Plain Greek yogurt

Plain Greek yogurt stands out for its thick, creamy texture. Mind the numbers, though: the traditional Greek-style version is fattier (8.4 g of fat per 100 g, 106 kcal) and moderately proteined (3.8 g) — closer to a creamy yogurt than to a protein concentrate like skyr.

Its fat and casein make it very filling: a good base for breakfast or an indulgent snack, to fit in according to your calorie goal.

Its texture makes it a perfect base for a protein bowl: add oats, fruit, peanut butter, and optionally a scoop of whey to raise the protein content. When bulking, its calories are an asset; when cutting, dose the portion because of the fat.

Always choose the plain version to avoid the added sugars of flavoured pots.

If your goal is to maximise protein at reduced calories (typically when cutting), skyr and fat-free fromage blanc are more effective: more protein, less fat. Greek yogurt, on the other hand, plays the creaminess and satiety card, a bit more calorie-dense.

Common label trap: true Greek yogurt is strained (the whey is removed), which concentrates protein — often 8-9 g per 100 g. 'Greek-style', on the other hand, refers to a yogurt with added cream: fattier, more caloric and lower in protein.

For training, read the nutrition table rather than the name: aim for maximum protein and minimum sugar. If you mainly want lean protein, skyr or fat-free fromage blanc still lead.

Nobody eats exactly 100 g. A small 125 g pot provides about 133 kcal, 4.8 g of protein, 5 g of carbs and 10.5 g of fat. A 150 g pot climbs to about 159 kcal, 5.7 g of protein and 12.6 g of fat; a large 200 g bowl reaches roughly 212 kcal, 7.6 g of protein and 16.8 g of fat.

The key point: in this version, fat outweighs protein. If you track your macros, weigh your portion instead of eyeballing it, because one generous spoonful can easily double the planned calories.

When bulking, Greek yogurt is a quiet ally: its calorie density and creaminess let you add calories without excessive volume. A 200 g bowl with oats, a banana and a spoonful of peanut butter easily becomes a 500 kcal-plus snack, handy when appetite is low.

When cutting, don't exclude it, frame it: a 100 to 125 g portion, served with berries or an apple, gives pleasure and satiety for around 106 to 133 kcal. If you want more protein for the same calorie budget, blend it half and half with fat-free fromage blanc: you keep the creamy texture while raising protein and lowering fat.

Breakfast: Greek yogurt, raw oats, sliced banana and a pinch of cinnamon. Post-workout snack: Greek yogurt, a scoop of whey stirred in with a spoon and some fruit. Evening dessert: Greek yogurt with grated dark chocolate or a few crushed walnuts.

Think savoury too: mixed with cucumber, garlic and mint, it makes a fresh tzatziki to serve with grilled chicken. You can also use it as a bowl sauce in place of cream or mayonnaise, saving calories while keeping the smoothness.

Its mild acidity tenderises meat: a marinade of yogurt, lemon, spices and garlic for a few hours makes chicken or turkey more tender. For a hot dish, add it at the end of cooking, off the heat, to keep it from splitting, because strong heat curdles the proteins.

In home baking, it partly replaces butter or cream in muffins and pancakes: the crumb stays soft, with a little more protein and a little less fat.

Before a session, favour easier-to-digest carbs: a pot of fatty, very filling Greek yogurt can sit heavily if you train within the hour. It fits better at breakfast, as a mid-afternoon snack or in the evening, when the slow digestion of casein is an advantage.

To reach your protein targets, don't count on it alone: pair it with eggs, chicken, fish or skyr, and let it play the role it does best, a creamy, filling comfort food that helps you stick to a meal plan over time.

First mistake: picking a 'fruit' or 'vanilla' pot thinking it is a healthy choice. Sweetened versions add sugars that have no place in a product meant to be plain. Second mistake: believing 'Greek' means high in protein, when the pot on this page shows 3.8 g per 100 g.

Third mistake: forgetting to count the extras. Granola, honey, peanut butter and nuts are excellent, but a few spoonfuls are enough to double the calories of the bowl. Last mistake: counting only protein. Here fat is the dominant macro, so measure it like the others.

In the shop, read the ingredient list: ideally milk and cultures, nothing else. Check the nutrition table and compare pots by protein content. Once opened, keep the pot closed and cold and eat it within two or three days; do not dip a used spoon into it.

On precautions: people allergic to milk proteins should avoid it. Lactose-intolerant people sometimes tolerate yogurt better than milk thanks to the cultures, but everyone reacts differently: test small amounts. Finally, with 8.4 g of fat per 100 g, keep the portion reasonable if you watch saturated fat.