Greek yogurt vs. regular yogurt: Is one 'better' for you than the other?

Are you team Greek yogurt — or is regular yogurt what you reach for most of the time?

Either way, you may be curious as to which dairy food offers better nutritional value.

"Yogurt has become a part of many people’s morning routines. While both Greek and regular yogurt can be healthy additions to the diet, their nutritional content varies," said Mackenzie Burgess, a registered dietitian nutritionist and recipe developer at Cheerful Choices in Denver, Colorado.

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Both regular and Greek yogurt are rich in calcium and probiotics to help support digestive health, said Burgess.

That suggests consumers check the nutrition label for the words "live and active cultures," as these provide beneficial probiotics.

Kylie Bensley, a registered dietitian and founder of Sulinu.com in Nashville, Tennessee, said that in general, you should opt for plain, unsweetened yogurts "because they don’t contain added sugars."

She noted, "Since most people consume yogurt for breakfast or as a snack, having something lower in added sugars is ideal."

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Both types of yogurt can be eaten on their own or easily incorporated into many recipes as a healthy addition to a diet, Bensley said.

Read on to learn more about the nutritional profile of plain, unsweetened Greek yogurt and plain, unsweetened regular yogurt.

Both Greek yogurt and regular yogurt are great additions to your diet — but nutritionists say one may be better for you to consume for your health. (iStock)

Nutrition specs of regular yogurt

A ¾-cup (6-ounce) serving of regular nonfat yogurt provides around 100 calories and 10 grams of protein, according to Burgess.

Plain yogurt can be a healthy choice when paired with additional foods that contain more protein, said Bensley, since 6 ounces is not sufficient for a complete meal. 

"Adding nuts or seeds is an easy way to add more protein," Bensley said, noting that you can also use yogurt itself as a topper for other foods, such as oatmeal. 

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When looking for the healthiest plain yogurt choice, Bensley suggested scoping out the nutrition label for protein content and added sugars. 

"Ideally, the added sugars will be as close to zero grams as possible and the higher the protein content, the better," she said.

Using extra toppers such as granola or nuts is a great way to add protein to your unsweetened regular yogurt. (iStock)

Paul Jaeckel, a registered dietitian nutritionist and owner of Paul Jaeckel Nutrition, a private practice for nutrition counseling in New York, said that while in most cases regular yogurt is a "great option" and has no notable concerns, you should also scan the nutrition label for other not-so-desirable ingredients.

This means looking for add-ins such as high fructose corn syrup, food dyes like red No. 40 or blue No. 1, modified food starch, gelatin, malic acid, potassium sorbate and modified corn starch, among others, he said.

"Most of these are used as food preservatives and have been considered safe to eat. But consuming less of these is always better," Jaeckel said.

Nutrition specs of Greek yogurt

Burgess said Greek yogurt goes through a straining process that removes the whey, making these yogurts thicker and higher in protein per serving. 

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She said that a ¾-cup (6-ounce) serving of nonfat Greek yogurt clocks in at around 18 grams of protein and 100 calories per serving.

Greek yogurt goes through a straining process that removes the whey, making the food thicker and higher in protein per serving, Burgess said. (iStock)

Bensley said the straining process makes Greek yogurt much "more nutrient-dense, therefore it has more nutrients per serving."

She also highlighted that Greek yogurt contains half the carbohydrates than regular yogurt does. 

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Bensley also praises Greek yogurt for being healthy due to the nutrient density of protein and the amount of natural probiotic in each container.

As with regular yogurt, Jaeckel said you should scan the nutrition label of Greek yogurt for the amount of artificial sweeteners and added sugars. 

Greek yogurt is praised by dietitians for being high in protein and full of natural probiotic strains. (iStock)

Also, check if yogurt product labels mention the bacteria strains used such as Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactobacillus bulgaricus, "which just adds to the transparency presented," Jaeckel said. 

(Remember, your gut loves that good-for-you bacteria.)

Is Greek yogurt or non-Greek yogurt healthier?

All three of the dietitians gave the edge to Greek yogurt as the healthier choice when compared to regular, non-Greek yogurt. Still, both can be healthy choices. 

Jaeckel summed it up by saying both yogurts tend to be amazing sources of calcium, probiotics, vitamin D and other major necessary vitamins — but for most people, with personal preferences aside, Greek yogurt is a better option. 

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"It not only has more protein, which keeps you satisfied quicker and for longer, but also contains less sodium, which is a big concern in most Americans' diets right now," he said.

In the end, preference aside, Greek yogurt appears to be the better option because it is high in protein and contains less sodium. (iStock)

Similarly, Burgess said, "Greek yogurt comes out on top" courtesy of its higher protein content. 

"Getting enough protein throughout the day is important for muscle growth and recovery, hormone function and satiety," she said. 

Bensley said she appreciates that Greek yogurt is lower lactose (but not lactose-free), lower carb and low in natural sugar.

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"Therefore, people who are lactose intolerant tend to tolerate Greek yogurt because of the whey removal during processing and the probiotics which support lactose digestion," Bensley said.

If you’re hoping to boost your calcium intake, however, plain yogurt is apparently the way to go. 

If you are looking for more calcium in your diet, regular yogurt would be the best option for you. (iStock)

"One amazing benefit of plain yogurt is that it contains significantly more calcium than Greek yogurt," said Bensley.

How to incorporate yogurt into a healthy diet

Again, you want to purchase "options that have minimal to no 'added sugars,' artificial sweeteners and unnecessary additives," said Burgess.

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Many dietitians such as Burgess consider plain, unflavored yogurt the ideal choice, "and then you can always jazz it up with your own toppings like fresh fruits, nuts or a drizzle of peanut butter," she said.

No matter your choice of yogurt, you can always add some more excitement to the food with extra tasty toppers. (iStock)

Bensley said she is a fan of adding nuts, unsweetened granola or seeds like hemp, chia or pumpkin seeds to yogurt as a way to add fiber to yogurt.

If you must sweeten your yogurt, natural sweeteners such as honey or fruit are a good way to add some flavor, Bensley said.

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