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The Ultimate Guide to Yogurt, from Greek to Goat to Quark
Rachel Tepper PaleyEditor
Updated
The “Regular” Stuff
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The yogurt most Americans consider standard is made like this: Milk is heated, cooled to a temperature that allows fermentation (106 to 114 F), and swirled with lactic acid–producing bacteria. Nonfat and low-fat varieties are made this way, too, except that their recipes start with nonfat or skim milk, as opposed to whole. Many of the types you spy on supermarket shelves are sweetened with sugar or fruit.
Yoplait
Greek Yogurt
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This stuff has become massively popular in recent years. It’s very similar to regular yogurt, except that the Greek variety is strained to remove most of its liquid whey, lactose, and sugar. This lends it a thicker texture, more protein, fewer carbs, and far less sodium than the “regular” stuff. On the other hand, because it’s denser, Greek yogurt is much higher in saturated fat than its traditional counterpart. It’s also noteworthy for its tangy flavor.
Flickr
Goat- and Sheep’s-Milk Yogurt
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These versions are made the same way as the “regular” stuff, but start with goat and sheep’s milk instead of cow milk. (You can even find Greek renditions of it.) They both have a grassier, tarter taste than traditional yogurts, with sheep’s-milk yogurt in particular being a step above Greek yogurt on the tanginess scale.
Flickr
Almond-Milk Yogurt
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Vegans and dairy-free folk can opt for yogurt made with fermented almond milk. It’s sold by brands like So Delicious Dairy Free and Almond Dream, but you can also make your own at home. Just remember: They often need thickeners like pectin to get the right yogurt-y consistency.
SO Delicious
Coconut-Milk Yogurt
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Like almond-milk yogurt, coconut-milk yogurt is a good dairy-free alternative for vegans. Delicious Dairy Free calls it “cultured coconut milk” and sells several varieties, which all have a thick, creamy texture similar to traditional yogurts. You can also make your own . One thing to note, though: According to a recent Blogger of the Week, Michelle Tam of Nom Nom Paleo, it lacks the protein punch of other yogurts.
Flickr
Soy Yogurt
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You guessed it: Soy yogurt is another vegan yogurt alternative, made with fermented soymilk. Stonyfield and Silk sell varieties (the latter calls it “cultured soymilk”), but again, you can also take the DIY route.
Stonyfield
Swiss-Style Yogurt
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This variety has a thinner consistency than Greek or regular yogurt, and is made by stirring fermented milk, which gives it a creamy, smooth consistency. Many mass-produced Swiss-style yogurts, which began appearing on shelves in the 1960s, have an evenly distributed fruit flavoring, pastel coloring, and tend to be filled with preservatives.
Skyr
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Also known as “Icelandic yogurt,” skyr technically isn’t yogurt at all. It’s a strained, skim-milk cheese popular in the Iceland, but eaten in the same manner as American yogurt. It’s got a stick-to-the-spoon texture and a pungent-in-a-good-way flavor. And it’s naturally fat-free because it’s made from skim milk.
Siggi's
Labneh
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Labneh is another dairy product that straddles the line between yogurt and cheese. It’s made by draining water from standard or Greek yogurt, creating a thick, super-tangy cheese, and is often swirled with olive oil and herbs.
Pinar
Asian Yogurt
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Although Asian countries aren’t known for massive dairy consumption, so-called “Asian yogurt” is a relatively new sight in Western supermarkets. One producer, Tarte, claims that it’s based on “a popular style found in Southeast Asia that is commonly sold by street vendors and coffee shops all over Vietnam.” It’s lighter and a touch sweeter than Greek yogurt.
Frozen Yogurt
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Frozen yogurt is, well, yogurt that is frozen. In its most basic form, the stuff is made by whisking yogurt with sugar and a bit of salt, then churning it in an ice cream machine. Pretty simple, right? If only we could say the same about the wide world of yogurt.
Quark (?)
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OK, you got us. Quark isn’t quite yogurt. It isn’t even a yogurt cheese! . But you’ll often spy the fresh cheese in the yogurt section, likely because of its similarity to labneh. Unlike labneh (which is made from milk that’s fermented because of added bacteria), quark is made from spoiled milk. It tastes like a mix of cream cheese, cottage cheese, and sour cream.
Vermont Creamery"Yogurt has gone legitimate,” New York Magazine declared in the late fall of 1976. “In less than 50 years it has found its way from the off-off Balkans to Broadway. And there's a spin-off version—soft frozen yogurt—now playing the nabes."
If only the publication knew how right it was. Not only did frozen yogurt thrive, but even more varieties of the sour, fermented stuff have arrived on the scene in the intervening years. Most recently, Greek yogurt has cornered the market, snagging 44 percent of yogurt sales in 2013 compared to a measly 1 percent in 2007.
These days, there are so many different kinds of yogurt on supermarket shelves that one hardly knows how to distinguish one from the next. Never fear—here’s a handy guide to help you decide which yogurt is right for you.
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