Benefits of Greek Yogurt: What the Evidence Says
What Greek yogurt is, and why people eat it
Greek yogurt is regular yogurt that has been strained to remove much of its liquid whey. That makes it thicker, higher in protein and lower in sugar per spoonful than unstrained yogurt. The main benefits of Greek yogurt come from that concentrated protein, its live cultures and its dairy nutrients, though the evidence for each benefit varies a lot.
If you want the basics of how it is made, start with what Greek yogurt is. This guide sticks to what the research and government nutrient data show, and where the claims get ahead of the evidence. It is general information, not medical advice.
Greek yogurt vs regular yogurt: the numbers
The table below uses USDA FoodData Central values for plain, unsweetened yogurt, scaled to 170 g (about 6 ounces, a common cup size). Brands differ, so check the Nutrition Facts panel on the one you buy.
| Per 170 g (about 6 oz) | Greek, nonfat | Regular, nonfat | Greek, whole milk | Regular, whole milk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Calories | 100 | 95 | 165 | 104 |
| Protein | 17 g | 10 g | 15 g | 6 g |
| Calcium | 187 mg | 338 mg | 170 mg | 206 mg |
| Total sugars | 5.5 g | 13.1 g | 6.8 g | 7.9 g |
| Sodium | 61 mg | 131 mg | 60 mg | 78 mg |
Sources: USDA FoodData Central entries for Greek nonfat, plain skim milk yogurt, Greek whole milk and plain whole milk yogurt.
The pattern is clear. Straining roughly doubles or triples the protein and cuts the sugar and sodium, but it also lowers the calcium. That is because the drained liquid, called acid whey, still carries lactose, minerals and some protein, as Cornell University’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences describes. For more on protein per serving, see our guide to Greek yogurt protein.
The evidence, benefit by benefit
| Benefit | Evidence strength | Source |
|---|---|---|
| More protein, less sugar than regular yogurt | Strong (measured nutrient data) | USDA FoodData Central |
| Feeling fuller after a snack | Limited: small, short trials in healthy women | Douglas 2013, Ortinau 2014 |
| Contains live cultures | Strong when labeled; health effects depend on the strain | 21 CFR 131.200 |
| Easier lactose digestion than milk | Moderate: decades of studies on yogurt in general | Savaiano 2014 |
| Bone health | Indirect: supplies calcium and protein; fracture data weak | NIH ODS, Rizzoli 2014 |
| Lower type 2 diabetes risk | Limited, by FDA’s own wording; observational studies | FDA, Chen 2014 |
Protein and fullness
The best-known trial comes from one University of Missouri group. In a 2013 randomized crossover study, 15 healthy young women ate 160-calorie afternoon yogurt snacks with 5, 14 or 24 g of protein. The 24 g Greek yogurt snack led to less hunger, more fullness and a later request for dinner than the lower-protein versions.
A 2014 follow-up in 20 healthy women found that a high-protein yogurt snack reduced afternoon hunger more than chocolate and led to about 100 fewer calories eaten at dinner compared with chocolate. These were short lab studies in women only, run by the same team, so they show a plausible effect rather than proof of easier weight control.
Live cultures
All yogurt is made by fermenting milk with Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus, under the federal yogurt standard (21 CFR 131.200). A label may say “contains live and active cultures” only if the yogurt has at least 107 colony-forming units per gram at manufacture. Yogurt heat-treated after culturing must say “does not contain live and active cultures.”
Straining does not strip the cultures out. In a 2020 conference abstract from Utah State University, three national Greek yogurt brands had higher counts of both live and dead bacteria than five regular yogurts, which the authors put down to the more concentrated product. It is a short conference abstract, not a full peer-reviewed paper, so treat it as a supporting data point. To learn which types carry added strains, see Greek yogurt with probiotics.
Lactose tolerance
A 2014 review in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition concluded that lactose in yogurt is digested more efficiently than lactose in milk, because the yogurt bacteria supply their own lactase enzyme. The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) suggests people with lactose intolerance try yogurt and hard cheeses, which are lower in lactose than other milk products. Greek yogurt’s lower sugar content per serving, shown in the table above, may help further.
Bone health
Your body needs calcium for bones, and adults 19 to 50 need 1,000 mg a day, according to the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. A 6-ounce cup of nonfat Greek yogurt supplies about 187 mg, less than regular yogurt. A 2014 review linked dairy intake with better bone mineral content but found only a weak trend for yogurt and hip fracture. Greek yogurt can help you reach your calcium target, but no trial shows it prevents fractures.
Type 2 diabetes
In March 2024, the FDA announced it would not object to a qualified health claim, after a petition submitted on behalf of Danone North America. The allowed wording is: “Eating yogurt regularly, at least 2 cups (3 servings) per week, may reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes. FDA has concluded that there is limited information supporting this claim.” A second version ends “according to limited scientific evidence.” A qualified claim does not meet the “significant scientific agreement” standard of an authorized health claim.
Much of the evidence is observational. A 2014 analysis of three U.S. cohorts with about 194,000 adults linked one serving of yogurt a day with a 17% lower risk of type 2 diabetes, and a pooled meta-analysis of 14 cohorts found a similar link. Studies like these cannot prove yogurt causes the difference, and they covered yogurt in general, not Greek yogurt specifically.
Downsides to keep in mind
- Added sugar in flavored cups: USDA lists fruit-flavored whole milk Greek yogurt at about 20 g of total sugars per 170 g, roughly three times the plain version. The FDA sets the Daily Value for added sugars at 50 g.
- Less calcium: Per serving, plain Greek yogurt has less calcium than unstrained yogurt, as the table shows.
- Acid whey: Straining leaves large volumes of acid whey. Regulations bar processors from dumping it into the environment, per Cornell CALS, and a USDA-funded Cornell project noted one large New York plant shipped 39 tanker trucks of it a day to farms.
If you have diabetes, kidney disease or a milk allergy, ask your doctor or a registered dietitian how yogurt fits your diet.
How to choose and use Greek yogurt
- Start with plain: Add fruit or a little honey yourself so you control the sugar.
- Look for “live and active cultures”: It confirms the yogurt was not heat-treated after fermenting.
- Pick the fat level you like: Nonfat has the most protein per calorie; whole milk is richer and has more calories.
- Read the sodium and sugar lines: They vary more between brands than protein does.
For a broader verdict on everyday eating, see is Greek yogurt good for you.
Straining your own Greek yogurt at home
You can make Greek-style yogurt from any plain yogurt with live cultures. University of Illinois Extension advises lining a strainer with cheesecloth, setting it over a bowl, covering it and draining it in the refrigerator for 2 to 4 hours for Greek-style yogurt. The liquid that collects is whey.
- Drain longer if you want it thicker.
- Keep the yogurt cold the whole time, at 40°F or lower.
- Use the whey in smoothies or baking, or discard it.
Our homemade Greek yogurt guide covers the full process from milk to finished yogurt.
Related topics
- Is Greek Yogurt Good for You? What the Evidence Says: the overall verdict for daily eating.
- Greek Yogurt Protein: protein by brand style and fat level.
- What is Greek Yogurt? A Clear Answer: how it differs from regular yogurt.
- Homemade Greek Yogurt: make and strain your own.
- Does All Yogurt Have Probiotics?: what the culture labels mean.
Sources
- Yogurt, Greek, plain, nonfat (USDA FoodData Central)
- Yogurt, plain, skim milk (USDA FoodData Central)
- Yogurt, Greek, plain, whole milk (USDA FoodData Central)
- Yogurt, plain, whole milk (USDA FoodData Central)
- Yogurt, Greek, fruit, whole milk (USDA FoodData Central)
- Douglas SM, et al. Low, moderate, or high protein yogurt snacks on appetite control and subsequent eating in healthy women (Appetite, 2013)
- Ortinau LC, et al. Effects of high-protein vs. high-fat snacks on appetite control, satiety, and eating initiation in healthy women (Nutrition Journal, 2014)
- 21 CFR 131.200 Yogurt (eCFR, U.S. Government Publishing Office)
- Mjaaseth U, et al. Live and dead bacteria counts of different yogurts before and after expiration (Current Developments in Nutrition, 2020)
- Savaiano DA. Lactose digestion from yogurt: mechanism and relevance (American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2014)
- Eating, Diet, & Nutrition for Lactose Intolerance (NIDDK)
- Calcium: Fact Sheet for Consumers (NIH Office of Dietary Supplements)
- Rizzoli R. Dairy products, yogurts, and bone health (American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2014)
- FDA Announces Qualified Health Claim for Yogurt and Reduced Risk of Type 2 Diabetes (U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 2024)
- Chen M, et al. Dairy consumption and risk of type 2 diabetes: 3 cohorts of US adults and an updated meta-analysis (BMC Medicine, 2014)
- Added Sugars on the Nutrition Facts Label (U.S. Food and Drug Administration)
- Fears of yogurt-induced environmental catastrophe are whey overblown (Cornell University CALS, 2013)
- Converting NYS Greek yogurt waste into a valuable platform chemical (USDA NIFA project record)
- Making Yogurt at Home (University of Illinois Extension, 2024)
