120
Total Fat	6 g	0 g	1.5 g	0 g
Saturated Fat	6 g	0 g	1 g	0 g
Cholesterol	0 mg	0 mg	5 mg	0 g
Sodium	5 mg	115 mg	105 mg	65 mg
Carbs	22 g	15 g	22 g	13 g
Sugars	19 g	24g	21 g	13 g
Protein	1 g	7 g	7 g	16 g

First off, let me say that I really liked the strong vanilla flavor of this creamy yogurt. It tasted very decadent, almost like dessert. The consistency was thicker than soy yogurt, but not as thick as Greek yogurt. The only thing I wasn't a fan of was the waxy, almost oily sensation it left on my tongue and teeth.

If you can't eat yogurt made from cow's milk or soy milk, this is a tasty alternative because it contains six active and live cultures, 30 percent of your RDI for vitamin B12 (good news for vegans and vegetarians), and calcium. It would probably make a healthy alternative to whole milk or cream in baked goods as well, but this coconut milk yogurt is a little too low in protein for me to eat on its own. As you can see from the chart, there are definitely healthier alternatives that offer more protein, less fat, and fewer calories.

Greek Yogurt Breakdown

FitSugar — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 08:00:00 -0700

I'm a big fan of yogurt. It's a tasty way to get protein and calcium, especially before or after a workout. Greek yogurt is one of my faves because it's packed with so much more protein than regular yogurt, and the thicker consistency makes it feel more decadent.

Since Greek yogurt is becoming more popular, there are many companies making it now. If you want to know how they compare, read more.

Yogurt	Calories	Total Fat (g)	Cholesterol (g)	Sodium (mg)	Sugars (g)	Protein (g)
Cabot Plain (6 oz)	210	17	55	80	6	7
Cabot 2% Strawberry (6 oz.)	160	3	20	80	24	13
Chobani Original Plain (6 oz.)	240	17	65	60	6	14
Chobani Lowfat Plain (6 oz.)	130	3.5	10	70	7	17
Chobani Nonfat Plain (6 oz.)	100	0	0	70	7	18
Chobani Vanilla Nonfat (6 oz.)	120	0	0	65	13	16
Chobani Honey Nonfat (6 oz.)	150	0	0	65	20	16
Chobani Peach Nonfat (6 oz.)	140	0	0	80	19	14
Chobani Strawberry Nonfat (6 oz.)	140	0	0	80	19	14
Chobani Blueberry Nonfat (6 oz.)	140	0	0	65	20	14
Fage Total Classic (7 oz.)	263	20.1	35	57	6.1	13.1
Fage Total 2% (7 oz.)	131	3.9	13	66	7.9	16.6
Fage Total 0% (5.3 oz.)	79	0	0	56	5.9	13.2
Fage Total With Honey (5.3 oz.)	250	12	20	35	28	8
Fage Total 2% With Honey (5.3 oz.)	180	2.5	5	40	29	10
Fage Total With Strawberry (5.3 oz.)	210	12	20	35	18	8
Fage Total 2% With Strawberry (5.3 oz.)	140	2.5	5	40	19	10
Fage Total With Peach (5.3 oz.)	210	12	20	35	18	8
Fage Total 2% With Peach (5.3 oz.)	140	2.5	5	40	19	10
Fage Total With Cherry (5.3 oz.)	210	12	20	35	18	8
Fage Total 2% With Cherry (5.3 oz.)	140	2.5	5	40	19	10
Oikos Plain (5.3 oz.)	90	0	0	60	6	15
Oikos Vanilla (5.3 oz.)	110	0	0	60	11	15
Oikos Honey (5.3 oz.)	120	0	0	50	17	13
Oikos Blueberry (5.3 oz.)	120	0	0	70	15	13

I'm curious, which brand of Greek yogurt do you usually buy?

Ya-Ya For Yogurt

FitSugar — Sun, 21 Sep 2008 03:00:00 -0700

Yogurt, be it peach flavored or plain, be it the thick Greek style or the thin European style, is one of my favorite foods. This simple food offers so many health benefits that it is easy to see why I am ya-ya for yogurt. I have tried many types of yogurt and reviewed a few. I have also compared popular brands side by side. So if you need a little refresher course in yogurt, check out the posts below.

Strengthens Immune System	Good for Your Tummy	Creates Calm Energy
Review: Yo-Plus Digestive Health by Yoplait	Nutritional Comparison of Popular Brands	Review: Fiber One Creamy Nonfat Yogurt