The Greek Gods Yogurt (Plain) Review
Author’s note: I wasn’t paid or compensated in any way for this review, and I have no affiliation with The Greek Gods nor Publix nor Fage nor….
Half the protein, and twice the carbs?
I still remember the first time I tried Greek-style yogurt, almost 20 years ago. I was walking down a hot sidewalk at Art Basel in Miami Beach, and feeling exhausted after staring at art all day (and constantly dodging out of the way of hoards of grumpy rich people). I felt completely drained and numb. Suddenly, there appeared in front of me a small folding table with smiling faces and hands stretching out with “free samples.”
I walked away, spooning a little cup of Fage Greek yogurt into my mouth, and thinking it was the best thing in the entire world. It was the certainly best yogurt I had ever tried. Afterwards, the art looked better, and the rich people seemed less grumpy. I still buy Fage regularly, because this memory is so visceral and precious.
Anyway. I am not reviewing Fage yogurt today. I’m reviewing The Greek Gods yogurt. Because I got it on BOGO sale at Publix, which is almost as good as a free sample. You know.
What makes The Greek Gods yogurt special?
The Greek Gods label specifically describes their yogurt flavor as “All Taste, No Tang.” That’s their trademarked slogan. I’m not gonna lie — I really like tangy yogurt! So, I almost put this back on the shelf and didn’t buy it.
Mercifully, this yogurt still has tang. It may be less tangy than some other yogurts, but there is still a delicate tartness here. If you blind-folded me and handed me a spoon of this yogurt, the first thing I’d say is “tangy.” It’s a good tanginess. It’s appropriately tart. Subtle. But not absent, either. Wikipedia actually describes Greek yogurt as having “the distinctive sour taste of yogurt” — so I’m not crazy to think tartness should be a prerequisite.
Therefore, I do not know where this bit of “No Tang” marketing came from. This is one of those moments where I question my sense of reality, and the reliability of my tastebuds. But, for real, ya’ll. It’s got the tang!
The label describes this yogurt as being “old world style.” As all Greek yogurt should be, the consistency is thick. In fact, Greek yogurt is defined as a strained yogurt, with the whey removed to make it creamier and more concentrated. (It’s also supposed to have more protein and less carbohydrates per serving. More about that later.) This yogurt has added cream, which contributes to the silky, milder taste.
Although not as firm or dense as Fage yogurt, The Greek Gods version has a pleasantly thick-but-smooth texture. In general, the density of Greek yogurt makes it great for recipes where more liquid ingredients need to be added without watering the yogurt down too much. In the case of The Greek Gods yogurt, the solidity is achieved in part by using pectin as a thickener, rather than simply concentrating the proteins in the milk. This changes how it responds in recipes. More about what I made with this yogurt later.
More Probiotic Strains
Another feature that makes The Greek Gods yogurt stand out is the number of probiotic strains. I’ll list them individually later (with the ingredients), but it’s worth noting that there are SEVEN different “live and active” cultures present. This is substantially more than almost all yogurts I’ve recently purchased; I typically only see 3-5 strains.
What did I make with my Greek Gods yogurt?
The Greek Gods had a couple varieties available in large 24-ounce containers, like “Honey Vanilla” and “Plain Nonfat.” I like fat in my yogurt (I like fat everywhere, actually), so I bought the “Traditional Plain” — which is as close to “full fat” as I could find. The “plain” yogurt provided a blank slate to use in many different recipes.
Here’s what I made:
Creamy Lemon-Dill Yogurt Sauce for Fish
I’m a big fan of savory yogurt sauces, rather than sweet yogurt. I used my Greek Gods yogurt to make a creamy lemon-dill sauce for my pan-cooked flounder.
I mixed together about 2/3 cup yogurt with the juice of half a lemon, and then added some chopped fresh dill, one clove pressed garlic, and some salt and pepper.
The sauce mixes together in just a couple minutes, and I don’t heat mine — to preserve the precious probiotics in the yogurt. I just spoon it onto the plate, and by the time the hot fish is placed on top, it’s just the right temperature.
The Greek Gods yogurt worked “fine” for this sauce, but it tasted less rich and less satisfying, because there wasn’t the same concentration of dairy proteins, especially after diluting with the lemon juice. It was “creamy,” however.
(Do you want to hear my thoughts on this frozen flounder from Aldi? You can read my review of it here.)
P.S. This yogurt sauce tastes great on both fish AND zucchini. Try it.
Chicken Tikka Masala Yogurt Marinade
I also used The Greek Gods yogurt to marinate my chicken overnight in savory spices for homemade Chicken Tikka Masala. My go-to recipe is this one from Cafe Delights. The thick yogurt coated the raw chicken nicely, and produced a perfectly crisp, slightly charred coating in the pan the next day.
Fresh Fruit or Maple Syrup with Cinnamon
This yogurt has a smooth, delicate mouthfeel. It’s especially nice served cold, right from the tub. The added cream in the yogurt is more palpable this way. I had some for breakfast with fresh blueberries, and some with maple syrup and cinnamon.
This is why I prefer to buy plain yogurt instead of a specific flavor — the possibilities are endless.
Caesar Salad Dressing
I’ve gradually evolved from buying pre-made Caesar salad dressings … to making my own with homemade mayonnaise and anchovies … to making it with Greek yogurt! In my humble opinion, Greek yogurt makes much better-tasting Caesar salad dressing than mayonnaise. And it’s wicked-easy.
(Someday, when I rule the world, I will abolish mayonnaise, and everyone will make their Caesar salad dressing this way. *evil chuckle*)
I combine about 1/2 cup Greek yogurt with half a juiced lemon, a couple cloves pressed garlic, 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, 1/2 teaspoon mustard, salt and pepper, and as much shaved or grated parmesan as my heart desires. I also like a little sprinkle of smoked paprika in mine. Because, smoked paprika belongs everywhere. Yum.
Using The Greek Gods yogurt in my recipe resulted in a slightly more diluted-tasting dressing — the same issue I ran into with my lemon-dill sauce for the fish. It was still good, just not as amazing as the results I get from other Greek yogurt brands.
Nutrition Facts in The Greek Gods Plain Yogurt
Here are the nutrition facts from the label. A 2/3 cup serving has 140 calories, 9 grams of fat, and 7 grams of protein. There are 9 grams of sugar, of which none are “added sugar.” You also get a friendly amount of Calcium, at 20% your daily value, and a sliver of Potassium at 8%.
Not as much protein
I was surprised to see that this yogurt has about half as much protein (7 grams) as a comparable serving of Fage 5% yogurt (15 grams) — despite having similar calories and fat.
I also compared this to my other go-to brand, Publix Greenwise Organic Greek Yogurt, which has 13 grams of protein per 140 calorie serving.
So, substantially less protein in The Greek Gods version — if that matters to you. This yogurt also has twice the number of carbohydrates at 11 grams, compared to Fage at 5 grams.
Ingredients in Plain Traditional Yogurt from The Greek Gods
Here are the ingredients from the label:
- Cultured Pasteurized Grade A Milk
- Cream
- Pectin
Pectin is an added thickener to enhance the density of the yogurt — similar to a jam or jelly. The other brands of Greek yogurt I buy do not contain added thickeners — just the thickness/concentration of the dairy itself.
Live and Active Cultures
It’s nice to see that there are 7 different strains of “live and active” cultures. This is significantly more than other brands of Greek yogurt. Here are the probiotic varieties, from the label:
- S. Thermophilus
- B. Lactis
- L. Acidophilus
- L. Casei
- L. Rhaminosus
- Lactobacillus Lactis
- L. Bulgaricus
I sometimes wonder why they say “Live AND Active” cultures. Like, could it be “active,” but not “live”? I mean…? That would be spooky. Like, voodoo-doll level spooky.
Well, no one asked me. And I should probably stop thinking about this.
More information from the label:
- From cows not treated with rBST
- Grade A
- Kosher Dairy
- No artificial flavors
This yogurt is manufactured by Hain Celestial. They also manufacture good stuff like Celestial Seasonings Teas and Terra Vegetable Chips.
Price and Shelf-Life for The Greek Gods Yogurt
The regular price for a 24 ounce tub of this yogurt (at Publix) is $4.79. Since there are 4 servings per container, each serving costs $1.20. Per ounce, this is 20 cents.
The “best-by” date on my yogurt allowed me about 3 weeks to consume, unopened. The tub I opened stayed fresh-smelling-and-tasting for about a week in my refrigerator.
Dramatic Conclusion
I liked this yogurt, but it was mildly “tangy,” despite what the label promised. If you already enjoy tangy yogurt (like I do), then you will probably be completely happy. If you are looking for a yogurt with more varieties of probiotics, this may also be a great option for you. It’s not the best choice for adding protein to your meal, since it has roughly half the protein as other brands. For me, it’s not an ideal option for cooking in recipes. It’s best eaten right out of the tub, without diluting it.
The end.
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