You Should Use Greek Yogurt For Your Next Parfait. Here's Why
"Health foods" may be something of a buzzword in the food world right now, but whether you subscribe to them or are a little skeptical, there's probably a good chance that one of the first health foods that comes to mind is yogurt. Folks have been eating yogurt since at least 6000 BC, according to an article published in the scholarly journal "Nutrition Reviews," via Oxford Academic. There's a record of yogurt and its health-promoting properties in the Indian Ayurvedic scripts — and for good reason. The live active cultures in yogurt replenish the good bacteria in your gastrointestinal tract, explains Scientific American, which can get stripped by antibiotic medications and other stomach issues. And, when the bacteria in your stomach and intestines are at healthy levels, it improves overall gut health, per Healthline.
But, yogurt isn't just a utilitarian tool for arriving at some gilded destination of healthiness. It's also delicious, and the type of yogurt you select can make a big difference in your food's flavor and visual appeal. Enter: Greek yogurt. Here's why you should use it for your next parfait.
According to yogurt purveyor Oikos, the only notable difference between how Greek and regular yogurt is made is that Greek yogurt is strained. The extra, naturally-occurring moisture that rises to the top of yogurt during fermentation is skimmed off, creating Greek yogurt's signature thickness — and the perfect ingredient for a parfait.
A protein-packed beauty queen
Per Kitchn, the thickness of Greek yogurt enables home cooks to construct parfaits with defined, aesthetically-pleasing lines of separation between the layers. If you're trying to achieve clean blocks of pink strawberries, vibrant blueberries, and white yogurt, Greek yogurt is the right tool for the job. Its lower moisture content compared to regular yogurt also means Greek yogurt prevents your granola from getting soggy as quickly.
Plant-based eaters should take a special liking to Greek yogurt. Yogurt parfaits are a smart go-to breakfast option for foodies who might want to skip a sausage platter. But, according to Harvard, a crucial part of vegetarian diets that are sustainable long-term is maintaining proper nutrition, which includes adequate protein intake. To maintain a healthy diet, the FDA recommends consuming 50 grams of protein a day. One three-quarters cup serving of Stonyfield Organic Greek Yogurt packs 16 grams of protein — roughly a third of the total amount you need in a day. By contrast, one two-thirds cup serving of Yoplait regular vanilla yogurt contains just 5 grams.