Greek Yogurt

I am currently fighting off a sore throat and head ache, which is not how I wanted to spend my vacation. Especially when I was determined to do extra cardio before the reality of work comes back next week. Yesterday I went with my sister to try on brides maid dresses! It was a lot of fun and we successfully narrowed it down to about 5 dresses...haha.  On the 17th I am taking the rest of my brides maids to officially pick out a dress! The rest of my day will be consumed with resting and writing my final paper for my nutrition class...fun. 

Anyways, here is some useful information about greek yogurt. 

-Greek yogurt is packed with protein. A typical serving has 15-20 grams of protein which is double that in regular yogurt.
-There are less Carbs in greek yogurt
-It has a lower sodium content
-Packed with calcium

To view a full article on greek yogurt click here

Ways that I use greek yogurt:

-If you buy the plain non-fat kind it can have many uses. Without any sweeteners it tastes just like sour cream so I like to add it to chili, tacos, etc. It adds extra protein and less fat to a meal that calls for sour cream. You can also make it into a great veggie dip.

-I like to buy the unsweetened kind and add any of the following:

• stevia
• strawberries
• blueberries
• dark chocolate roasted almonds
• sugar free preserves

-I like to add vanilla creme liquid stevia and stir the yogurt up really good and use it as a dip for apples. It is delicious! 

Occasionally the kind with the fruit already added is ok but it just adds extra sugar. If I buy that kind I like to get the Chobani brand because it is all natural and has whole fruit in it so at least the sugar is from real fruit and not syrups. 

When you open the top of the greek yogurt container you might find liquid at the top. I'm not going to lie, I sometimes pour it out but today I found a helpful article on Christy Allen Fitness  facebook page. It explained that the liquid on top is whey protein and throwing it out wastes all the benefits found in the liquid. So mix it in or save the liquid for other recipes!

"According to the Dairy Council of California, or DCC, whey protein can help to maintain muscle mass while decreasing fat mass. Protein also helps to balance blood sugar, which in turn helps people resist unhealthy, sugary foods, notes DCC. Additionally, a study sponsored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture found that whey proteins may be an effective tool for preventing breast cancer."

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/292137-yogurt-whey-nutrition/#ixzz1fxnMRhpl

Greek yogurt usually appears in one of my 6 meals everyday! I hope this helps : )