Trader Joe's low fat Greek Yogurt

[lad1818]

I'm a big fan of Trader Joe's Greek Style Plain Yogurt, but I know it's very high fat.

So I was delighted to see a low fat version.

Tastes okay, but I find the texture sort of grainy. Did I just get weird one, or have others found the same?

[MsDiPesto]

I like the TJ full fat Greek Yogurt, I've tried the lower/no fat versions of it and they're kinda chalky and don't have much flavor otherwise.

[Rinshin]

I tried the low fat version and did not like it at all. No creaminess and also found it to be too grainy for my taste. I'll stick with the full fat version.

[kittyfood]

I find that it varies from one batch to another. Sometimes it is a bit grainy and very tart; other times it is smoother and more mellow.

[EclecticEater]

If you can find a low or better yet a non-fat yoghurt that you really like, you can get some of those cones that allow you to let the yoghurt sit and drip all the whey or whatever the yoghurt liquid is, so it becomes thicker and creamier. That's what the Greek Fage yoghurt is. You can also stretch a cheesecloth or equivalent across a strainer and spoon the yoghurt into it, and leave it overnight or for a couple of days in the fridge. The liquid will drain out and you'll have better tasting yoghurt than some commercial variety. Let me know if you try it and how it turns out.

[p.j.]

Paper coffee filters work well for straining yogurt!

[Moise]

I think you got an odd one, I bought a Trader Joes Greek Style 0% yogurt and it is incredible. Smooth and cannot believe the only ingrediant is skim milk

[tenacity]

I concur.... in fact, it is SOOO good that I wonder if there is any possibility of a labeling error regarding the calories, as has already occurred with the infamous "banana chips" incident.

Thoughts?

[pescatarian]

I am always buying low fat this and that and the other day I heard a nutritionist on a local health show say that full fat yogurt is very good for you and the nutritional benefits are better for you than the low fat version - of course might want to have smaller portions - just thought I'd throw that out there.

[Cathy]

And there is a TJ brand cream top yogurt, as well as the cream top organic milk (in San Diego anyhow)

[Jefferson]

> I heard a nutritionist on a local health show say that full fat yogurt
> is very good for you and the nutritional benefits are better for you
> than the low fat version

I can't imagine any good reason for that. Well maybe she/he objects to adding more gums for texture or non-fat dried milk powder (which, if manufactured sloppily, might contain some unhealthy thing, sorry I forget what).

I buy TJ's plain organic nonfat yogurt and add my own fat or have it on the side. Macadamia nuts seem to pair well, and monounsaturated fats generally beat saturated fats for heart health.

[Divamac]

Full fat = less processed = more healthy. Lives in the same camp as raw dairy, I think. I believe that's the line of thinking. It does conflict with the current popular thinking that fat is bad, but I personally believe that thinking is flawed. Then again, I just read The Omnivore's Dilema and Ultrametabolism, so I hyped on a non-processed food kick right now.

[Jefferson]

Well, yes, processing corn into dozens of parts and reassembling them into hundreds of foods and/or chemicals is pretty unnatural. It's a very interesting book.

But on the yogurt, "cream" naturally separates from "milk". The dairy has to apply homogenization to keep them together. I'm not sure that skimming half the cream (reducing from 4% fat to 2% fat) or even all of it makes it appreciably more processed than whole milk.

(Actually, I wonder how it is even possible to have a strict definition of "whole" milk as 4% fat. They must sample and adjust it, no? Hmmm...)

[pescatarian]

I wish I can remember exactly what she said, but she suggested that there was some type of component in full fat organic yogurt that is lost in the non-fat version.
I am always eating non-fat versions of things in my never-ending quest to keep the weight off (and also enjoy my foodie treats) but I do try to stay away from non-fat versions of things that have a lot of fillers added - corn starch and like - I think that stuff is worse for you in the long run and spikes your sugar so that you are more hungry afterwards.

[CulinaryKate]

What region are you in? I haven't noticed these and am at Trader Joe's quite often these days. Maybe I just haven't been looking?

[lad1818]

I'm in Los Angeles.

I have to check next time - I think TJ's might carry a couple of different brands of Greek yogurt. The one I found grainy was low fat (2%), not fat free. The full fat version is much like sour cream. It's the Trader Joe's brand.

A friend told me there is a, fat free Greek yogurt there under a different label that she likes.

The plot thickens. I think I'd better head to TJ's and investigate.

[Pei]

Was she talking about Fage Total? That seems to be everyone's favorite. It's very expensive, even at TJ's. For me, Fage tastes better but not three times better (which is about what it costs) so I get TJ's.

[jen kalb]

I actually prefer the whole milk TJs to the equivalent FAGE.
Its great, creamy stuff. A cup (1/2 of a container) of this is a great, filling lunch with some fruit.

Strangely, I have decided I like the 2% Fage better than the whole milk variety - the latter feels greasy to me.

There is certainly a school of thought nutritionally that the whole milk dairy products are better for you than skim - since they taste better, I am adhering to it.

[CulinaryKate]

Just an FYI, the TJ's brand 2% and skim greek yogurt is a regional thing; we don't have it in the midwest. I guess I'll have to fork over the extra $2/container for FAGE

[jen kalb]

fyi I just sampled the 2% tjs and it is very disappointing in taste and texture. Maybe for dips etc it would be ok - or maybe with jam but on its own its not a pleasant eating experience.
Id go with the whole milk version of this anytime - its delicious

[PseudoNerd]

I thought it tasted more like normal low-fat yogurt than anything "Greek" style; it lacks the tanginess of the Fage.

[charmedgirl]

Huh, just bought the fat free version this weekend for the first time and absolutely loved it. Not grainy at all.

[Pei]

I like the fat free version too. I buy full fat for cooking and making frozen yogurt, and fat free for eating because I find the full fat too thick to eat alone. I don't bother with the 2%. It has more fat with no added benefits.

[gorboduc]

Nope. It's grainy. I find that the lowfat is a bit less so, so I use that instead of the full fat sometimes.