Greek yogurt—yogurt that has been strained to remove excess liquid whey is known for being a creamier and thicker product in the realm of probiotic snacks. As a result, Greek yogurt has grown in popularity in recent years. However, because it is often prohibitively expensive or difficult to obtain (mainly through independent purveyors or specialty food shops that we cannot always visit), commercialized businesses have leaped at the chance to peddle a similar version.
Many of them sell Greek yogurt per se, but Greek-style yogurt with added thickeners and stabilizers, milk powders, preservatives, or other additives. Marketed similarly to the genuine article and potentially labeled as “Greek yogurt” in some countries (e.g., the United States) due to the absence of regulations governing the use of the term outside the United Kingdom, it’s a deceptive way to capitalize on natural Greek yogurt’s popularity—but its accessibility and lower price give it an advantage.
Nestle yogurt and Pascual yogurt are two well-known brands of regular yogurt in Southeast Asia – but are they ‘Greek’ or not?
Is Pascual Yogurt Real Yogurt?
Yes, Pascual yogurt is natural yogurt, but it does not contain live bacteria.
Creamy Delight Pasteurized Yogurt further differs from other yogurts in that other yogurts utilize powdered milk, whereas Creamy Delight Pasteurized Yogurt uses fresh milk. Additionally, it contains actual fruit pieces. Therefore, the ideal way to serve Creamy Delight Pasteurized Yogurt is chilled (for better flavor). However, because of the unique pasteurization technique, it can be stored at room temperature without rotting.
Creamy Delight Pasteurized Yogurt is sold in supermarkets and convenience stores around the Philippines. Since it is pasteurized and does not require refrigeration, it is readily available in many stores.
Grupo Leche Pascual has built a solid name as a manufacturer of quality dairy products worldwide. As a result, Creamy Delight Pasteurized Yogurt is created entirely from Spanish liquid milk. To ensure freshness, milk is bagged within 12 hours of milking.
Pasteurized Creamy Delight Yogurt is ideal for the entire family. Pregnant women and children who can eat solid food can also consume our yogurt without experiencing significant health consequences.
Is Nestle Yogurt Real Yogurt?
Yes, Nestle yogurt is natural yogurt, but it is not Greek yogurt.
Nestlé’s version has a comparable thickness and pudding-like quality to other yogurt brands like Elle & Vire, but this yogurt lacks the silkiness. Instead, the flavor and texture conclude with a slightly stronger tannic finish. This plain yogurt is part of their “Greek flavored” range, and while it is sweeter than we prefer, it is still quite balanced for commercialized yogurt (many of which tend to be saccharine). While the flavor is not as robust as authentic Greek yogurt, it still contains a healthy dairy dose, with hints of caramelized milk.
What Brand of Yogurt Is the Best?
It’s challenging to recommend the best yogurt based on the brand alone. What you should observe are the traits of the yogurt. First, the yogurt has to be low in sugar. There are low-fat varieties out there, but if you are after something that won’t hurt your cardiovascular health and your diabetes, then you need yogurt that has the lowest possible added sugar. Second, it would be best to consume something that has live strains of probiotic bacteria, as good bacteria is an excellent addition to your gastrointestinal health.
Yogurt is frequently touted as a nutritious food. However, adding sugar and flavorings can alter the health-promoting qualities of many yogurts. This is one of the reasons that navigating the yogurt section at the grocery store can be perplexing.
When determining what food to purchase, it is critical to begin by reading the label. Reading the label is crucial in deciding what is actually in your meal.
If you know what to look for, the label of each yogurt can reveal a lot about it.
While all yogurts begin as plain yogurt, by the time they reach the refrigerated department of the supermarket, they may have a variety of additives such as sugar, artificial flavors, colors, stabilizers, and preservatives.
When feasible, select a yogurt with a limited number of components. They should include milk and the bacterial cultures needed to convert milk to yogurt. If you consume nondairy yogurt, the same principle applies – keep the ingredient list as short as possible.
Because ingredients are presented in weight order, avoid yogurts that list sugar at the top. Likewise, better to prevent all yogurts that include any form of added sugar.
Is Pascual Yogurt Greek Yogurt?
No, Pascual yogurt is considered regular, pasteurized yogurt, not Greek yogurt.
In recent years, a variety of yogurt known as Greek yogurt has gained popularity among health enthusiasts. Both Greek and regular yogurt are packed with nutrients and provide a variety of health advantages, but you may be wondering what makes them different.
Regular and Greek yogurt, sour cream, buttermilk, and kefir, are all cultured (or fermented) dairy products.
Fermented dairy products are created by converting lactose — the naturally occurring sugar in milk — to lactic acid using certain bacteria referred to as starter cultures.
Indeed, both ordinary and Greek yogurts are manufactured with the same primary ingredients: fresh milk and starting cultures of Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactobacillus bulgaricus.
Nonetheless, their flavor and nutritional content vary based on the manufacturing process. For example, regular yogurt is created by heating milk, adding bacteria, and fermenting it until it achieves an acidic pH of approximately 4.5. After it has cooled, additional ingredients like fruit may be added.
The finished product is smooth but may vary in thickness. The majority of yogurts are either drinkable or spoonable. Plain yogurt may have a faint sour taste due to its acidic nature. Nevertheless, it is typically sweeter than Greek yogurt.
Greek yogurt, also known as concentrated or strained yogurt, is created by straining regular yogurt to remove the whey and other liquids.
Due to the straining procedure, Greek yogurt requires much more milk than regular yogurt to make a batch of the same size.
Traditionally, yogurt is strained up to three times in cloth bags until the proper texture is achieved. Centrifuges are used in modern manufacturing to produce the same effect.
Certain manufacturers may add thickening agents or other dry ingredients to the final product called fortified or Greek-style yogurt.
Greek yogurt is significantly thicker and tangier than conventional yogurt due to removing most of the liquid. Additionally, it is often more expensive due to the increased milk consumption.
The main and second pictures are from Open Food Facts and may bird.
