As one of the fastest-growing foods on the market. countless brands and varieties of Greek yogurt are rapidly lining grocery stores shelves. In fact, retail dollar sales of Greek yogurt in the U.S market increased more then 50 percent in 2012 to reach $1.6 billion. according to a report released by packaged facts.
What differentiates Greek yogurt from traditional yogurt is that Greek yogurt has been strained to remove the whey. As a result, Greek yogurt has a creamier, thicker texture and rich flavor. In addition, the removal of whey results in a healthier yogurt with 40 percent less sugar. 38 percent less sodium and more than twice the amount of protein than traditional yogurt. Each spoonful is also packed with nutrients and provides numerous health benefits.
Digestive Health:
One of the most touted health benefits of Greek yogurt is the probiotics it contains. Theses healthy bacteria help promote a healthy gut. Your digestive tract naturally contains lots of different types of bacteria some good, helping you digest food, and some potentially harmful. Eating Greek yogurt with probiotics helps increase the good bacteria in your gut. And the more good bacteria you take in, the less room there is for the bad varieties to grow. Maintaining this healthy balance of friendly bacteria can help with several digestive issues. For example, it may help keep you regular and fight the bad bacteria that can cause diarrhea. Probiotics may also be helpful for those who suffer from irritable bowel syndrome and intestinal diseases such as Crohn's and ulcerative colitis.
