A Quick Guide to Yoghurt

The yoghurt aisle can be a rather baffling place to hang out these days.

Natural, Greek, Greek-style, Greek recipe, Greek family, 0%, 2%, 5%, Organic, Skyr, Kefir, Coconut, Vanilla, Fruit….

What is Yoghurt anyway?

All plain yoghurt is essentially made from milk fermented with two strains of bacteria. These bacteria convert the lactose into lactic acid which gives yoghurt its sharpness, while the effect of the lactic acid on the protein in the milk thickens it.

Plain yoghurt should only ever contain one ingredient: Milk. If there are any thickeners or other additives listed then leave it on the shelf. Greek yoghurt is not surprisingly made in Greece but the same method can be used anywhere to create a Greek-Style yoghurt. Greek yoghurt is made in exactly the same way as natural yoghurt but it is strained to remove the whey and other liquids. This leads to a thicker, creamier product but also means that the yield is lower and hence it is more expensive to produce. Not all Greek-style yoghurts are created equal though as there are different levels of straining carried out to try and balance yield and mouthfeel.

Traditional Greek yoghurt is made with whole milk and generally has a fat content of about 10%. Many brands offer lower fat versions (5% and 0%) and these will be made with skimmed and semi-skimmed milk.

There are rows and rows of flavoured yoghurts in our supermarkets now but always read the labels as many of these are loaded with sugar. I prefer to just buy plain yoghurt and add to it in my own kitchen. It is so versatile and can be used as part of so many dishes.

Skyr?

Skyr is an Icelandic product that is made in almost exactly the same way as Greek yoghurt but with skimmed milk and different cultures which togther produces an almost zero fat, higher protein yoghurt.

Kefir?

Kefir is made by fermenting milk with Kefir grains. These are a natural cluster of bacteria, yeast, and polysaccharides which ferment the milk creating a product similar to yoghurt but with a much more diverse range of live cultures. However, many Kefir products are created by lab-grown cultures and not live kefir grains which results in quite a different product with a much more limited microbial diversity. If you want real Kefir you probably need to shop beyond the supermarkets.

Chart comparing macronutrients of typical products

My favourite is the Yeo Valley Greek Recipe 5% - It’s organic and really creamy with a great nutrient profile. I have so many uses for it: for breakfast with fresh berries and granola; as a substitute for mayo in Coronation Chicken and Egg sandwiches; as a substitute for cream in a Chicken Korma and as the star of the show in a bowl of tangy and refreshing Tzatziki.