Yogurt, Greek Style & Soya
Introduction
Yoghurt is a cultured dairy or plant-based food produced by fermenting milk (animal—typically cow, sheep or goat—for traditional and Greek-style yoghurt) or plant liquids (soya for soya yoghurt) with live bacterial cultures; it is eaten raw and does not require cooking. Greek-style yoghurt is made by straining ordinary yoghurt to remove whey, yielding a thick, creamy, ivory to pale white product owing to concentrated milk proteins and fat; soya yoghurt tends to be off-white to slightly beige depending on the soya base and any added stabilisers or fortifying agents.
Macros differ markedly: Greek-style is higher in protein and often higher in saturated fat (unless made from skimmed milk), with low to moderate carbohydrates. Soya yoghurt usually offers lower saturated fat, similar or slightly lower protein, and comparable carbohydrates depending on sweetening.
Key micronutrients in Greek-style yoghurt include calcium, phosphorus, B12 and riboflavin, plus vitamin D when fortified; it also supplies live probiotic bacteria that can support gut health. Soya yoghurt provides some B vitamins, iron, and (when fortified) calcium and vitamin B12 and vitamin D, and contains isoflavones—plant compounds with oestrogen-like activity—absent from dairy yoghurt. Both types can be chosen to suit dietary needs (lactose-free, lower-fat, higher-protein, fortified options) and are commonly used plain, with fruit or in cooking and dressings.
Nutrition Snapshot per 100g
Kcal nn kcal
Protein nn g | nn %
Fat nn g | nn %
Carbohydrates nn g | nn %
Percentages reflect this food’s Balance*
Fibre nn g
Total Sugars nn g
Saturated Fat nn g
Salt nn mg
Nutritional values are per 100g and sourced from UK CoFID data.
Carbohydrates value includes Fibre (AOAC method).
Carbohydrates value includes Total Sugars including naturally occurring sugars such as glucose, fructose, lactose or sucrose.
Balance*
The Balance value expresses how protein, carbohydrate and fat contribute to a food’s total energy.
Using CoFID data per 100g, each macronutrient is converted into energy using the standard Atwater convention (protein × 4 kcal, carbohydrate × 4 kcal, fat × 9 kcal). The energy from each macronutrient is then calculated as a percentage of the total macro energy.
This provides a simple way to see whether a food is predominantly carbohydrate-based, protein-based or fat-based.
It does not determine whether a food is “good” or “bad”, but helps visualise its macronutrient profile within a broader eating pattern.
When assessing a full meal or daily intake, portion sizes should be taken into account.
Why this matters
Understanding the structure of individual foods can help you make more confident decisions when adjusting to a health diagnosis or long-term condition.
If you are organising meals, tracking intake or reflecting on patterns, you may find the Aardelia digital journals helpful.