Greek yogurt by the numbers

[Fat Guy]

Fage TOTAL 0% Plain Greek Yogurt has 120 calories per 8 ounces.

Stonyfield Farm 0% Fat Plain Yogurt has 110 calories per 8 ounces.

Similar numbers track for most any plain nonfat Greek-style yogurt and most any plain nonfat regular yogurt.

How is it possible that there is only a 10-calorie difference between these products? I thought Greek yogurt was just regular yogurt minus a lot of the water. It seems twice as thick, so shouldn't its calorie count be around twice as high? (Or if it's 1.5x as thick it should have 1.5x a many calories, etc.) What am I missing?

[natasha1270]

The really big difference is in the full-fat versions. Probably around 300 cal for Fage & 160-170 or so for regular.

[Mjx]

This made me curious, so, although I don't have access to either product where I am, the websites for Fage and Stonyfield Farms (which mystifyingly list 6oz, rather than 8oz servings) give the following breakdowns of macronutrients:

Fage (90 kcal. per 6 oz/170g): 15g protein, 7g carbs, 0g fat (contains only milk)

S.F. (80 kcal. per 6 oz/170g): 8g protein, 11g carbs, 0g fat (contains pectin, as well as nonfat milk).

If I remember correctly, both protein and carbohydrates have 4 kcal/gram (actualy giving them, respectively, 88 and 76 kcal/6 oz/170g); the difference seems to be due to the concentration of solids.

My guess is that the consistency of Greek yogurt is due to milk solid concentration and less water, while other yogurts contain pectin, which can hold more water in suspension without making the product liquidy.

Edited March 7, 2011 by Mjx (log)

[Katie Meadow]

Fage plain 7oz (what they consider single serving) low fat (2%) is 130 calories. I just checked the only one I have in the fridge. Not many more calories than the 8oz 0% that Steven mentions above. I'm surprised there's so little different between the low and the nonfat.

It strikes me as weird that your containers are 8 oz and mine is 7oz. I only ever buy the 2% any more, so that's all I know.

[Alex]

Fage TOTAL 0% Plain Greek Yogurt has 120 calories per 8 ounces.

Stonyfield Farm 0% Fat Plain Yogurt has 110 calories per 8 ounces.

Similar numbers track for most any plain nonfat Greek-style yogurt and most any plain nonfat regular yogurt.

How is it possible that there is only a 10-calorie difference between these products? I thought Greek yogurt was just regular yogurt minus a lot of the water. It seems twice as thick, so shouldn't its calorie count be around twice as high? (Or if it's 1.5x as thick it should have 1.5x a many calories, etc.) What am I missing?

It's not minus the water, it's minus the whey, which also contains lactose and protein. I also don't think there's a 1:1 relationship between thickness and calories (and in any event, how do you judge X times as thick?).