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A Fact Worth Knowing
Greek yogurt is good for many things, because of its texture and taste it can be used for cooking or baking, or even as a dip. It is even easier on the stomach to digest since it has less lactose and less carbs. From topping chicken to eatting it straight out of the container, Greek yogurt, is simply one of the best things in dairy product history.

A Quote Worth Reading
"Let food be thy medicine, thy medicine shall be thy food."
~ Hippocrates

A Tip Worth Trying
If you're trying to cut calories try using nonfat plain Greek yogurt in place of mayo, sour cream, buttermilk, whipped cream, or even whole milk, depending on the recipe.


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Greek Yogurt Smoothie

Ice Cream vs. Greek Yogurt In a Smoothie

Author: Melissa Lahti

October 7, 2012

In a smoothie, what's better Greek Yogurt or Ice cream? I have a new love and it’s Greek Yogurt. I had heard so many good things about it and finally got the gumption to try it out. There were a couple different kinds including plain, vanilla, honey, and honey with strawberry. I bought the honey flavored since I planned on using it in a smoothie. I normally use Vanilla Ice Cream in my smoothies but that adds so many extra calories, I wanted to try the yogurt instead. When I compared the calories between the two, the Blue Bell Vanilla Ice Cream I use is 160 per ½ cup while The Greek yogurt is 160 per 4oz. This proves to be exactly the same since there are 8oz in a cup.  Comparing the fat content, the ice cream has 70 calories from fat while the yogurt has 90 calories from fat.  Knowing this, what is the benefit of switching from ice cream to yogurt in my smoothie?

The first thing I noticed was that I needed at least half the amount of yogurt in the smoothie. I used about 1 ½ tablespoon while I used at least 2 or 3 scoops of the ice cream. 1 ½ tablespoon is equal to 0.75oz which is (at 40 calories/oz.) only 30 calories. The average ice cream scoop holds about 2.5oz therefore, would contain about 80 calories. If I add 2 scoops of ice cream to my smoothie, I am adding 160 calories. Using the Greek yogurt has cut my calories by 120.

Next, I compare the ingredients of the two products. Most people never really look at the ingredients as long as something tastes good. I know I rarely do. The Greek Yogurt contains: Pasteurized Grade A Milk, Cream, Pure Cane Sugar, Honey, Pectin and Active Cultures (S. Thermophilus, L. Bulgaricus, L. Acidophilus, Bifidobacterium, L. Casei). This pretty much stays within the 5 ingredient rule. (Don’t eat anything that contains more than 5 ingredients.) It also mostly stays within the “don’t eat anything you can’t pronounce” rule. Especially since the only words I cannot pronounce, I know are the good essential bacteria my body must have. The container also states: “from cows not supplemented (or treated) with rbST/rbGH”. Judging by the ingredients, I would classify this as “good for me food”. 

Blue Bell Homemade Vanilla Flavored Ice Cream contains: Milk, Cream, sugar, skim milk, high fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, natural and artificial vanilla flavor, cellulose gum, vegetable gums (guar, carrageenan, carob bean), salt, annatto color. The first four ingredients are fine but then there are a whole slew of others.

Although this may be one of the better ice creams out there, I will most likely switch to Greek yogurt as it is by far the healthier way to go. Not only by saving 120 calories but by having more natural and real ingredients.  We tend to go more for the “bad” stuff because it tastes better, but this is one thing that tastes good and is good for you. Packed with protein and calcium this yogurt is low in carbs and sodium. I do want to caution though, as with any dairy product, you want to keep consumption to a moderate amount as it is loaded with saturated fat which increases the bad LDL Cholesterol and increases the risk for heart disease. Next time I buy it I am planning on trying the low or no fat version.