Tasty Treats: Is Greek Yogurt Harming the Environment?

Greek Yogurt, by the spoonful.

Greek yogurt also called yogurt cheese, strained yogurt and labneh. No matter what you call it, America loves Greek yogurt, it is a $2 billion dollar a year industry. Eating and eating, considering the health benefits it is nothing to blame them for.

What is Greek Yogurt anyway? How does it differ from Regular Yogurt?

Greek yogurt is made from real yogurt; it is however higher in protein and thicker, having had some of the liquid strained. Greek yogurt is strained in a cloth, paper bag or filter to remove the whey, giving it the consistency of thick yogurt or cheese, but preserving the sour taste yogurt connoisseurs’ love. American consumers also love the rich flavor of Greek yogurt which is also creamier and sourer than regular yogurt. Regular yogurt is fermented milk produced by bacterial fermentation, which produced lactic acid. Lactic Acid acts on milk protein and produces the creamy yogurt texture and sour flavor.

Like many yogurts Greek yogurt is made with milk that has been enriched by boiling off some of the water and adding extra butterfat and powdered milk. The milk for the yogurt is heated to 80 °C (176 °F) to kill off bad bacteria and to prevent milk curding.

Surprisingly though strained yogurt is more lactose-free and lower in sugar and carbohydrates. Popular Greek yogurt however is not that of traditional yogurt from Greece, which is not typically strained and made with domestic milk, most likely goat’s milk.

Versatility and healthy benefits.

Yogurt itself is healthy and nutritionally rich in protein, calcium, riboflavin, vitamins B6 and B12. Those who are normally lactose intolerant can sometimes digest yogurt without side effect, because the lactose in the milk has been convert...

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...ing Greek yogurt helped me understand Chemistry better?

I learned the process of creating yogurt and how that acid whey is harmful to the environment, but is being researched on how it can better be disposed of to meet the demand of the consumer diet. I also learned that there are many more benefits than just calcium and “good bacteria” to yogurt, like using it outside your body. I thought yogurt was just able to be eaten. I also learned minerals and vitamins that are included in the yogurt, that I was not aware of, as I never took the time to really pay attention to the yogurt cup ingredients before. I am vegan and I do not eat yogurt anymore, however, learning there are soy options and other non-milk options, I will look for them and be ready to try them, as long as they are not harming the environment. There are a lot of impacts to the environment in everything.