Greek style vs Greek yogurt: are there actual differences, and would a Greek style yogurt ever outrank a true Greek yogurt for your heart health?
[Chung is not affiliated with any of the brands, products, or retailers named in this article or the accompanying video.]
Key Takeaways
- Greek yogurt and Greek style yogurt are made differently. Straining increases protein content and keeps fat moderate, while thickening with cream often results in an opposite profile.
- Greek yogurt is high in protein, but that’s not what moves your LDL. Adequate protein intake has real healthy-ageing benefits, but your cholesterol is affected more by other factors.
- Two key things in Greek yogurt affect your LDL, and they move LDL in opposite directions.
- I rank six common brands in Singapore based on their protein, fat, cost and probiotics. Scroll down to see the full ranking.
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Ranking the Best Greek Yogurts vs Greek Style Brands for LDL
Protein is a big reason why people are choosing to buy Greek yogurts these days, but they do come with a higher price tag. So are more economical Greek style yogurts the same thing?
What’s the Difference Between Greek Style vs Greek Yogurt?
Both Greek yogurt and Greek style yogurt start the same way.
- Heat milk to kill unwanted bacteria and prepare the milk proteins for fermentation.
- Add two live bacterial cultures, Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus, at a minimum.
- Let the milk ferment into yogurt.
After that, their processing splits.
True Greek yogurt is strained. The watery whey is pressed out, which therefore concentrates the protein left behind.
As such, properly strained yogurts like Chobani and Fage contain 8 to 9 g of protein per 100 g, while holding fat at a moderate 4 to 5 g.
On the other hand, most Greek style yogurts are not strained. Instead, cream and milk solids are added to achieve the thicker texture.
If cream is used, additional fat will also be added. This could bring total fat in Greek style yogurts to 7 to 10 g per 100 g, while protein remains at around 4 to 5 g.
Takeaway: The main difference between Greek style vs Greek yogurt is straining. A strained Greek yogurt concentrates protein and keeps fat moderate, while a cream-thickened Greek style yogurt often has an opposite profile.
How to Check the Nutrition Labels of Greek vs Greek Style Yogurts
Most brands are labelled clearly, so you will rarely need to guess whether you are buying a Greek or Greek style yogurt.
But you should still take a quick look at the nutrition labels, just to be sure:
- Per 100 g of yogurt, around 8 to 9 g of protein against 4 to 5 g of fat points to a strained Greek yogurt.
- The opposite profile of around 4 to 5 g of protein against 7 to 10 g of fat points to a cream-thickened Greek style yogurt.
Does Higher Protein Mean Lower Cholesterol?
The short answer is “no”. But the high protein content is a valid reason to eat Greek yogurt, along with nutrients like calcium and vitamin B12.
Protein is important as we age, since adequate protein intake helps us hold on to muscle, which supports our metabolic health and insulin sensitivity.
That said, two other things on the label of Greek yogurts are important for your LDL.
What Actually Affects Your LDL-Cholesterol?
The first is saturated fat. Saturated fat in fermented dairy like yogurt appears to be neutral on LDL compared to something like butter, but “neutral” does not mean it cannot be improved.
This randomised controlled trial showed that a full-fat fermented dairy diet, which included full-fat yogurt and cheese, resulted in LDL-cholesterol levels that were 6.6 mg/dL (0.17 mmol/L) higher than a low-fat dairy diet, with low-fat milk and yogurt.
This is not unexpected, as saturated fat remains one of the most important levers for LDL levels.
The second is added probiotics. Beyond the two standard starter cultures, some brands add additional probiotic strains, which have been shown to be beneficial for cholesterol.
This meta-analysis of 39 randomised controlled trials showed that fermented milk products with added probiotics lowered LDL by 7.34 mg/dL (0.19 mmol/L) compared with controls.
Takeaway: Besides being a good source of protein, a leaner tub of Greek yogurt that also carries additional probiotic strains would point your LDL in the right direction.
Best Greek vs Greek Style Yogurts Ranked for Your Heart Health
[Chung is not affiliated with any of the brands or shops mentioned.]
I compared six Greek and Greek style yogurts found locally in Singapore: Brownes, Emmi, Chobani, Farmers Union, Meiji, and Fage, and ranked them based on protein, fat, cost, and additional probiotics.
For a fair comparison I used each brand’s standard, plain version, with regular prices taken from the Fairprice online store.
All six brands have clean ingredient lists, with no gums, starches, gelatin, or artificial thickeners, and are therefore equal in that respect.
Ranked by Saturated Fat
I started with saturated fat, since it is the single biggest dietary lever on LDL. From lowest to highest saturated fat, I got the following ranking.
Emmi at number 1 might be surprising, since it’s a Greek style yogurt.
However, Emmi appears to have reached 9.0 g of protein with just 2.4 g of saturated fat by fortifying with dairy solids rather than cream. This results in a profile closer to that of the Greek yogurts, Chobani and Fage.
Ranked by Protein per Gram of Saturated Fat
Next, I took the protein of each yogurt and divided that by the amount of saturated fat. This gives us the yogurt with the highest amount of protein with the lowest amount of saturated fat.
Using Emmi as an example, it contains 9.0 g of protein with 2.4 g of saturated fat. So the protein per gram of saturated fat would be 9.0 / 2.4 = 3.75.
The ranking did not change, since the Greek yogurts, Chobani and Fage, are naturally high in protein while being low in saturated fat. And Emmi is the exception as mentioned.
Ranked by Cost-Adjusted Value
Next, we bring in the cost per 100 g of yogurt using regular prices found on the Fairprice online store. This then tells us which is the most low-fat protein per dollar.
Chobani now moves past Emmi to number 1. Meiji moves up to number 3 because of its low price tag, and Fage drops to number 4 for the opposite reason. Brownes and Farmers Union remain in the same spots.
Final Ranking: Probiotic Strains Added
Finally, additional probiotic strains are considered as the final factor. Chobani, Emmi, and Fage each have three additional strains, Meiji and Brownes have one, while Farmers Union has none.
Based on this, Chobani and Emmi hold their top positions. Fage moves back up to number 3, while Meiji drops to number 4. And Brownes and Farmers Union again stay where they are.
The Full Results
And here is where the six brands landed for heart health, from best to last:
- Chobani: strained, low in saturated fat, protein dense, and the best value for the protein-to-fat ratio.
- Emmi: the surprise 2nd place. Labelled Greek style, but yet has a high protein-to-fat ratio by fortifying with dairy solids rather than cream.
- Fage: very similar profile to Chobani, and its three added probiotic strains move it past Meiji, despite the heftier price tag.
- Meiji: hugging the middle ground with protein and fat, and wins on being very economical.
- Brownes: a cream-thickened Greek style tub, higher in saturated fat, and carrying only one added probiotic strain.
- Farmers Union: the richest in saturated fat and the only tub of the six with no added probiotic strains.
| Rank | Brand | Type | Sat. Fat (g) | Protein (g) | Protein / Sat. Fat | Cost/ 100g ($) | Value (P/SF per $) | Added Probiotic Strains |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chobani | True Greek | 2.6 | 8.6 | 3.31 | 1.82 | 1.82 | 3 |
| 2 | Emmi | Greek Style | 2.4 | 9.0 | 3.75 | 2.37 | 1.58 | 3 |
| 3 | Fage | True Greek | 3.6 | 9.0 | 2.50 | 3.04 | 0.82 | 3 |
| 4 | Meiji | Greek Style | 4.8 | 4.8 | 1.00 | 0.95 | 1.05 | 1 |
| 5 | Brownes | Greek Style | 5.7 | 4.8 | 0.84 | 1.12 | 0.75 | 1 |
| 6 | Farmers Union | Greek Style | 6.1 | 4.5 | 0.74 | 1.03 | 0.72 | 0 |
Takeaway: The best Greek yogurt for your LDL-cholesterol is the leanest one with the most protein, that also carries added probiotic strains. And the top of this list shows that a strained tub is usually where that desired combination lives.
How Should You Choose in Practice?
You do not need to memorise the list I came up with. But you could learn a few checks to apply at the supermarket.
Start with the protein number
Since protein is one of the main reasons we are eating Greek yogurt, choose a tub with around 8 to 10 g of protein per 100 g.
Favour the leaner tubs
Then check for lower fat content at around 4 to 5 g per 100 g so that the protein is not coming at the expense of your LDL.
Look for named live probiotics
To do even more for your LDL, look for additional probiotic strains, such as Bifidobacterium lactis, Lactobacillus acidophilus, and Lactobacillus casei, besides the two starter cultures.
Weigh cost and availability
Choose an option that fits into your grocery budget, since all habits need to be sustainable.
Finally, I need to emphasise that none of these brands is a “bad” food, and it is always a case of “compared to what?”.
The Bottom Line
Greek style vs Greek yogurt is different, but the labelling alone does not make one better than the other. Choose a lower-fat tub with more protein that also carries additional probiotics, and you would have picked something that works not just for your cholesterol, but also for healthy ageing.
Still Struggling to Move Your Cholesterol Numbers?
If you’ve been trying to lower your cholesterol and your numbers are still not moving, it might be time to look more closely at what’s working, what’s not, and why.
Book a free 15-minute strategy session with me today and get started on a personalised nutrition plan for your heart health.
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