I'm in despair over American yogurt. In Europe, regulations state that yogurt must contain a particular percentage of fermented milk product before it can use the name. And the makes all contain a certain amount of milk fat because that's what makes it so delicious. Here, it seems that any old fat-free white solution that may briefly have had a passing acquaintance with an animal or a soybean and which needs to be solidified by gelatin because all its substance has been removed, can be called yogurt. What is the point of reducing the fat to nil? Better not to eat yogurt at all.

What is it, anyway? It's milk and cream cultured by lactic acid to produce healthy bacteria - lactobacillus bulgaricus or streptococcus thermophilus - that protect the digestive system. Labels should indicate whether these bacteria have developed naturally during the production process or have been acidified to create the lactic acid that turns milk into yogurt. 

Regular yogurt - Made from whole milk with a fat content of at least 2.35 percent.  A cup will contain between 150-180 calories and 8 grams of fat.

Low fat yogurt - Made from low fat milk between 0.5 and 2 percent fat, with added water. A cup will contain - here's the surprise - more calories, at 155, than the lower end regular yogurt, but only 4 grams of fat.

Non-fat yogurt is made from milk containing less than 0.5 percent fat, plus water. A cup will contain from 137 calories and 0.4 grams of fat, even if it says it's "non-fat". Take up any complaint with the FDA...

eatWashingtonian Liz Diamond alerted me to a brand she thought wonderful at the Giant. But she can't remember the name unfortunately. "It was not Oikos which I did not care for much." I agree with her. Oikos, incidentally, is Stonyfield's version of Greek yogurt. She continues, "Please get your readers to lobby for Cabot flavored Greek yogurt which they have at Publix in Florida.  It is full fat and wonderful and literally and figuratively to die for.  You will die happy!!!!" Over to all of you...

Meanwhile, if you want control over your yogurt, you can easily make it yourself, with whatever milk you like. (See Yogurt recipe.)

Stonyfield Natural yogurt knows what's what in proper yogurt. As well as a low fat plain version, they make a type from whole milk that has a thin crust of cream on the top. It comes in pint tubs but has become hard to find in single container quantities - perhaps it all gets snatched up. From Whole Foods.

Total Greek yogurt is what yogurt is supposed to be. The Greeks strain their yogurt to eliminate the liquid whey. Total is getting easier to find these days. Whole Foods stocks it, as do Dean & DeLuca and Trader Joe's and some larger Giants. It makes the best tzadziki, a yogurt and garlic dip served on cubes of bread in Greece to eat with sips of ouzo that is also good alongside grilled meats. Total is so satisfying, especially for breakfast, Greek-style, eaten with a juicy peach or a spoonful of honey, that you need very little. If you're worried about its fat content, however, buy the Zero or the 2% versions. You'll find them almost as unctuous as the whole milk original. Don't bother with the versions with compartments for honey or jam that you won't find in Greece.

Other Greek yogurt, I'm told, can be bought at Foods of All Nations, 2121 Ivy Rd, Charlottesville, 434 296-6131, which the eatWashingtonians who alerted me to the place fondly call Junk Food of All Nations.

If you're allergic to cow's milk,  Redwood Hill Farm makes goats' milk yogurt, from Whole Foods, and there's WholeSoy Soy Yogurt in supermarkets, made from soy beans. Then there are all those yogurts with added probiotic cultures for extra extra digestive health...

Labneh is a less rich, less fattening substitute, a strained yogurt sold in Middle Eastern groceries. Turkish-style yogurt, another option, is sold at Mount of Olives Market, 3405 Payne St, Falls Church, 703 379 1156.

Sadaf is another Middle Eastern whole milk natural yogurt worth looking out for in Middle Eastern markets.

Related Information...

3 Comments

1. Liz Diamond

   I tried something called soy yogurt from Whole Foods recently and it was, quite franky, nasty both in taste and texture. I'm sorry that people who cannot take dairy cannot have something better tasting than this. Since I'm lucky enough to be able to eat dairy I'm sticking to real yogurt, such as Total with some fat. Labneh is a terrific substitute and I get mine at Yekta. The soy stuff can be called pudding or some such but you would have to have some sort of martyrdom instinct to make it something you actually wanted to eat. I'm pretty accepting of so-called health foods but they have to be enjoyable to eat and only at the point of a gun would I have that stuff ever again. There is also a soy bar on the market called SOYJOY which I tried and thought quite revolting.

2. Cole Kendall

   The Best yogurt in DC is not legally yogurt but Yofresh from Blue Ridge Dairy. I get it at the Dupont Farmers Market on Sundays, but it also available at Whole Foods and Dean and Deluca. The owner, Paul Stephan also makes a fine mozzarella. I think it is not legally called yogurt because of the package design, but the full fat version is rich and delicious.

3. Little Red

   I grew up eating homemade yogurt made the Indian way which means it wasn't as thick as the Greek stuff but instead was a bit watery in comparison. Pretty much anything but Stonyfield Farm Whole Milk Plain Yogurt and Trader Joe's Organic Greek-Style Fat-Free Yogurt are the only two which I buy when I need yogurt. And yes, the fat-free dairy is normally against my principles too but in this case I make an exception for a good product.